As much as I would have liked to have sat in the warmth of the conservatory with my little read ALL afternoon, I knew I had things to get on with before the kiddies came home from school and needed my attention.
Vic, over at Punky & Me, is hosting a Cushion Swap and I have been in a quandry about what I should do for it. Then I remembered I had a piece of cross stitch I had recently completed and had been unsure of what to do with it. Cross stitch + Fabric stash + buttons = Cushion Swap Cushion Cover :)
Vic, over at Punky & Me, is hosting a Cushion Swap and I have been in a quandry about what I should do for it. Then I remembered I had a piece of cross stitch I had recently completed and had been unsure of what to do with it. Cross stitch + Fabric stash + buttons = Cushion Swap Cushion Cover :)
It now needs to be packed up to wing its way to Australia. I hope my swap partner likes it!
Once the school runs were done, homework had to be completed. Thankfully James' was short because Amy's was anything but!! Last year Northern Ireland officially got rid of the 11+ Transfer Test. However, the Grammar Schools were not happy with this and have created their own Transfer Test to replace the one from the Department of Education. The primary schools are not meant to be preparing the children for these tests but most of them are. Now don't get me wrong...I don't have a problem with the children being tested. We do need to have some indication of where the children are at. What makes me SO CROSS is the social snobbery that goes along with these tests. We are very blessed in this little country of ours to have FANTASTIC schools, both Grammar and Secondary. I taught in secondary schools for over 10 years and although the kids attending may not have been the academic high flyers OR in many cases from the more priveleged sections of society, but, they were on the whole hard workers and lovely kids who have gone on to do very well for themselves! The school that Amy goes to however pushes the philosophy that if you do not get a high mark in the Transfer Test you will not get into a "good" school. Her class were actually told at the start of the year that their future depended on these tests!!!!!! What rot to tell a 10 year old that they are basically a failure if they do not get to a Grammar School!! I was furious!!! My daughter is a grafter and works so hard to please but she may not be going to a Grammar School. Does that make her a failure? ABSOLUTELY NOT!! As she has been told by us, hard work is what counts! Her dad, many years ago, "failed" his 11+. He now has his Phd and is a Senior Lecturer in the University.
Tonight Peter and I have to go to a meeting about the Transfer test. I will be interested to see what is said at it. The really crazy thing is, the test is not until November!! They are already doing TWO practice papers a week in class. What will my nerves (or Amy's) be like when the actual tests take place (3 papers through November and December...best 2 marks taken)?
I have just realised that this began as quite a pleasant post and quickly turned into a LONG RANT! For that I apologise, and if you are still with me CONGRATULATIONS!! LOL!
Time to breathe and relax for a little while....
Once the school runs were done, homework had to be completed. Thankfully James' was short because Amy's was anything but!! Last year Northern Ireland officially got rid of the 11+ Transfer Test. However, the Grammar Schools were not happy with this and have created their own Transfer Test to replace the one from the Department of Education. The primary schools are not meant to be preparing the children for these tests but most of them are. Now don't get me wrong...I don't have a problem with the children being tested. We do need to have some indication of where the children are at. What makes me SO CROSS is the social snobbery that goes along with these tests. We are very blessed in this little country of ours to have FANTASTIC schools, both Grammar and Secondary. I taught in secondary schools for over 10 years and although the kids attending may not have been the academic high flyers OR in many cases from the more priveleged sections of society, but, they were on the whole hard workers and lovely kids who have gone on to do very well for themselves! The school that Amy goes to however pushes the philosophy that if you do not get a high mark in the Transfer Test you will not get into a "good" school. Her class were actually told at the start of the year that their future depended on these tests!!!!!! What rot to tell a 10 year old that they are basically a failure if they do not get to a Grammar School!! I was furious!!! My daughter is a grafter and works so hard to please but she may not be going to a Grammar School. Does that make her a failure? ABSOLUTELY NOT!! As she has been told by us, hard work is what counts! Her dad, many years ago, "failed" his 11+. He now has his Phd and is a Senior Lecturer in the University.
