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How does school life and education quality differ between grammars and comps?

Hello, I write this post partially because i am genuinely interested, and partially because i plan to write and perform a speech about this for English.

Here is my school experience to start off.
I go to an all girls grammar school. (I class grammar schools as completely selective secondary schools that take students entirely based off the 11+, and are free, as opposed to some 'grammar schools' whereupon the vast majority of students are paying some form of fee for their education )

I have attended said grammar school for 5 years ish, here is a vague and simplified summary of my experiences:
1. We go to school to learn. At school the main focus is academia and doing well in it, and academics will always take top priority for the school and for most students.
2. However, the model student is one that can not only excel in academics, but also in extra-circular activities such as music or sport. It is generally considered that in order to do this you must be part of an out of school club.
3. MAIN PRO- We all do well. Statistically. 7s, 8s, and 9s (As and A*s) are the norm and the aim for the whole year. Yes, not everyone achieves this in every subject the vast majority do. A student not passing a GCSE happens about as often as a miracle.
4.SECONDARY PRO- The community is very accepting and forward thinking here (in my experience). For example, there is very little, if any bullying (occasionally just catty/petty fights within friendship groups that are resolved easily), acceptance and support of LGBT people, non tolerance of racism etc etc.
5.MAIN CON- Very high pressure environment. Due to the expectation of getting high grades there is a lot of pressure to do well. In everything. Many view getting lower than a 7 on a test as a failure. Personally i find myself falling into a dangerous mental state where I can start to base my self worth on my grades. Pressure from workload, teachers and even other peers is constant and high.

Please share any experience of your school life, how does it differ or how is it similar? Also feel free to comment your thoughts on my rough summary of my own school experience, or any questions about my school. Thanks :smile:

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Original post by ellie.h
Hello, I write this post partially because i am genuinely interested, and partially because i plan to write and perform a speech about this for English.

Here is my school experience to start off.
I go to an all girls grammar school. (I class grammar schools as completely selective secondary schools that take students entirely based off the 11+, and are free, as opposed to some 'grammar schools' whereupon the vast majority of students are paying some form of fee for their education )

I have attended said grammar school for 5 years ish, here is a vague and simplified summary of my experiences:
1. We go to school to learn. At school the main focus is academia and doing well in it, and academics will always take top priority for the school and for most students.
2. However, the model student is one that can not only excel in academics, but also in extra-circular activities such as music or sport. It is generally considered that in order to do this you must be part of an out of school club.
3. MAIN PRO- We all do well. Statistically. 7s, 8s, and 9s (As and A*s) are the norm and the aim for the whole year. Yes, not everyone achieves this in every subject the vast majority do. A student not passing a GCSE happens about as often as a miracle.
4.SECONDARY PRO- The community is very accepting and forward thinking here (in my experience). For example, there is very little, if any bullying (occasionally just catty/petty fights within friendship groups that are resolved easily), acceptance and support of LGBT people, non tolerance of racism etc etc.
5.MAIN CON- Very high pressure environment. Due to the expectation of getting high grades there is a lot of pressure to do well. In everything. Many view getting lower than a 7 on a test as a failure. Personally i find myself falling into a dangerous mental state where I can start to base my self worth on my grades. Pressure from workload, teachers and even other peers is constant and high.

Please share any experience of your school life, how does it differ or how is it similar? Also feel free to comment your thoughts on my rough summary of my own school experience, or any questions about my school. Thanks :smile:


Is there a higher percentage of lesbians? Just curious.
Reply 2
@ParkHyungSuk
When I posted this I wondered if I would get questions like this, and boy, it didn't take long 😂.

If you are truly curious I don't really know if there are a higher percentage, as I have only been to one secondary school, but I would estimate that there are a higher percentage of openly 'out' girls. idk from what I have heard about other schools there is still homophobia and stigmas associated with being gay, whereas here that's not really the case. I think this means that girls have less reason to remain 'closet-ed' and therefore less are. Our school is very accepting of LGBT people, even some of our teachers are known to be gay (one of our maths teachers is a lesbian and married and it's really cute but I digress) Idk just a theory. What are the general views/ percentage of gay people at your school?
(edited 6 years ago)
Original post by ellie.h
@ParkHyungSuk
When I posted this I wondered if I would get questions like this, and boy, it didn't take long 😂.

If you are truly curious I don't really know if there are a higher percentage, as I have only been to one secondary school, but I would estimate that there are a higher percentage of openly 'out' girls. idk from what I have heard about other schools there is still homophobia and stigmas associated with being gay, whereas here that's not really the case. I think this means that girls have less reason to remain 'closet-ed' and therefore less are. Our school is very accepting of LGBT people, even some of our teachers are known to be gay (one of our maths teachers is a lesbian and married and it's really cute but I digress) Idk just a theory. What are the general views/ percentage of gay people at your school?


IDK there aren't any, i'm a guy anyways. What about you then?
Original post by ParkHyungSuk
Is there a higher percentage of lesbians? Just curious.


Lol my sister goes to an all-girls' grammar school and every other girl is LGBT+
Original post by CallMeSosa
Lol my sister goes to an all-girls' grammar school and every other girl is LGBT+


I know a couple 'lgbt' who were suddenly straight after they left... weird af
Reply 6
@ParkHyungSuk
Not sure why you are so interested in this specifically, but no, I'm not part of the LGBT club, but I support them.
Original post by ellie.h
@ParkHyungSuk
Not sure why you are so interested in this specifically, but no, I'm not part of the LGBT club, but I support them.


