Hannah Gray talks to youngsters who are getting ready for big changes in their school career, and also gets a mother's perspective.

Chloe Griffin: starting at the King's School
FOR four years, Chloe Griffin, from Walton, has been a young girl with one aim – to get into the King's School. And now, finally, she is about to live her dream.

Chloe (11) has just finished the Discovery School, and this week will have her first lessons at one of Peterborough's most prestigious learning establishments.

Her mum, Yvonne (51), said she doesn't know why Chloe decided that King's was for her.


Hannah Gray talks to youngsters who are getting ready for big changes in their school career:
Now Time for Zoe to knuckle down to her GCSE studies.

Sundeep moves schools to do her A-Levels.

Advice for parents.

More from PeterboroughToday.co.uk
Education home.
Advice after GCSEs.
Advice after A-levels.


She said: "She's been going on about it for ages and ages, that she wanted to go to King's. Where it's come from I don't know."

Chloe, along with her mum and her dad Mac (60), are regular church-goers and Yvonne had to write to King's to explain about her involvement with the church in order to help Chloe get in.

Yvonne is originally from Kent so did not previously know very much about King's, but it has already made a good impression.

"I think the one thing about the school is that it's a family orientated school, it's an extension to the family and you get a feel for that when you go in," she said.

"The children are nice, they talk to you when you go in."

King's was undoubtedly delighted to receive an application from Chloe as she is a very dedicated pupil – she was awarded a special certificate for not missing a single day in her entire time at Discovery Primary School.

Chloe is the only one of her school friends going to King's this year, and despite her excitement about following her dream, she admitted to feeling sad on the last few days at primary school.

"On the Monday, they gave us autograph books to get signed and we got our shirts signed as well," she said.

And while Yvonne is pleased that her daughter got into King's, sending Chloe off on that first day will be a big step for the family.

She said: "Obviously it's a shock when your child grows up, you want to keep them safe but you've got to let them have the experiences and you've got to let them grow in their own way."

"I think it's good she's going to a school she wants to be in, and hopefully from that she will learn and develop and take responsibility for herself and become all that she can be.

"It will open up a lot more opportunities to her. She's always liked learning and reading books. I think she was beginning to get bored at the Discovery School. I'm not saying that's bad, but I think she was ready to move on, although she did really enjoy her time at Discovery."

And Yvonne will be marking Chloe's transition to secondary school in a traditional way.

"I'll take a few pictures of her when she's in her uniform on her first day, like I did when she went to Discovery. It's like a new beginning really, a new chapter in her life," she said.

What are your experiences?
Comment below, email us: features@ peterboroughtoday.co.uk.