In our area there is one stand out private school which every aspirational Hampstead mum and dad wants their little darling to get into. And theoretically the simplest way to get in is 7 years before the 11 plus - get the bleeder in through the Nursery route and then they automatically flow through for the following years. Provided they're not a complete dumb-dumb.
Well...the assessment period for the 4 year olds is coming up soon, and that's raised the level of tension on the bush telegraph to stratospheric levels, namely, the Parents' Whatsapp group. Any sign the current Nursery isn't pushing these kids to academic excellence, then the Whataspp kicks off.
It is completely random whether or not your kid will get in or not. The poor little bleeder is 'assessed' for 90 minutes on their own with a teacher from this school, and then you find out if they've been accepted. I guess if the kid throws up all over the floor then that's a bad sign, or shouts out 'Where's my fucking mummy?' - it's curtains. But short of coaching him not to do that - it all comes down to what's gone into their heads the last 3 3/4 years, their genes and how the teacher takes to them on the day.
In other words, it's not something you can control, so I think everyone should just chill. It's not like the alternative is being consigned to a Roman silver mine or anything. But what do I know - I live down the hill from Hampstead so I don't have the same lofty mindset.
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