Secondary Considerations

[Pippedydeadeye]

We were just at the open evening for our closest school and I didn't see anyone without a year 6 kid in tow.

Squeak and I have discussed it and we've submitted her application tonight. She got a good feel for the place and while we're still going to look at the second choice school next week, she's happy with the decision.

I was slightly disappointed about the library not being staffed by a librarian, and I very much feel that their new homework policy is doing nothing more than creating a generation future pub quiz champions rather than encouraging critical thought. But it still felt like they cared about the kids, and the whole environment felt right.

[Ruby]

Very very few schools have an actual librarian. It's a bugbear of mine. The library at the SAM's school is piss poor. My own school has two proper librarians and they are amazing and make a huge contribution to the school.

[Pippedydeadeye]

This is exactly it. Did you know that prison libraries are a statutory requirement while school ones aren’t? The guy I spoke to seemed to think it was a real coup that the “librarian” was a former English teacher and they’d sent her on a course to learn classification. I told him anyone can classify.

[olive]

I’m so surprised at schools not having librarians. My two have library once a week where they go in and browse and pick books. I remember doing similar - is that not the case anymore?

Now that T’s in third grade he’s being taught about reference books and how and when to use them which is useful.

[Pippedydeadeye]

You’re confusing a library with a librarian. Often school libraries also double up as a classroom/ICT suite too.

[Flora Poste]

I've been to see two outstanding, sought after local secondaries in the last couple of weeks (neither of which we stand any chance of getting into for different reasons) and I was genuinely shocked how tiny the libraries were. And that they seemed to have separate libraries for different year groupings - which just seems bonkers to me as surely all children should have access to all books? And the library today had horrendous piped musak

That's good that Squeak is happy with your closest school Pip. I wish it was a bit less complicated here - our two closest are both ok, but both have issues (and historical reputations that may or may not still be deserved) - the next three closest are all very well regarded but we would be very unlikely to get into the first on distance, the second (which I saw today and really liked) is lottery entry so I guess we treat it as a wild card, and the third is Catholic and Mr P refused to play (his) Catholic card.

[Flora Poste]

Also - do other comprehensives do the banding tests or is it just a thing round here? I need to get my head round it as it looks like a significant majority tutor for them round here - which has genuinely shocked me.

[Edith Bacon]

Is that testing for entry or testing to stream once they are in the school, Flora?

We have two grammars and tutoring for the 11+ is big -massive! - business, locally. The other secondary schools stream according to SATs and/or CATs but hardly anyone gets their child tutored for those, as far as I am aware.

[emma_p]

I've been to see two outstanding, sought after local secondaries in the last couple of weeks (neither of which we stand any chance of getting into for different reasons) and I was genuinely shocked how tiny the libraries were. And that they seemed to have separate libraries for different year groupings - which just seems bonkers to me as surely all children should have access to all books? And the library today had horrendous piped musak

That's good that Squeak is happy with your closest school Pip. I wish it was a bit less complicated here - our two closest are both ok, but both have issues (and historical reputations that may or may not still be deserved) - the next three closest are all very well regarded but we would be very unlikely to get into the first on distance, the second (which I saw today and really liked) is lottery entry so I guess we treat it as a wild card, and the third is Catholic and Mr P refused to play (his) Catholic card.

My friend in DC has just got a school librarian job. She's not a librarian. In fact was a writer/producer of true crime documentaries and she's going to continue to do that too so it's all a bit of a weird combination!

Which borough are you looking in, Flora? We are in Wandsworth and wondered if you were too or if you were a bit further over. It would be good to compare notes

[Flora Poste]

Is that testing for entry or testing to stream once they are in the school, Flora?

Kind of entry - so intake is 20% of each band so distance requirements can vary according to which band you are in. And also for streaming - as far as I can tell people tutor for this as well, presumably to get children into a higher stream and, in theory, less disruption.

[Flora Poste]

Which borough are you looking in, Flora? We are in Wandsworth and wondered if you were too or if you were a bit further over. It would be good to compare notes

Lambeth/ Southwark borders, but I have been thinking of looking at Gr. in Wandsworth because of the scholarship places but I don't know realistically what sort of chance we have (I know someone who lives two roads over from me who has two boys who go there via that route and she's really happy with it).

[emma_p]

You can take the Wandsworth test which is how they allocate places at the selective schools including Gr. even if you’re not at a primary here. You just have to register online to take it.

[Ismee]

We've been to see the three that H was considering and she has decided on the local comp. The one that has a bad reputation because of its past but has massively improved in the last three years.

I was really impressed with it both times (we went to see it last year too), the pupils are fab and the Head Teacher is very dedicated and has done great things.

None of her friends will go there but she is fine with it.

[smalex]

Kids seem really brave these days! I know of lots who've chosen the best thing for them even if their friends go elsewhere. I'd gave clung to my friends like a wet lettuce at that age

[Luce]

I'm please she'd made a decision you're all happy with, Is!

We went round the school the other day and Felix loved it. Which is fortunate because it is his only option And I loved it because I could show him where I used to stand and make furtive phone calls to his Dad - he could not have cared less. But he loved all the art rooms and the photography suite and stuff. And I was able to show him what I meant about how the school is laid out (alphabetical floors etc) so that he won't get lost so I think his mind has really been put at ease and he can completely ignore it all for a year now.

He'll be going there entirely on his own as well - everyone else in his class is going to the Catholic high school about 5 miles away. I'd never have been able to be chilled out about that kind of stuff, either, Smal.

[emma_p]

I love that F will go to your school, Santa! I’d love for my kids to go to mine but it’s a girls school in Beverley so that is not going to happen!

I went to a secondary school where I knew one person from my primary school, who wasn’t in my class and I was totally down with it. Good on H! She will be totally fine.

[olive]

I'd gave clung to my friends like a wet lettuce at that age

Same.

I’m massively impressed with both H and F being so chill about this.

[Ismee]

That's great, Santa.

I am very proud of H, she is ace and I love her individuality.

Some of her friends dissed her decision today and she just quoted what the Head said 'your reputation is who people think you are, your character is who you are'.

[Luce]

Oh, you must be so proud of that! Good for H

I do love that he'll (hopefully) be going to my old school, emmap. I get very sentimental about that stuff. But it helps that I loved school. And it helps even more that its a really excellent school and is approximately an 8 minute walk from our house It is absolutely huge though - F will be going from a one form entry primary to a nine form entry high school. Even if his whole class went too then he'd still hardly see any of them.

[Edith Bacon]

It is absolutely huge though - F will be going from a one form entry primary to a nine form entry high school. Even if his whole class went too then he'd still hardly see any of them.

How cool that F is hopefully going to your school! And he might end up with more familiar faces than you think; E has just gone up from a two form entry primary school to a ten form entry secondary and there are seven people from her primary school in her form, plus another couple that she knows from extra curricular activities.

You must be so proud, Is! Lovely H