11 Plus Exams Forum

Hello all, I am in the fortunate but unexpected position of choosing between Camp Hill boys and Aston for my ds. We previously had our heart set on Aston and didn't even consider that he may get the score for Camp Hill. He is also very sporty (particularly football) so I tried to motivate him throughout the summer to do revision by talking about how great Aston is for sports. He did considerably better in the exam than we expected though so suddenly Camp Hill has become an option. We are about 3 miles from Camp Hill and 5 miles from Aston so Camp Hill does seem the logical choice. However, I am still very much in two minds as to where would be best for him. We attended Aston open evening and loved it but after doing a bit of googling and searching on youtube, im wondering if the behaviour at Camp Hill is better? However there is no football at Camp Hill as far as I know until year 12. I have read many comments that the pastoral care at Aston is second to none. I haven't read as much about Camp Hill. I suppose I am thinking aloud really but any thoughts and comments are appreciated.

Have you been to CHB open day? They feel like very different schools to me and I much preferred KEA despite CHBs reputation. It was the boys that showed us round at CHB that put me off. I've been 3 times, they just seemed different to my sons, not in a bad way!

Academically an able child should do well at any grammar so I would follow your heart.

Hi muminbrum, Thanks for your reply. I visited kechb last friday for the first time. I really regret not going to the open morning back in September but really wasnt expecting it to be an option for us. I liked the headmaster, the school and the boys but definitely preferred the feeling i got from Aston. However, I visited Aston during the evening so not sure that I can fairly compare just based on that. The travel to Camp Hill would definitely be easier but the strong sports ethos at Aston really appeals to myself and my son. I also wonder if he would fit in better socially at Aston. I feel that he may work harder at Camp Hill but not be as happy if that makes sense. I know both schools are great and i'm grateful for the choices we have. I just want to make the best choice for him. Everyone please do continue to share your experiences of either school. I really appreciate all input.

My son is not academic at all, passed the grammars and is thriving at KECHB. He may not be a straight A* student but the company he keeps in class and in the school in general motivates him to do more than just his best. Of course I am biased and loved KECHB 2 years before he sat 11+, its just my side of the story. He is not sporty either and still manages to represent the school at various tournaments. I think its the sense of belonging to a small tight knit community that attracted him to the school.

Go with your gut feeling. Both schools are excellent...so I don't think you can go wrong.

Thank you sbarnes and HappyRobot. I think my gut instinct is Aston but it's hard to ignore that Camp Hill is nearer and has an amazing reputation. I'm yet to come across anyone who has chosen Aston over Camp Hill when they are nearer to Camp Hill.

A colleague at work has had children in both schools. His eldest went to Camp Hill and the younger boy went to Aston because he just missed the cut off score for CHB. Both boys have gone on to do extremely well academically ( in fact, the younger one who went to Aston appears to have developed into the more dynamic and ambitious) and both have go onto to equally prestigious universities. So nothing between the schools here.However, in my colleague's opinion, Aston had a far more 'family' feel to it than CHB. TBH , the deal clincher for me would probably be HOW much closer one school was than the other and if the extra travelling time was of any real significance or detriment.

succeed wrote:A colleague at work has had children in both schools. His eldest went to Camp Hill and the younger boy went to Aston because he just missed the cut off score for CHB. Both boys have gone on to do extremely well academically ( in fact, the younger one who went to Aston appears to have developed into the more dynamic and ambitious) and both have go onto to equally prestigious universities. So nothing between the schools here.However, in my colleague's opinion, Aston had a far more 'family' feel to it than CHB. TBH , the deal clincher for me would probably be HOW much closer one school was than the other and if the extra travelling time was of any real significance or detriment.

Thank you. That's good to hear. I did prefer the feel of Aston but still found Camp Hill very welcoming. The distance is a factor especially as my ds2 will most likely attend a different school in Kings Heath. However, my instinct definitely sways towards Aston for ds1 as I feel he would enjoy it more there.

Please keep sharing your experiences everyone.

nina1984 wrote:

succeed wrote:A colleague at work has had children in both schools. His eldest went to Camp Hill and the younger boy went to Aston because he just missed the cut off score for CHB. Both boys have gone on to do extremely well academically ( in fact, the younger one who went to Aston appears to have developed into the more dynamic and ambitious) and both have go onto to equally prestigious universities. So nothing between the schools here.However, in my colleague's opinion, Aston had a far more 'family' feel to it than CHB. TBH , the deal clincher for me would probably be HOW much closer one school was than the other and if the extra travelling time was of any real significance or detriment.

Thank you. That's good to hear. I did prefer the feel of Aston but still found Camp Hill very welcoming. The distance is a factor especially as my ds2 will most likely attend a different school in Kings Heath. However, my instinct definitely sways towards Aston for ds1 as I feel he would enjoy it more there.

Please keep sharing your experiences everyone.

I've also heard that Aston has a more family feel to it- similar things have been said about handsworth girls. Go with your gut instinct- if you more inclined towards Aston because you feel your ds will be happier there then go for it. You'll feel a lot better once you submit your CAF.

family feel also relies on the child integrating into school life and taking part in a few activities. There are some kids with their heads buried in either books or their phones at break time and find it difficult to integrate into the fabric of any school. Its down to the gregarious personality of any child I suppose.