Val
I hear what you are saying. We fell for the marketing material from the state school that did nothing when they realised, and told us, that at the age of 5 our son was the only child they had ever come across who could perform deductive reasoning. We waited 4 wasted painful damagaing years for something to happen. It didn't - things just got worse.
Look at the blurb, meet the head teacher and the teachers and other parents to see what they feel.
For us, this is pretty much last chance saloon. They have, however recognised and are addressing the fact that rather than being average at maths he is within the top 10% - something vehemently fought against at his state school. Acceleration - they laughed at us.
In principle, I am absolutely against private fee-paying education since I know there are many children who are 'working class' who are way ahead of the rich kids. we are not rich by any stretch, and much as it goes against everything i have believed in, but i have one son and he has one chance and I have to give him that.
He just produced a model/sculpture yesterday of such feeling and maturity called 'The Widower'. It is a man holding a baby with a little boy reaching up to him. It displays emotion and pathos. At the new private school it may be displayed in the Summer Art Exhibition - maybe he will get the mentoring and help he needs to develop. At his state school they just couldn't be bothered. I wish fom the bottom of my heart that that wasn't the case - but it was.
God help us all in this struggle to get what our kids need and deserve!
