Edwardian Posted January 20, 2018 Author Share Posted January 20, 2018 No modelling yet achieved this weekend, so here are a couple of views of the happier side of our 'Snowed-in Thursday': 10 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Regularity Posted January 20, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 20, 2018 Are those the before and after photos of rolling around in the snow? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caley Jim Posted January 20, 2018 Share Posted January 20, 2018 I've just spent this morning and part of the afternoon digging 10-12" from our driveway. Biggest problem was where the h**l do you put it all? As I was doing it a neighbour's son was leaving in his Audi 4x4 and got stuck with all four wheels spinning! Luckily we have a grit bin beside us so a shovelfull thrown in front of each wheel got him going. A gritter came down just after lunchtime, but he had no plough on! The bins have been out since Wednesday evening (collection early Thursday morning) but, as you can see, they're still there! Jim Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hroth Posted January 20, 2018 Share Posted January 20, 2018 (edited) Are those the before and after photos of rolling around in the snow? I was a bit concerned with the "before" photo until I realised it was an attempt at making "Snow Angels"! And now we need a Brrrrrr icon... Edited January 20, 2018 by Hroth Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Andy Hayter Posted January 20, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 20, 2018 A gritter came down just after lunchtime, but he had no plough on! Jim Could be worse Jim In (I think) 2012 there was heavy snow in the Bouche de Rhone departement (Marseille and the surrounding Med coast). Being less accustomed to snow than most English Southern counties they had no snow clearing equipment and so had to draught in trucks from the more mountainous alpine departements to the north. They then proceeded to send a fleet of snow clearing trucks up the main motorway - with the gritter to the fore, spreading salt for all it was worth, and with a V shaped phalanx of snow ploughs clearing the snow immediately behind! A case of using all of the right equipment in all the wrong ways. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caley Jim Posted January 20, 2018 Share Posted January 20, 2018 A case of using all of the right equipment in all the wrong ways. Or, as Eric Morcambe would have said 'not necessarily in the right order'! I recall many years ago the Southern Region of BR had to borrow a snow blower from Inverness! Jim Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hroth Posted January 21, 2018 Share Posted January 21, 2018 There used to be a snow plough at Buxton station, even at the height of summer. How BR got an engine up to propel it is another matter, unless one was sent up immediately snow was predicted... 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edwardian Posted January 21, 2018 Author Share Posted January 21, 2018 It seems that the first command upon my leisure hours over the next week and a half will be to attempt to help my daughter survive her Eleven Plus. Probably rather too little, rather too late, but an Effort Must be Made. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hroth Posted January 21, 2018 Share Posted January 21, 2018 It seems that the first command upon my leisure hours over the next week and a half will be to attempt to help my daughter survive her Eleven Plus. Probably rather too little, rather too late, but an Effort Must be Made. Probably a little too late to cram an ability to do non-verbal reasoning tests into the poor thing, sympathy and moral support are probably the best things you can offer. I passed the 11 plus, so there's some hope..... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Compound2632 Posted January 21, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 21, 2018 Work on timing and knowing what to expect. Do you have the Letts (or similar) practice papers? Is she the elder or younger? It's worse for the second if the first passed - the pressure's on. In my experience, those who are crammed by expensive tutors generally don't do so well in the long run, compared to those who get through on their own wits*. I'd ban the tutoring - but there is so much parental anxiety around these days. *Like my two boys 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edwardian Posted January 21, 2018 Author Share Posted January 21, 2018 Work on timing and knowing what to expect. Do you have the Letts (or similar) practice papers? Is she the elder or younger? It's worse for the second if the first passed - the pressure's on. In my experience, those who are crammed by expensive tutors generally don't do so well in the long run, compared to those who get through on their own wits*. I'd ban the tutoring - but there is so much parental anxiety around these days. *Like my two boys Just past papers from the interweb. Exam technique/timing is so far poor. Second. Problem. We may well be snowed in again tomorrow, as it has been snowing here all day so far. The camera gives the impression of a few flakes, but it looks more like a curtain in reality! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caley Jim Posted January 21, 2018 Share Posted January 21, 2018 We may well be snowed in again tomorrow, as it has been snowing here all day so far. The camera gives the impression of a few flakes, but it looks more like a curtain in reality! It was snowing heavily here earlier and put an inch or so onto my nice clear driveway, but it has stopped now and it looks as though there is a bit of a thaw now. Hang on in there, James. It may not be all that bad (on both the snow and exam fronts). Jim Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Donw Posted January 21, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 21, 2018 (edited) Look on the bright side, if you are snowed in you can spend the time coaching your daughter. To my mind the best form of coaching is to let her show you whats she knows and help to boost her confidence. You showing her what she doesn't know ( even if intended to add to her knowledge) will only dent it. Just my thoughts. If you are likely to have problems getting snowed in is there somewhere you could leave a car close to the road (e.g. a barn or a friends house) even if it means a half mile trudge to get to the car it may actually let you drive once reached. Don edit assuming the road will be plowed. Edited January 21, 2018 by Donw 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edwardian Posted January 21, 2018 Author Share Posted January 21, 2018 Look on the bright side, if you are snowed in you can spend the time coaching your daughter. To my mind the best form of coaching is to let her show you whats she knows and help to boost her confidence. You showing her what she doesn't know ( even if intended to add to her knowledge) will only dent it. Just my thoughts. If you are likely to have problems getting snowed in is there somewhere you could leave a car close to the road (e.g. a barn or a friends house) even if it means a half mile trudge to get to the car it may actually let you drive once reached. Don edit assuming the road will be plowed. A good idea. Alas, our steep and impassable lane ends abruptly on a very busy main road, with nowhere we could leave it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Northroader