Transfer 2011/2012

shopping_queen_3

Lalaland - I'm with you on this one! As an AQE parent, patiently waiting on that letter on 28th May, I read this post with interest. I have re-read it a couple of times before posting as I do not wish to cause any further upset to Annoyedmum if indeed it is true but here are my reasons for thinking it's completely untrue:

(1) the original post talks about the class teacher giving the child a letter and then the principal rushing in to retrieve it. Then a couple of posts later, turns out the teacher is also the principal??

(2) the letter is addressed to the parent - why would a teacher or indeed a principal even think of giving this to an 11 year old and then let them open it??

(3) the letters are sent to the child's home address, not the primary school and I just can't believe one school in the whole of NI would decide to do this differently. Furthermore, they have not only issued the letter to the wrong place, they've also sent it almost one month early??

(4) Annoyedmum states that her son was the only child to put this school as 2nd choice and therefore the only child to receive such a letter - what about all the children who selected this school as 1st choice, why did they not get a letter??? Surely with only one grammar school to choose from, there are not that many secondary schools that no other child in this primary school has chosen it as 1st or 2nd choice????

I really don't want to accuse someone of lying but I think there are just too may things that individually would be questionable but together are just unbelievable. As I said Lalaland, I'm with you on this one!!

flymetothemoon_2

Charliedevil wrote: »

I can see why some people may think this a made up story! It is not procedure for the primary to know first as due to this thread I checked it out with my child's primary. I was told that after the parents recieve confirmation of placement, the primary school get a print out from the board so they can send the child's info to their new school like their key stage 2 levels etc. However, mistakes can happen! Was the transfer form missing a home address perhaps?

While I mention the key stage 2 levels, has anyone's children achieved the coveted level 5? These levels are perhaps the way forward as aposed to testing!

Charliedevil
My DD achieved level 5 for English and Level 4 for Maths last year. I think lots of children in her class had one level 5 and some had 2 level 5s but it was always a great class (22 out of 22 who sat AQE got into grammars of their choice). I agree that these KS2 levels could be used as the way forward.

annoyedmum

shopping_queen wrote: »

Lalaland - I'm with you on this one! As an AQE parent, patiently waiting on that letter on 28th May, I read this post with interest. I have re-read it a couple of times before posting as I do not wish to cause any further upset to Annoyedmum if indeed it is true but here are my reasons for thinking it's completely untrue:

(1) the original post talks about the class teacher giving the child a letter and then the principal rushing in to retrieve it. Then a couple of posts later, turns out the teacher is also the principal??

(2) the letter is addressed to the parent - why would a teacher or indeed a principal even think of giving this to an 11 year old and then let them open it??

(3) the letters are sent to the child's home address, not the primary school and I just can't believe one school in the whole of NI would decide to do this differently. Furthermore, they have not only issued the letter to the wrong place, they've also sent it almost one month early??

(4) Annoyedmum states that her son was the only child to put this school as 2nd choice and therefore the only child to receive such a letter - what about all the children who selected this school as 1st choice, why did they not get a letter??? Surely with only one grammar school to choose from, there are not that many secondary schools that no other child in this primary school has chosen it as 1st or 2nd choice????

I really don't want to accuse someone of lying but I think there are just too may things that individually would be questionable but together are just unbelievable. As I said Lalaland, I'm with you on this one!!

As I feel I must defend myself again I will try to answer your queries;

1. I was trying to protect the identity of the school when I did not initially mention that principal as class teacher.

2. The letter was in fact addressed to "the parents of ........." so why would a teacher/principal give it to an 11 yr old, the excuse I have been given is that said principal was "preoccupied" at the time.

3. The 2nd choice school insist that this is normal practice for them, the only difference being that the primary school are not supposed to give the letter out until 28th May. Whilst the education board have said that this is not how the process operated and they are investigating the case I have no other answer for this.

4. In my area we have 1 grammer school and 2 secondary schools to choose from. My son attends a country primary school with 55 pupils, he has 8 pupils in his class. Of these 8 he was the only one to sit AQE test and therefore the only one with this grammer school number1. Also he is the only child to select the number 2 choice primary school as all the others have selected the other secondary school. This school is never oversubscribed therefore no other pupils will receive the said letter. Before you start quizzing why I would select schools that none of his friends are attending I have 3 older children attending the 2 schools I selected.

Finally, whilst I feel I must defend myself, I can think of no reason in the world why I would make up such a story and your questioning my honesty really saddens me.

leftieM

On paper, it's a good idea to use these to grade pupils for grammar school.
In practice it wouldn't work. Imagine you are a parent who's child is a high level 4 and the school of choice only accepts level 5s because it is oversubscribed. Your child's teacher has made a judgement call that, based on their work, they don't make level 5 but they are going to get there in the next term or so. How would you feel? Would you approach the teacher? Would you seek the opinion of someone else on the work? What would be the appeals process?
Is it fair on anyone to get the primary school teacher to, effectively, select what school your child goes to?
The problem with the level descriptors is that they are qualitative. A child's work might be level 5 on one piece and level 4 on another. The level descriptors are too broad to be used as a means of differentiating between individual students for assigning something as precious and sought-after as a place in an oversubscribed school.

Charliedevil

Annoyedmum from the information you gave out already if it is accurate, I for one know which grammar school your talking about!

Charliedevil

Leftiem you have a point! P7 teachers would be subject to bribes, abuse and all sorts!

travellinglight_2

Charliedevil wrote: »

Annoyedmum from the information you gave out already if it is accurate, I for one know which grammar school your talking about!

is this a city school or country?

Charliedevil

From the scores given I reckon it's banbridge academy!

Charliedevil

http://www.thetransfertest.com/schools-intake-information
From this info that is the only aqe school that took 95 last year. This was the score annoyedmum quoted earlier in the thread! It's a country school and the only grammar in banbridge!

leftieM

Excellent detective work!
To the OP - I can understand your distress. I hope your son has a wonderful time at his new school and he fulfills his potential there.