secondary school question please

milliebear00001

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

I have to say that academic standards are so low nowadays that any decent grammar doesn't need to teach to the test to achieve high levels of A and A* grades. I think that we mean different things by narrowing the curriculum; I mean things like reading books that aren't on the syllabus and reading around the subject rather than having a veneer of multi culturalism. As far as race goes, I was looking at the website for my old grammar school (in Kingston) and I was surprised at the number of children from ethnic minorities who attend; I'd've said a far higher proportion than the population of the catchment area.

I'm not sure Kingston is especially representative of the whole countries picture. Certainly, the Government's own statistics show that ethnic minorities make up about 2% of the Grammar school population - vastly under-represented. The 'veneer' of multiculturalism is flourishing in state schools - especially in London where about 45% of the population doesn't fall into 'white British' categorisation. It's important to me that my children go to a school that reflects the make-up of the society they'll be living in when they leave school. I believe comprehensive schools do a better job of that, even where their intake is homogeneous.

Still, the narrowing I mean is (for example) the teaching of subjects distinctly from each other. For example, teaching history without looking at how it's impacted on by geography (and vice versa), teaching geography without contextualising it in terms of science, teaching art without looking at how it relates to many other subjects. This goes on in comps too, but is more prevalent in 'traditional' Grammar teaching where subject teaching is kept very distinct (in my experience!)

For the OP though, it's true that ALL schools are very different from each other. It's essential she knows what kind of school she wants her son to go to, and what she wants him to achieve when he's there. Then she's well-equipped to do the research and visiting that is essential to making the right choice.

hardpressed

If a child needs extra tuition to get into a grammar school it's likely they'll struggle if they do get a place there. If you want them to sit the entrance exam that's fine but don't try to push them beyond their abilities.

milliebear00001

gemmalouanna wrote: »

I had my first ofsted a year ago and made sure I did nothing different - the way I view it is that I cannot work much harder so if I am not good enough as I am then I will look for another career hehe - in the end I was observed teaching a lesson that I planned over the summer hols looked at the lesson plan the night before and it went fine

Me too. They have to take me as they find me. In my experience, if a teacher is generally well-prepared and organised, they don't need to do TOO much differently when Ofsted come a calling

Becles

Have a look at all the schools and see what they offer. Some schools specialise in certain areas. When we looked around last year, the school my son is at now specialises in science and technology which was a big factor for him as that is what he is interested in. Another school favoured modern languages and the nearest is a sports academy, which he wasn't so keen on as he's more academic than sporty.

Also have a look at stats on what they get in SATS and GCSE's, and A-Levels if they have a 6th form.

There's a government website with loads of stats for each school on but I can't remember the link. If you google it, you might find it.

The most important is walk round all the schools on the new pupils open night. Chat to teachers and observe the behaviour of the existing pupils and go with the one you think is right. I thought quite highly of one school on paper, but on the open night it was very badly organised and the existing children who were supposed to be helping guide people around were running up and down the corridor playing chase. It put me right off!

RedBern

As your son is only in 1st year junior school I wouldn't stress too much about comp/grammar schools just yet.

What is important is to develop a love of learning - encourage your child to read age appropriate books and have interests outside of school, scouts, cubs, football etc. What you don't want to do is to make learning a chore. Things change so quickly, looking at schools in the area now for 3+ years time is a waste of time- a change of head teacher can change a school's performance in a couple of terms!

Just let your lad be a child........

betterlife

hi, thankyou for all the replies, you have all made some really valid points, yes it is very early days, and i certainly wont be pushing my son after all he`s only 7 and is to enjoy his childhood. but i will encourage his love for learning and especially art and design. he gets weekly homework from school which takes little time, we read together every night as i think this is important, but it is a family thing as i read a story to all my children every night. i will definetley look at all the schools in our area in his final year and decide then which will help him most into acheiving what he wants out of life. we also do have grammar schools in this area so the option is there. thankyou again for all your insights and experiences, you have helped a great deal. x

Oldernotwiser

milliebear00001 wrote: »

The 'veneer' of multiculturalism is flourishing in state schools - especially in London where about 45% of the population doesn't fall into 'white British' categorisation. It's important to me that my children go to a school that reflects the make-up of the society they'll be living in when they leave school. I believe comprehensive schools do a better job of that, even where their intake is homogeneous.

.

But are there many grammar schools in central London and why would you assume that any children of yours would necessarily want to live in this type of environment. You could go to a multicultural school and then end up living in an area with hardly a dark skinned face to be seen ! London isn't the whole world! You can't say how your children will choose to live their lives.

I imagine that you're a teacher in a comprehensive and I'm sure it's a good one, but if you've no experience of grammar school education then I don't think that you can understand how different it can be and how much more suitable for academic children.

Oldernotwiser

hardpressed wrote: »

If a child needs extra tuition to get into a grammar school it's likely they'll struggle if they do get a place there. If you want them to sit the entrance exam that's fine but don't try to push them beyond their abilities.

That's the way it should be but if everybody else is having some coaching then your child will be at a disadvantage, I'm afraid.

kr15snw

This is from personal experience so may vary from others:

In my area there was no need to go to grammar school. In my city there are 4 top schools who all come pretty equal. 3 are grammar one is standard. Luckily the standard one was 5 minutes away from me and the school I automatically went to. I got mainly A's with a few B's and C's chucked in for fun, where as I know people who went to the grammar schools and got less than me. I also went on to get a 1st in my degree, where as once again I know many many grammar school kids who didnt even get through a levels let alone uni.

Check out your local schools. Are the local ones rated very highly or not so highly?

To be honest where Im living now I wouldnt want to to send my kids to the local school. Well unless they wanted lessons in drugs and guns... (Ok maybe not that bad, but you know what I mean?) Hence I would send them to a grammar school. But if we move back to where I grew up theyll go to the standard school

LillyJ

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

But are there many grammar schools in central London and why would you assume that any children of yours would necessarily want to live in this type of environment. You could go to a multicultural school and then end up living in an area with hardly a dark skinned face to be seen ! London isn't the whole world! You can't say how your children will choose to live their lives.

I imagine that you're a teacher in a comprehensive and I'm sure it's a good one, but if you've no experience of grammar school education then I don't think that you can understand how different it can be and how much more suitable for academic children.

It isn't always more suitable for academic children. I was very academic and came out with all As and A*s at GCSE and all As at A level. I have since studied to PhD level. However I also LOVED sports, and this wasn't catered for very well at the grammar school I started out at, so for 6th form I changed and went to a comp. (which I loved). I also went to a private school for a few years before the grammar which I absolutely hated.
It is all dependent on the school itself.

I don't think grammars are that brilliant. Basically we were not streamed for anything except English and Maths, (which I was in top set for), and therefore we were being taught with people of all abilities, especially in languages where some people really struggled. Just because we were all grammar school pupils didn't mean we had the same level of ability. My OH however went to a comp and he was streamed for everything. He was average in terms of sets and that suited him as the people he was being taught with were of a similar ability.

Also, although we lived in a very "white" middle class area anyway, the grammar was extremely middle class, with a lot of very opinionated pushy parents who were against private education but didn't want their darling mixing with the riff raff of the comps.

The extra curricular activites (which I found very important) weren't good at all, and there was a ridiculous pressure to be successful academically. Some people didn't cope well with this as they had been coached for their 11 plus and weren't all that bright.