School places - how did it go?

[summerdays]

I remember some of you were going through the process last autumn - how did it go? I'm waiting to hear how friends have done - knowing at least one will be going to appeal.

 

[ChrisKH]

Ridiculous isn't it? Chasing state school places. I have all this to come and I'm not looking forward to it.

 

[Crackle]

Crackle1 passed his 11+ and got his chosen school, so very happy all around. More important than any of that though is the fact he'll go to a school that will suit him which is really the most important thing.

 

[ChrisKH]

How much tutoring did Crackle1 need Crackle? We're at the point of deciding whether to go this route. Did his school give any pointers or say 'yes, he would be a good candidate'?
We're not getting any feedback of this nature.

 

[alecstilleyedye]

we got into our second choice, avoiding the dreaded third choice which is most local school. we will appeal for our first choice, it's one of the best state schools in cheshire. however, the school we have got dd into at the mo is a good school which we did like when we visited, and which got a good ofsted. she's also the sort of kid that will do well anywhere, so all in all we're happy. dd is more concerned at where her core friends are going, as they are in exactly the same boat as us, offered tytherington and appealing for fallibroome.

 

[Crackle]

How much tutoring did Crackle1 need Crackle? We're at the point of deciding whether to go this route. Did his school give any pointers or say 'yes, he would be a good candidate'?
We're not getting any feedback of this nature.

Wot Crock said. Crackle1 had a couple of months but when he did some papers with us and him, he could already do it, so we thought it was worth it. We also gave him the choice but he was pretty clear which school he wanted to go to and why. A few kids we know didn't go in for it at all based on their aptitude for such stuff.

In the end that only tells you so much, you still have to decide if the school is right for them, curriculum, approach, atmosphere, kind of kids who go and all that is really quite difficult to decide without a crystal ball.

 

[ChrisKH]

Thanks for that Crock. But do the school usually give any sort of indicator, or leave it to the parents? Fine if they're being polite and don't want to offend, but I'd rather know, they must have an idea.

 

[summerdays]

If you go down the appeal route then don't be too negative about the offered school, more about why the preferred school would suit would meet your childs needs. But I'm glad you have one that you feel she would be happy at.

 

[Crackle]

Thanks for that Crock. But do the school usually give any sort of indicator, or leave it to the parents? Fine if they're being polite and don't want to offend, but I'd rather know, they must have an idea.

If it's anything like our school, then it will be only positive without really telling you anything useful like how they measure up to their peers or if they have the right kind of aptitude for this stuff, never any realistic assessment.

 

[JtB]

We were lucky, my youngest son will be moving (along with his friends) to our first choice of school.

 

[4F]

No problem, applied on line which was a trouble free experience and got the 1st choice.

 

[hulver]

We got our prefered place for Daughter number one. Which is good, because she (and us) really hated the nearest school to us, which she would have got automatic entry for.

It's a giant "college", and their prospetus had 30 pages, out of which an entire 1/2 a page was devoted to academic achievement. The rest was on discipline and sports. At least 1/2 of it was on how they maintain discipline (they don't )

We were out of area for her first choice, but applied anyway. We spoke to the headmaster when we were visiting, and he said that if we wanted it we should apply and if turned down appeal, as he didn't know anybody who had appealed with the support of the head and not gained a place.

Instead we just got straight in. Result!

 

[MacB]

MacB2 is following MacB1 to first choice school, be very unlucky if MacB3 isn't able to follow suit in due course

 

[MarkF]

My lad got his preferred choice. We are lucky, we live 2 mins walk from an excellent primary school where his sister goes and 5 mins walk from an excellent faith secondary where his brother goes.

 

[Over The Hill]

Pleased to find my second daughter followed first to the preferred school which is not catchment and gets fully subscribed.

On a personal level you want them to be happy and do well so want the better school but then it is clear that the local "better" school is creaming off all the brighter and more engaged kids. This leaves the not so good school with all the problem and less motivated kids.

The worst school in the area got so bad they closed it down, built houses on the site and built a new school across the road!