Transfer Test AQE 2015-2016 *NEW THREAD*

Flashfriend

Reading all this really emphasis's what a crazy and unfair education system we have! From experience I think the children whose parents are heavily involved with school work are the ones who succeed at grammar school.

MiaMam

I agree Flashfriend. I think parental involvement is absolutey vital and not just at primary but right the way up.

k4s_2

MiaMam wrote: »

I agree Flashfriend. I think parental involvement is absolutey vital and not just at primary but right the way up.

especially the first year. how overwhelming it is to suddenly have a homework diary/planner and to learn to prioritise, realise that if you get a week to do it, its for a reason lol. my eldest took AGES to adapt to this. add to that the remembering your way around, longer days, earlier starts, different classes to get to etc..... mine all come from a little family oriented school, where the head knows every child by name and parents are all so involved, so big school is a MASSIVE culture shock.
I do to try to help as much as I can, while being hands off enough to get them to step up....I suppose each child differs with the cut off point for it though. dd2 is not the most organised of children....her school bag is atrociously messy and shes so laid back in the mornings.....im actually panicking about this come September......

MiaMam

I actually had a conversation with DD about this earlier. She can be very disorganised and scatty and although she's very bright I do need to chase her around checking she's done her homework, remembered her stuff, etc. It's scary to think she'll be negotiating her way around big school with a timetable in September! I may get her into training lol

RikM

Flashfriend wrote: »

Reading all this really emphasis's what a crazy and unfair education system we have! From experience I think the children whose parents are heavily involved with school work are the ones who succeed at grammar school.

I suspect that tends to correlate quite strongly with parent's IQ, education etc...

You could argue that the tests are selecting for (a) the naturally gifted and (b) the ones whose parents are going to push hardest.

Is that a bad thing?

flymetothemoon_2

QUOTE:
however, at Ben Madigan, they are 'prepped' ridiculously (pardon the pun) to make sure they get to be the highest ranking. They, along with pupils from another 2 certain schools which I wont name and shame, are unbelievably prepped, get in with great scores, then by end of 3rd year some transfer, others try to stay afloat, then end up repeating gcse's at the model schools, or ashfield etc while some from said schools take their place that didn't get high enough in the beginning as these guys took the spots......vicious circle that has been around since 11+ days.......[/QUOTE]

k4s
I believe all preps prepare their kids rigorously because paying parents, after all, do expect their kids to move from prep into the grammar. In the old days prep kids were guaranteed entry no matter what but now that the rules have changed, all preps have had to work harder than before to ensure kids get scores that will gain them entry. I know people whose kids went to preps for Strathearn, Methody and BRA and none of them got into said grammars. When I was at BRA, some prep kids in my year were constantly bottom of the year and had to leave at end of Form 5 whilst others were very bright. I always felt that those who were never bright enough to be there, should never have been given a place and therefore I think it is an improvement that this no longer happens & I think the Headmaster is genuine when he says they use only rank order of scores because they believe it is the fairest thing to do. I think all grammars should be doing the same and if they really want to keep a pool of places it should not exceed 10% of their places.

k4s_2

flymetothemoon wrote: »

QUOTE:
however, at Ben Madigan, they are 'prepped' ridiculously (pardon the pun) to make sure they get to be the highest ranking. They, along with pupils from another 2 certain schools which I wont name and shame, are unbelievably prepped, get in with great scores, then by end of 3rd year some transfer, others try to stay afloat, then end up repeating gcse's at the model schools, or ashfield etc while some from said schools take their place that didn't get high enough in the beginning as these guys took the spots......vicious circle that has been around since 11+ days.......

k4s
I believe all preps prepare their kids rigorously because paying parents, after all, do expect their kids to move from prep into the grammer. In the old days prep kids were guaranteed entry no matter what but now that the rules have changed, all preps have had to work harder than before to ensure kids get scores that will gain them entry. I know people whose kids went to preps for Strathearn, Methody and BRA and none of them got into said grammars. When I was at BRA, some prep kids in my year were constantly bottom of the year and had to leave at end of Form 5 whilst others were very bright. I always felt that those who were never bright enough to be there, should never have been given a place and therefore I think it is an improvement that this no longer happens & I think the Headmaster is genuine when he says they use only rank order of scores because they believe it is the fairest thing to do. I think all grammers should be doing the same and if they really want to keep a pool of places it should not exceed 10% of their places.[/QUOTE]



couldn't agree more, and yes bra headmaster does seem sincere in his criteria....I was very impressed by him actually and am more than happy that it was dd's first choice. my little sister loved it there too....all I hear now is 'academy till I die' haha

Flashfriend

RikM wrote: »

I suspect that tends to correlate quite strongly with parent's IQ, education etc...

You could argue that the tests are selecting for (a) the naturally gifted and (b) the ones whose parents are going to push hardest.

Is that a bad thing?

Not at all, I'm referring to the children who have to change to a secondary school after 3rd year are maybe not getting the support from home. I know a 1st year who is struggling at a grammar school after getting 110 in AQE, but I honestly think the parents aren't spending time with her going over the maths she is struggling with!

k4s_2

Flashfriend wrote: »

Not at all, I'm referring to the children who have to change to a secondary school after 3rd year are maybe not getting the support from home. I know a 1st year who is struggling at a grammar school after getting 110 in AQE, but I honestly think the parents aren't spending time with her going over the maths she is struggling with!

Now is the time to help before it is too late..... Sometimes they just need something gone over more than the classroom, or explained from a different point of view until clicks. I didn't always use the methodology of problem solving given by the teacher, sometimes you figure one out or a parent shows you another way that you're more comfortable with. Either way, if a grammar school is chosen then those parents should automatically know that brings more responsibility from them.....

Rainbowmac

This why we are going secondary with X a grammar lass . The parent shouldn't have to teach the child if they are going to be able in grammar school
That's why school beds to be right for the child's strengths and personality rather than a statue tinsay you have a grammar school child nothing worse that a child not being able to understand something in school no matter what there score