KE Aston v Tudor Grange

[Ruudi1]

Thanks for all the replies, am still deciding upon DS's eventual destination! To get to Tudor Grange DS would have a 30 minute walk (fine in summer not so good in winter) compared with a 40 minute bus trip to Aston. Also he has found out 2 boys he is friends with have also got places Aston and will be getting the same bus as him. So both options have their pros and cons.

Have a couple of days to decide, but will leave the final decision up to DS as he has to be happy with the choice.

[um]

Hope your decision is going well.

I'm not convinced by leaving 10 (or 11) year old children to make these decisions, to be fair. I would think about both schools and consider which one your son would feel most comfortable, accepted, and happiest at.

[Ruudi1]

Thanks um. When I said we would leave decision to DS just meant we were not going to make him do anything he wasn't happy about. Having thought about it and taken advice from various people, we think we know which of the two schools is more welcoming, friendly, and more concerned about the welfare of the child first than what exam grades they can achieve. It is also the school which DS felt most comfortable with at Open Day which is a bonus.

[reeyah]

What have you decided?!

My DS1 at KEAS. We travel from Hall Green.. I must admit the journey seemed a bit much at first, but now we actually enjoy it! DS1 is spoilt and is ferried by car

[Ruudi1]

Reeyah


We have decided on KE Aston despite the journey (which we have done in the car to show DS how long it would be). We went with our 'gut' feeling and think the school will suit our DS better. The school and staff were far more welcoming at open days, Tudor Grange was very 'cold and clinical' and they do not allow students to show round on Open Days (not sure why) so you do not get a student's view of the school. Also the teachers were not very approachable and when they did speak to you it was very reluctantly. Although Tudor Grange would have been the 'easy' choice I think if a child is going to be somewhere for several years other factors not just exam results need to be considered.

Also it has made the decision easier as DS already has 2 local friends who will be getting the bus with him.

So we have accepted the place at KE Aston and they have welcome meeting on 7 May. Funnily enough since we made the final decision DS is far more relaxed and upbeat than he ever was about going to Tudor Grange!

[Bubbles44]

Well done Ruudi1!!! It was a tough decision, but if you and your son are now feeling relaxed, then you have made the right choice.

[Ruudi1]

Thanks Bubbles44. Yes it was a tough decision but glad we have now made it and my DS is really looking forward to September.

[sbarnes]

i felt the same about Tudor Grange when we visited a few years ago. Teachers were reluctant to speak much about the core subjects for instance. I am a firm believer to use the gut feeling together with some of the facts for the overall decision.

[HappyRobot]

We live in TG catchment and would send our dcs to grammar or indi over TG, as we believe that the kids will be of similar ability, so work at a faster pace than with schools like TG where there is a wider ability intake.
But we never looked at Aston and if u live in Solihull, it does seem far.

[Ruudi1]

Thanks for the reply HappyRobot

Think DS will find journey tiring at first (40 minutes on bus) but think it is worth it. Aston is a totally different type of school to Tudor Grange. Aston's main focus seems to be the boys overall welfare not just their academic ability. Tudor Grange comes across as just an 'exam factory' and the child's welfare comes second to that. This does not mean that the boys at Aston are not expected to achieve academically but it would seem that the school is far more supportive of the 'whole' boy and producing a more rounded individual at the end of their time with the school.

My DS would have had to walk to TG anyway (a walk of approx. 30 minutes in all weathers) so not much difference on journey times except a slightly earlier start to get the bus to Aston (leaving house approx. 30 minutes earlier than for TG).