Tonight Peter and I have to go to a meeting about the Transfer test. I will be interested to see what is said at it. The really crazy thing is, the test is not until November!! They are already doing TWO practice papers a week in class. What will my nerves (or Amy's) be like when the actual tests take place (3 papers through November and December...best 2 marks taken)?
I have just realised that this began as quite a pleasant post and quickly turned into a LONG RANT! For that I apologise, and if you are still with me CONGRATULATIONS!! LOL!
Time to breathe and relax for a little while....
13 comments:
I agree with the test thing; my son was under so much pressure last year with English SAT's it was bordering on the insane! Anyhoo, you nealy set me off then :) your cushion is stunning, I don't know how you can bear to part with it. Thanks for the link to Punky&Me too I was in cushion heaven!
Kandi x
Mmm...I picked up the CL magazine yesterday and took myself to bed early last to read it - whilst the hubby watched The Apprentice ( I cannot stand that show). I love Country Living. Get totally lost in it.
As for schools and exams - I am clueless. Totally. My kids are in France and everything is so different there.
Hello there - this resonates with your comments on my Holy Week prayers! Interestingly, I'm like Wendz, of course, with children in the French system. The exam snobbery is less, but the negative outlook: 'learn this or you will suffer' is quite unbelievable from a British philosophy.
And BREAAAAAAAAAAATHE. ;)
Tres cute lil'chooky! Thanks for joining in & I hope your own cushion cover arrives soon!
Oh, Country Living! I love that magazine...now I want to run out and get a copy. I <3 your cushion - how adorable!
Sorry about the testing issues...how sad. It was things like that that convinced us to pull our girls out and homeschool - no more Dept of Education tests!! Yay!
What a cute cushion. Argh, your story about the transfer test makes me mad, especially your daughter being told her future depends on it. Some parents in Australia, very few I think, keep their kids home on the national testing day in protest against the ways the results are used to 'prove' which schools are the best. Our own kids (Jack and Amy!) are only little but we may take that stance when the time comes. However, I know I loved taking tests when I was little (still do) to prove how smart I was, and would be very upset to miss out on doing a test so my parents could make a political statement. So we'll have to wait and see if our kids are excited or worried about it. If they're worried, they're not doing it.
The work is very good and interesting,
Uhooi.blogspot.com
I work at a secondary college in adelaide and they sometimes go a bit overboard with the get good grades in year 12 cause that's when it all counts...what a load of rot! I can understand your frustration!
Your cover looks fantastic...the new owner will love it!
Great cushion - I love cross stitch! Good on you for sending internationally too, makes it all very exciting.
I agree with you Catherine about the snobbery aspect of "good" schools versus others. I think its all too much pressure for 11 year olds. Hopefully your more level-headed approach will rub off on your children and they won't get too stressed. I love Country Living too. Love Linda x
Super cute cushion... am in admiration of cross stitchers as I'm hopeless at it!
I know what you mean about the tests. Frustrating isn't it? We find out this weekend where A will be going as her score was kind of middle of the road. Hate the waiting - just want to focus on getting her emotionally ready for 'big' school! Mind you, it doesn't get any easier - D will be picking his subjects for GCSE in the next school year! And, I've realised that when he is doing A levels, A will be doing GCSEs, when A is doing her A levels, E will be doing her GCSSEs, and when she is doing her A levels, T will be doing his GCSEs - how is that for stressful!
Just found you blog and love it :-) I just wanted to say that I agree with you whole heartedly on this subject. My Dad passed his 11+ but then couldn't get into that school due to it being over subscribed, did it stop him doing well, nope, he became a Vet. Like you say as long as you do your best all your life and follow your dreams you will succeed in what you want to do. My eldest had SATS this year, ggrrr they so annoyed me. The school said originally not to worry about them but then kept pushing the kids to do extra work at home etc for them and asked us to meetings about them, well I refused to get pulled into the political battle of it all (after all it is for the government stats not the kids good). I told my son that if he did his best I would be perfectly happy with any result.
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