Posted January 21, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 21, 2018 (The friendly/supportive is intended for her) 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les le Breton Posted January 21, 2018 Share Posted January 21, 2018 Work on timing and knowing what to expect. Do you have the Letts (or similar) practice papers? Is she the elder or younger? It's worse for the second if the first passed - the pressure's on. In my experience, those who are crammed by expensive tutors generally don't do so well in the long run, compared to those who get through on their own wits*. I'd ban the tutoring - but there is so much parental anxiety around these days. *Like my two boys I.M.H.O. the 11 plus is a hateful way of dividing children into two groups for life, successful and failure. What follows is extra funding for the successful and not enough for the failures. The trouble with having an open mind, of course, is that people will insist on coming along and trying to put things in it Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nearholmer Posted January 21, 2018 Share Posted January 21, 2018 (edited) Where we live is a ‘comprehensive’ area, but has historic links to a ‘grammar’ area, with a few places available, and a longish coach trip to get there. The few places mean that it is 11+++ to secure one (what the ++ are is a mystery to all except the selectors!), with hefty cramming a prerequisite. My son’s best pal is being crammed, and is convinced he will be going to grammar. My son doesn’t want to even try for it, because he doesn’t want to commute to school, and although I’d sort of like him to sit 11+, because I’m confident in him, and think it would add to his self-confidence, I’m not distressed, because I’m firmly ‘agin’ cramming, and, fortunately, the best of the comps have a good record. My main concern is that his sport vs book-learning emphasis is about 97:3 at the moment! Kevin (from the bench at badminton class) Edited January 21, 2018 by Nearholmer 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium corneliuslundie Posted January 21, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 21, 2018 I'd agree in general with the comments about the 11+, cramming and helping your daughter. One thing which would be useful for her is if she can understand the kind of answers the examiners are expecting, ie if it is something taken out of a hat it must be a rabbit even if it looks nothing like one; and squirrels of course eat only nuts regardless of what she may have observed in the real world. Jonathan 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Compound2632 Posted January 21, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 21, 2018 I.M.H.O. the 11 plus is a hateful way of dividing children into two groups for life, successful and failure. What follows is extra funding for the successful and not enough for the failures. I'm glad not to live in one of those counties such as Kent and Bucks that still have the full two-tier system. In our case, the two state selective schools (boys and girls) are very small perturbations in an otherwise county-wide comprehensive system; their survival within the state system is something of an anomaly and they certainly don't get preferential funding. I'm afraid I'm a bit of an Old Labour hypocrite: one may believe in an ideal comprehensive system that provides every child with the appropriate opportunities but given the imperfect nature of our current system, one may as well take advantage of the opportunities it provides. I would be improper here to enter the state/independent debate; I'll confine myself to observing that boarding in the sixth form at a leading public school was a positive life experience for my three nieces. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edwardian Posted January 21, 2018 Author Share Posted January 21, 2018 It's an entrance exam, so, actually, it's a hateful way of dividing middle class parents between those with new cars and foreign holidays and those who pay school fees and live like peasants. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caley Jim Posted January 21, 2018 Share Posted January 21, 2018 I am eternally grateful that up here neither my children nor grandchildren have had, or will have, to go through any selection process between primary and secondary school. Jim 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Compound2632 Posted January 21, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 21, 2018 I am eternally grateful that up here neither my children nor grandchildren have had, or will have, to go through any selection process between primary and secondary school. Jim Ah the bed of nails we English have made for ourselves. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium TheQ Posted January 22, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 22, 2018 Considering my grandfather a ganger (plus my grand mother of course) got their children through a state primary school and all three children through to grammar school I can't quite support the above comments. I failed My 11+ due to my hand writing ( a change of primary schools and methods of writing ruined mine) and one sister went to grammar school, till they got rid of them. My brother and other sister didn't get the chance. If you go to a modern large secondary the first thing they do is stream you, so that you are effectively split up as though one lot is grammar and the others as secondary moderns. But if you are in a small school you could be lumbered with trying to learn in a class full of idiots.. The grammar School system had the advantage that if the child was bright enough ( and more importantly, given parental encouragement), then he / she could go places. In many cases today the Bright child is ignored in the back of the class, while they spend all their time trying to get those not as well endowed with brain power, through exams raise average school exam passes.. The one thing wrong was allocating a higher percentage of money to grammar schools.. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edwardian Posted January 22, 2018 Author Share Posted January 22, 2018 I wouldn't wish my education on anyone. So I haven't. Well, it snowed and it snowed yesterday. Even the Mem gave up on the outdoor life and spent Sunday afternoon on the sofa boxsetting (my family tell me that is a word, and a 'thing'). Then it stopped. And didn't start again all night. And thawed. So, I bunked off for 4 or 5 hours today to make a brief, but highly enjoyable rendezvous with a leading member of the CA Parish, who, very nobly travelled half way to meet me, and who, incidentally, has proposed a Parish Meeting in Castle Acre at some point. Something to think about there, for a warmer season. As a consequence, I am now in possession of a rather dilapidated former Great Western BLT, once evidently set by the sea at the once delightful, but now rather faded, Welsh village of 'Aberdaron', for so sayeth the running in board. More on this to follow. 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nearholmer Posted January 22, 2018 Share Posted January 22, 2018 The topic of schooling, which to me is slightly different from education, is massively divisive, so might it be safer for the peace of CA if we stuck to the iniquities of Edwardian schooling? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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