Mr and Mrs K's New Journey to a Debt Free Life.

AlexLK

maman wrote: »

Sorry the visit didn't go as you'd hoped. The selection process for primary schools is largely geographical rather than on potential. There are mixed views on very small schools like the ones closest to you. Most parents love them as they tend to have a great 'family' atmosphere and small classes. In this area many parents drive their children out of the town to attend village schools. It can be a big jump to a large secondary school from there though.

I wouldn't worry over much about mixed age range classes. Whatever type of class LittleK ends up in, any good teacher will be taking all the pupils forward from where they are regardless of age. So the teacher wouldn't teach the same thing to the whole class whether they were all 5 year olds or a mixture of 5-7 year olds. Classes where children are all the same age still have a range of ability and attainment.

What did MrsK think of the school?

And whatever was wrong with the uniform?

Mrs. K. really liked the school, she thought it was "perfect". I wouldn't go that far but would have seriously considered sending him there as well if the admissions procedure was different.

Both my wife and I are unsure of the village schools, we do not know whether they would allow our son to reach his true potential. If we were to go down the state route, I would imagine he would spend a further two years at another prep school to gain entry into a good senior school at 13. That is unless we found the "musical" local state school was to our standards and produced excellent results.

Thank you for the information about how things work within school. I hadn't really expected much being tailored towards the individual in a state setting.

I thought the uniform looked particularly informal - polo shirts with a rather childish looking logo (not even a badge / crest), fine for PE but I'd be rather disappointed to receive a school photograph with my son in that uniform. Mrs. K. thought I was "being a snob".

dawnybabes wrote: »

At this age the kids need a polo shirt and sweatshirt. Nothing too expensive so you won't be stressed when they get paint, pens etc on them.

Catchment is normally on distance/siblings first attainment has nothing at all to do with it.

Teachers will differentiate lessons to make sure all children are progressing.

I do not have a problem with polo shirts in principle, well I do once they are out of pre-prep years but it was more the childish logo I didn't like. I can't say I (or Mrs. K.) would be "getting stressed" about paint / pens on a school uniform, either.

mum2one

I can partly agree where your coming from re logos. as at DD's old school the logo was "crows" then the head decided on a new look and gave the children the choice, - the new logo was like a matchstick boy and girl, but the logo is just a decoration on the clothes.

A lot of schools have polo shirts, sweaters for ease, as paints, scrapes, falls etc all happen.

x

maman

AlexLK wrote: »

I thought the uniform looked particularly informal - polo shirts with a rather childish looking logo (not even a badge / crest), fine for PE but I'd be rather disappointed to receive a school photograph with my son in that uniform. Mrs. K. thought I was "being a snob".

I think you'll find that many schools have childish looking logos. They're partly to be child friendly and (in the case of my school) chosen by the pupils. We had an historical character represented in a Miffy style way. This probably contrasts hugely with something historical and traditional that you've been used to.

heartbreak_star

You are being a bit of a snob it's a primary school not an academic college my primary school didn't even have a uniform. I hated it when I got to middle school and had to look like everyone else

Polo shirts are easy to dress kids in and hard wearing.

Dare I say it...music isn't the be all and end all. Please, please don't take offence at that though - I suspect Little K will get a good all-round education at that school...could you teach him more musicality at home? OR after-school classes?

Sorry, just rambling out loud, don't mind me hehe!

HBS x

AlexLK

mum2one wrote: »

I can partly agree where your coming from re logos. as at DD's old school the logo was "crows" then the head decided on a new look and gave the children the choice, - the new logo was like a matchstick boy and girl, but the logo is just a decoration on the clothes.

A lot of schools have polo shirts, sweaters for ease, as paints, scrapes, falls etc all happen.

x

I don't understand why a child would have any say in their school badge, it's meant to be something to look back on in many years and be proud of and frankly I can't see anybody being proud of going to a school with a uniform that had a matchstick boy and girl on their school polo shirt.

maman wrote: »

I think you'll find that many schools have childish looking logos. They're partly to be child friendly and (in the case of my school) chosen by the pupils. We had an historical character represented in a Miffy style way. This probably contrasts hugely with something historical and traditional that you've been used to.

I think school tradition is a very important part of going to school, for instance I am absolutely not a religious man and hated going to chapel at school but it was a part of the experience of going to school. These days, I actually look back somewhat fondly to that time.

Likewise, I can't say I particularly thought it was fantastic to be wearing a school uniform at the time. However, my parents still have my school photos and in each one I looked smartly presented.

heartbreak_star wrote: »

You are being a bit of a snob it's a primary school not an academic college my primary school didn't even have a uniform. I hated it when I got to middle school and had to look like everyone else

Polo shirts are easy to dress kids in and hard wearing.

Dare I say it...music isn't the be all and end all. Please, please don't take offence at that though - I suspect Little K will get a good all-round education at that school...could you teach him more musicality at home? OR after-school classes?

