Welcome to the unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum - for discussing everything CH/Old Blue related. All pupils, parents, families, staff, Old Blues and anyone else related to CH are welcome to browse the boards, register and contribute.
pinkhebe wrote:I really feel for you all, I remember exactly how you all felt. It was a thin letter that arrived, I nearly didn't notice it
If I remember rightly, before these initial tests you do also have to send off all the personal information about your lives, and I wonder if that is also taken into account? We know that it's not just the most intellegent children who get through, as, last year, another posters boy was working at about level 8 in maths, and after the residential assessment he didn't get in.
sorry your son didn't get through to the next round, although I always felt, that if our son wasn't going to get in, I'd rather he was knocked out now whilst there is still time to plan an alternative.
thankyou for your kind words , i feel that you are right i still feel foolish
I still hav to options left rsults should be here tomorrow and the other i wont know till allocation day in march .. i didnt think i would feel so deflated is this normal
lippizaner wrote:Do you think that they got the chance to observe the kids enough socially in 2 hours? It would be a bit mean to exclude a child on two hours of meeting them, as they could be behaving very badly or very well! Or out of character under stress. Maybe your DS was stressed and didn't perform to his potential for some reason, if, as you say, he gets bored easily etc and can be naughty. Mine can too. More nail biting. Mind you, mine also did an exam for another school while we were over, with a group of boys from a posh prep school with a master not their parents and he said the prep school boys were unruly and naughty and he sat quietly! Fingers crossed!
wishing you lots of luck and my thoughts are with you i hope to be able to see some good news for some xx
I would imagine that during this economic downturn, with the school needing to admit a higher percentage of direct entry pupils, there must be increasing competition for bursary places. However, I think Pinkhebe is right - I’ve always understood that the CH selection process considers a much wider range of factors than simple academic attainment levels. Only recently someone said to me that considering how difficult it appears to be to get into CH, they were surprised that the school does not perform better in the academic league tables. I explained that many of the pupils are chosen not simply because they can pass exams, but because they are assessed as having a need for the benefits the school can offer.
Matthews301 I’m sorry to hear that your DS didn’t make it to the next stage, and I hope he won’t be too disappointed. From what you say it sounds as though he should be in with a very good chance of getting into one of the selective day schools you’ve applied to, where academic performance will be the deciding factor. Good luck, I'm sure things will work out for you.
i think thats what it is having ben a ch pupil .. i actually cried at what his going to miss ( i need to except that times have changed) from going to the open day pupils expressed the financial difficulty and the places like you say .. this may be a blessing in disguise ( although i feel im saying this to cheer up) ch is a wonderful school tim to move past that and focus on whats infront of us, .. im sure my ds will have a little cry but he shant be defeated after all an a* gcse at a state school is the same as an a* anywhere else right?..
i thought he would have more chance at ch than our local at the local selective had over 3000 apply and i was worried giving that many come from private primary schools.. . ok inhale exhale wipe the tears and have a cup of tea..
again thankyou everyone for your kind words x
It is probably not much consolation but in life I invariably find that "as one door closes - another one opens" and quite often the second door is the right one.
CHDad wrote:It is probably not much consolation but in life I invariably find that "as one door closes - another one opens" and quite often the second door is the right one.
ANd think of it this way, at least you'll have him home with you all the time. Boarding school would have deprived you of some of his growing up time and things you can do together as they'd all have had to be crammed into the holidays. Uhoh, is that how I feel? A bit. So, in a way, if my DS doesn't get in, that is what I'll be telling myself I think!
lippizaner wrote:ANd think of it this way, at least you'll have him home with you all the time. Boarding school would have deprived you of some of his growing up time and things you can do together as they'd all have had to be crammed into the holidays. Uhoh, is that how I feel? A bit. So, in a way, if my DS doesn't get in, that is what I'll be telling myself I think!
this is very true.. his been told now had cried alot wiped them away and started on his home work let me know how you get on please x
Hi, got the letter today. My DS also did not get in I keep telling myself there are lots of positives to him not going! Good luck to everyone else who is still waiting x
Hi everyone, wish I could write something positive to you all, but after watching this site for months and following all your blogs, have to add that my twin DS did not get in either!!! Also both level 5. One in tears, the other OK about it and I am devastated, having invested 15months on the process, and all my hopes & dreams for the boys.
As you have all said at least we get to keep them at home.
Good luck to the rest of you and I now need to forget CH and stop watching this site but you have all been a great comfort during the long run-up to today. The very best to you all and your children.
My son is at level 4a at the moment so not as high as some of the other kids who didn't get through. We are all really disappointed now but hopefully things will work out for the best. If he really wants to go and he works hard at school perhaps he can try again for age 13 entry. Not sure if he will want to though. I hope someone posts soon that they got through!!