Because nothing else seems that interesting, I mean it's all the same really
Original post by ParkHyungSuk
I know a couple 'lgbt' who were suddenly straight after they left... weird af


:rofl: same with my sister's school. This girl went from gay to straight to bi in like three weeks :confused:
Reply 9
Sorry for using @ s I'm new here and only just figured out how to do the quote thing everyone else does :smile:
Original post by CallMeSosa
same with my sister's school. This girl went from gay to straight to bi in like three weeks :confused:


NGL I think when you spend so much time around only your own gender people get a bit too confused :rofl:
Reply 11
Original post by ParkHyungSuk
Because nothing else seems that interesting, I mean it's all the same really


ok cool, thanks for your input :smile:
Reply 12
Original post by mrwb9876
Oh screw you. Time to scrap grammars all together!


Why do you want to scrap grammars?
Original post by ParkHyungSuk
NGL I think when you spend so much time around only your own gender people get a bit too confused :rofl:


Yeah, I go an all-boys school and people act lowkey sus and say it's a joke. :rofl: Half of them are just horny ngl, the way they start wrestling with people is a bit too passionate, ya zimme?
Reply 14
Original post by CallMeSosa
:rofl: same with my sister's school. This girl went from gay to straight to bi in like three weeks :confused:


I think some people are still figuring themselves out :smile:
I go to a comp school and it's what you'd expect, really: lots of people that don't want to be there and couldn't be bothered, quite a lot of disruption in mixed ability classes, fights, drama, penises on every surface known to man and a lot of banter:redface:
Reply 16
I also go to a grammar school and I can safely say there is little difference between it and the local high school in general school life. The high school has the youth club and runs all the town's youth programmes in its assembly hall which is likely the cause of people thinking there is more violence at that school in comparison to mine. In regards to grades, the majority does get at least 5 B grades which, because my school offers A-levels, is enough to carry on, however, in the high school about half are unable to return to the high school to complete A-levels and instead choose to do Tech courses or do internships.
So at a grammar school, based on my own experience, I'd say people do generally get higher grades and generally there is a higher amount of people who do A-levels and apply to university, but it's still not guaranteed and I've seen people who didn't get into my grammar school go on to medicine at top universities after attending the High School through to Year 14 (or 13 as you'd call it in England)
One thing I'd say is, my grammar school definitely promotes academics over sport and while we do well in music and putting on productions we nearly always lose to the local high school sports wise and we don't have many teams. I've not noticed any bullying at my school, but my school also doesn't have any or very few people from different religions/different races/are openly LGBT whereas the high school does have more of a problem with bullying there are more people who could be 'more likely' to be bullied.
Also, I'd agree with the high pressure environment, I got a B in an English controlled assessment and my teacher gave me a 20 minute lecture about how it wasn't my best effort, it's a low grade for me and I should repeat the exam to try and get a better one even though English Language is the one subject that insanely stresses me out.
Reply 17
Original post by troubletracking
I go to a comp school and it's what you'd expect, really: lots of people that don't want to be there and couldn't be bothered, quite a lot of disruption in mixed ability classes, fights, drama, penises on every surface known to man and a lot of banter:redface:


I think you have highlighted a big difference there - some people at comps perhaps don't want to learn whereas I think that everyone is at least a bit interested in all there subjects here (maybe not the ones they are forced to take but u get the gist). In short different attitudes toward learning.
What do you think?
Original post by troubletracking
I go to a comp school and it's what you'd expect, really: lots of people that don't want to be there and couldn't be bothered, quite a lot of disruption in mixed ability classes, fights, drama, penises on every surface known to man and a lot of banter:redface:


wouldnt change it for anything else :rofl:
Reply 19
Original post by Raen
I also go to a grammar school and I can safely say there is little difference between it and the local high school in general school life. The high school has the youth club and runs all the town's youth programmes in its assembly hall which is likely the cause of people thinking there is more violence at that school in comparison to mine. In regards to grades, the majority does get at least 5 B grades which, because my school offers A-levels, is enough to carry on, however, in the high school about half are unable to return to the high school to complete A-levels and instead choose to do Tech courses or do internships.
So at a grammar school, based on my own experience, I'd say people do generally get higher grades and generally there is a higher amount of people who do A-levels and apply to university, but it's still not guaranteed and I've seen people who didn't get into my grammar school go on to medicine at top universities after attending the High School through to Year 14 (or 13 as you'd call it in England)
One thing I'd say is, my grammar school definitely promotes academics over sport and while we do well in music and putting on productions we nearly always lose to the local high school sports wise and we don't have many teams. I've not noticed any bullying at my school, but my school also doesn't have any or very few people from different religions/different races/are openly LGBT whereas the high school does have more of a problem with bullying there are more people who could be 'more likely' to be bullied.
Also, I'd agree with the high pressure environment, I got a B in an English controlled assessment and my teacher gave me a 20 minute lecture about how it wasn't my best effort, it's a low grade for me and I should repeat the exam to try and get a better one even though English Language is the one subject that insanely stresses me out.


Firstly, thank you for your input :smile:. Secondly, it's nice to know others feel the same pressure. I think some differences between our school are there are more minorities represented in my school, also, not to try and put you are your school down, but higher grade standards in general, as you must get at least 5 As to get in to the 6th form, hopefully with A*s in the subjects you want to take (exspecially if you are transferring from another school), and it is quite oversubscribed(again just an observation not an insult). Also you seem to have more provision for music and arts - the students basically set all that stuff up themselves if they wanted to do it and it was not very well supported by staff until recently.

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