Grammar schools

[milanbenes]

precisely

funny, oldest has been learning the piano since 5yrs old, during the last 12 months she's wanted to give it up and worst case stop altogether, or best case try another instrument

she came home last week after her second day at the grammar school and says, I want to continue the piano, everybody in my class plays an instrument

and this is really what I am looking forward to, this infectious hunger for learning in the class

at the previous school she was the odd one out for learning the piano, now she's the odd one out if she doesn't

funny old world

Milan.

[ChimpMaster]

Hunger to learn. I love seeing that in kids. My eldest is very 'brainy' but also lazy, so we have to push her to learn.

She has her 11+ exam tomorrow. We are crapping it right now, but we've done all we could without subjecting her to a hellish training regime.

If she doesn't pass, then it's £100k of private school fees over the next 5 years that the family will have to make sacrifices for.

If she gets into grammar school, I will treat her with a Porsche (2013/2014 model), which I will be custodian of for the next few years until she gets her license, and then I'll sell it.

[vetran]

Yeah, sorry about yours.
But never mind there is a phenomenon call "reversion to the mean" so they're probably marginally more intelligent than you.

so yours must be "thick as mince" you being such a genius & all

[milanbenes]

I promised my daughter an iPhone if she passed, she's had the most basic or hand me down mobiles for the last couple of years - since she started taking the bus to school

She got the iPhone.

I wish your daughter the best of luck and you too

I totally know the feeling, if we don't make it to the grammar school then it's school fees from here on in and I cannot get over what a financial saving the grammar school brings

amazing

Milan.

infact I was thinking about is, because, NAT and Scooter and Darmstadt correct me if I am wrong, but from what I see, on the mainland private schools are not the huge industry that they are in the UK, I concluded it's because on the mainland there is the massive grammar school system, and the UK, by closing the grammar school system in the 70's (or whenever it was) created a vacuum of demand from people who wanted better education for their children and were willing to pay for it, rather than the comprehensive and hence zillions of private schools popped up to fill the gap. If the UK reimplemented grammar schools on the scale of mainland Europe, you watch all the private schools in the UK go bust

[vetran]

Interesting post. I did to speak to one parent I mentioned this to and I said maybe I'll start getting my lad studying for 11+ when he's around nine, she replied No, you need to do it when he's seven, earlier the better. He is six next month and is one of the brighter ones in his class but not sure I want to start him that young. I'm all for learning but you can over-do anything as with most things in life. Then there's the issue if he passed the 11+ got and in and my daughter didn't. Now that would cause them therapy in later life.

qh

as I may have mentioned before our Indian friends start them about 6/7. It shows as the grammars are all over subscribed and most that get in are Indian. They take education very seriously.

[eek]

We won't do private schools but I can game the system as well as anyone else, which is why the twins are in the best school in town after an appeal and were in the second best school regardless as the admissions system had no option but to put us there.

The fact the appeal statement was written by the deputy head probably did help matters a bit - there are always ways and means you just need to take some time and investigate them..

[scooterscot]

precisely

funny, oldest has been learning the piano since 5yrs old, during the last 12 months she's wanted to give it up and worst case stop altogether, or best case try another instrument

she came home last week after her second day at the grammar school and says, I want to continue the piano, everybody in my class plays an instrument

and this is really what I am looking forward to, this infectious hunger for learning in the class

at the previous school she was the odd one out for learning the piano, now she's the odd one out if she doesn't

funny old world

Milan.

Playing the piano is a wonderful way to switch off from the world. My parents originally had me learn the accordion (trying to left that off the floor when you're seven years old!) then the organ. Finally I switched to piano. Bought me a Korg 16 years ago and still use it today. Love it.

[scooterscot]

Hunger to learn. I love seeing that in kids. My eldest is very 'brainy' but also lazy, so we have to push her to learn.

She has her 11+ exam tomorrow. We are crapping it right now, but we've done all we could without subjecting her to a hellish training regime.

If she doesn't pass, then it's £100k of private school fees over the next 5 years that the family will have to make sacrifices for.

If she gets into grammar school, I will treat her with a Porsche (2013/2014 model), which I will be custodian of for the next few years until she gets her license, and then I'll sell it.

Good grief. I hope your efforts are understood and don't turn to spite in later years.

[scooterscot]

infact I was thinking about is, because, NAT and Scooter and Darmstadt correct me if I am wrong, but from what I see, on the mainland private schools are not the huge industry that they are in the UK, I concluded it's because on the mainland there is the massive grammar school system, and the UK, by closing the grammar school system in the 70's (or whenever it was) created a vacuum of demand from people who wanted better education for their children and were willing to pay for it, rather than the comprehensive and hence zillions of private schools popped up to fill the gap. If the UK reimplemented grammar schools on the scale of mainland Europe, you watch all the private schools in the UK go bust

You're on the money. It's all about demand. Father in-law brought it up recently how public school costs have rocketed in the UK, himself a boarding school alumni, which he hated. Here in Germany it's the two tier system with the Gymnasium (grammar school really) being the preferred choice. There are many of them about but they are not universally loved either. The testing, my goodness, number of stressed out children at an early age. Then you have the public schools with fees up to €20k per year, footballers children and the like. Really a cliche.

While in both systems you might get a fistful of top grades, it's not a guarantee of success or employment.

We've focused on a project based learning school (still fee paying) with international GCSE's and A-levels, but there's a crucial difference. The choice of subject is based on ability rather than 'I think I'll try that one sounds interesting, and that ability is measured but not through exams. Also the system follows the Finish education style of learning, which means making them socially aware as well as other qualities.

[quackhandle]

as I may have mentioned before our Indian friends start them about 6/7. It shows as the grammars are all over subscribed and most that get in are Indian. They take education very seriously.

I've been to a few chess tournaments and got hammered by one indian 14 year old lad - he was at the fee paying grammar school though but get your point. He was a really nice chap, no gloating at all.

At one tournament, I saw and Indian dad literally spoon feeding his son (who was around 6/7) whilst he watched chess computer analysis programmes in between games.

We won't do private schools but I can game the system as well as anyone else, which is why the twins are in the best school in town after an appeal and were in the second best school regardless as the admissions system had no option but to put us there.

The fact the appeal statement was written by the deputy head probably did help matters a bit - there are always ways and means you just need to take some time and investigate them..

I did this last year, since it is law - 30 pupils = 1 teacher - for reception and years 1 & 2, but we found a guy to help us (cost me my ppi money, mind) but we found loopholes and won the appeal, hey presto we can walk to local school, instead of the one offered by council over 5 miles away.

qh