Sorry, just rambling out loud, don't mind me hehe!

HBS x

Perhaps I am being "a snob". However, I do think children ought to learn the history of their schools and part of that (or at least it was for my schools) was the uniform and badge.

I was not trying to imply that music is the be all and end all, the "musical" state school is meant to be good, whereas the other school a similar distance away is dire. Therefore, if we were to go down the state route he would be going to the "musical" school, which as it happens has a fantastic history and goes back almost as far as my senior school.

maman

I don't disagree about tradition and schools do teach children about the history of the local community and, if the school building is an oldish one, about the history of the school itself.


But schools are about the present as well as the past which is why they encourage current pupils to get involved and that can include the design of the badge. I distinctly remember the girls who designed our school badge and I'm sure they get a big kick every time they walk past.


It's good to talk.;)

heartbreak_star

AlexLK wrote: »

I don't understand why a child would have any say in their school badge, it's meant to be something to look back on in many years and be proud of and frankly I can't see anybody being proud of going to a school with a uniform that had a matchstick boy and girl on their school polo shirt.



I think school tradition is a very important part of going to school, for instance I am absolutely not a religious man and hated going to chapel at school but it was a part of the experience of going to school. These days, I actually look back somewhat fondly to that time.

Likewise, I can't say I particularly thought it was fantastic to be wearing a school uniform at the time. However, my parents still have my school photos and in each one I looked smartly presented.



Perhaps I am being "a snob". However, I do think children ought to learn the history of their schools and part of that (or at least it was for my schools) was the uniform and badge.

I was not trying to imply that music is the be all and end all, the "musical" state school is meant to be good, whereas the other school a similar distance away is dire. Therefore, if we were to go down the state route he would be going to the "musical" school, which as it happens has a fantastic history and goes back almost as far as my senior school.

My middle school was only 8 years old at the time I went (I liked to say it was the same age as me ) and the first pupils helped design the badge.

School for me was always about the present and not the past - my primary school was 100 years old but none of the kids cared, we just wanted to learn stuff and play *chuckle* You may have guessed I'm generally a present-and-future person anyway - the past is gone and cannot be changed. That's just me all over though :rotfl:

Now I understand re: school choice, and between the two that seems the obvious choice. Thank you for explaining!

HBS x

AlexLK

maman wrote: »

I don't disagree about tradition and schools do teach children about the history of the local community and, if the school building is an oldish one, about the history of the school itself.

But schools are about the present as well as the past which is why they encourage current pupils to get involved and that can include the design of the badge. I distinctly remember the girls who designed our school badge and I'm sure they get a big kick every time they walk past.

It's good to talk.;)

Local history was something I used to enjoy and plan to teach my son about when he's a bit older. I have a hard time accepting that time moves on, if I could I would let time stand still at some point when we had a great day. I know that is incredibly selfish but I very rarely see happiness.

Thank you for the perspective, it is not one I'd thought of.

heartbreak_star wrote: »

My middle school was only 8 years old at the time I went (I liked to say it was the same age as me ) and the first pupils helped design the badge.

School for me was always about the present and not the past - my primary school was 100 years old but none of the kids cared, we just wanted to learn stuff and play *chuckle* You may have guessed I'm generally a present-and-future person anyway - the past is gone and cannot be changed. That's just me all over though :rotfl:

Now I understand re: school choice, and between the two that seems the obvious choice. Thank you for explaining!

HBS x

Interesting to see a completely different perspective. I can't say I cared that much at the time about the history of my school either but I did enjoy learning about it.

I dread the thought of the future.

pebbles88

AlexLK wrote: »

I dread the thought of the future.

But why? None of us know what's around the corner for us, cherish each day.:)

boo2410

Alex, not posted on here for ages but do read it avidly.

Firstly, I think you're doing fantastically on the debt front, Mrs K may not be on board at the moment but at least you are plodding on and although it may seem a drag think how you will feel when your are debt free. AND the way you are going it won't be long :j:j:j

But what I really wanted to say was if Little K does go to one of the small local schools don't worry too much about having two years to a class. When we moved to Norfolk from Surrey my son (who was 7) went from a school that had at least two classes to a year (about 400 children in the school) to a school that had 92 children and two years to a class. At first I was a bit concerned but it actually pushes them. For example he is now 10 and in year 5 but they are actually doing year 6 work. Of course I'm sure some of the children might struggle a bit but if they are bright I think it actually helps them.

Also this school seems much more personal, the teachers know all the children by name and always have time to talk to you. And they have far more things going on after school, loads more trips etc. AND lots of different music lessons. My son is learning to play the ocarina and I'd never heard of it :rotfl::rotfl:. Mind you he's not really musically minded so I don't think he will be the next Andre Rieu (shame).

Anyway I'll pop off again now, but will keep reading and may stick my oar in again!!!

Boo