A question for secondary school teachers

twinklie

As a secondary teacher I would agree, go with the one that you feel would best suit YOUR child. Each school is very different and I'm a firm believer that it's best to try and find out that suits your childs personality and needs.

jackyann

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

Schools don't get outstanding academic results without concerning themselves with life skills as well.

In addition, the skills you mention are really a parents' responsibility and can be learnt from outside activities like scouts/guides, whereas the academic side may be less possible for many parents to influence.

In your situation, I'd choose the first.

Although I agree with your second & third paragraphs, I'm afraid that I have known schools who do get outstanding results, by ruthlessly eliminating the kids who don't "perform".

I worked with the families of children who had some specific learning difficulties, and I knew exactly which schools (usually the sought-after ones) would either not take them (even at primary level) or if they felt obliged to, would then make their lives miserable (and yes, I have made formal complaints when I felt it appropriate, although most families don't want that).

I was involved in one situation (changing details slightly b/c of confidentiality) where the parents decided that their child should not sit the SATs. She was extremely clever, at a high-performing school, but had been in a distressing accident and was very anxious. The school & Ofsted would not accede to that request, so the parents kept her at home for a week. On her return, she was taken immediately to the HM office and given the papers to do - she became so upset that the school secretary rang the parents, who immediately & permanently removed her. I knew this family personally, but professionally I knew a family who had been asked to keep their son at home that week so he didn't feature in the SATs.

It is also worth remembering that both life and some research have shown that hot-housing & pushing kids academically does them no favours in the long run as they will eventually have to work at their own level. If you can find a school that will stretch a child without pushing, and celebrate ALL achievements you will have found a good school indeed.

balletshoes

JC9297 wrote: »

There is no reason why the things you list should be mutually exclusive, much of it comes from home rather than school anyway. Your son's behaviour will be down to you far more than which primary school he attends school. Not sure what life skills you mean- do you mean confidence or social skills? Children from some primary schools do seem to be more confident than others however this is often a reflection of the catchment area or social mix of the school rather than the school's teaching.

absolutely this, his environment at home will shape him more than his surroundings at school.

jackyann

balletshoes wrote: »

absolutely this, his environment at home will shape him more than his surroundings at school.

Whilst I completely agree, some schools are able to compensate somewhat for poor home environments by showing children that things can be done differently. However, that is straying from OP's question.

mustmakealist

When choosing schools remember that in the 'best' schools someone will be considered to be at the bottom of the pile. If you have a child that might struggle to keep up with the rest of their year group then consider if they might be better being at the top of a school that doesn't have such good results overall.

There's also something to be said for having your school classmates living close by and being able to socialise easily without having to ferry them miles.

jackyann

mustmakealist wrote: »

When choosing schools remember that in the 'best' schools someone will be considered to be at the bottom of the pile. If you have a child that might struggle to keep up with the rest of their year group then consider if they might be better being at the top of a school that doesn't have such good results overall.

There's also something to be said for having your school classmates living close by and being able to socialise easily without having to ferry them miles.

I completely agree, although OP did not comment on the proximity of schools.
If asked for advice, I always suggest that parents give serious consideration to their nearest school. It is much easier to encourage independence by say, walking with them to a friend's house, then they can walk together. With my kids, when I felt they were old enough to begin walking without me, we identified "safe houses" on the route - our local community, so we knew "Kevin's gran's house" for example.

We were in an odd situation: a small, close-knit community; however, a lot of incomers ferried their kids across the border to another county they perceived as "more posh".
However, we were very near a large manufacturing town, so some people there thought we were "posh" and sent their kids to our school. It all felt quite mad.

I am of the generation that still had the bad old 11+ (and yes, I know a few of you still have it) and was interested to see that some of my friends who were top of their secondary modern (more confidence, more interest from teachers) did much better than those who struggled at the bottom of the grammar school.