11 Plus Exams Forum

I am very lucky (and grateful) to have a ds who can choose between KEGS and WHSB, so the big questions are:
1) which is best for non-sporty boys? - ds only likes football
2) how good is their pastoral care - my ds lacks confidence/self belief
3) does anyone know how reliable tains are (hockley-chelmsford) so change at shenfield involved?.
4) does one school really do any better at or is it just A levels that the results are different?

Hoping someone with ds' at either schools can help. Happy to take pms if you prefer to reply that way - thanks.

Westcliff would be an easy journey from Hockley - the school bus stops at the White Hart around 8am. You do have to change at Shenfield for Chelmsford - it takes me about an hour when I do the journey to watch Essex play cricket there.

Both schools are pretty sporty - KEGS has fantastic facilities at Bedford Fields. KEGS only plays football in the second term (they are doing rugby only this term). Am sure both have great pastoral care (KEGS certainly does). KEGS does have historically higher grades than Westcliff overall at both GCSE and A Level but if your son is bright (and he must be to have got a grammar place) he'll thrive at either school.

Personally given your location and the journey involved I would choose Westcliff. All the grammars tend to have quite a bit of after-school and weekend activities so one needs to factor in this on top of journey times. You may find that your son is not getting home each night until 6:30 or 7:00 and is then having to do an hour's worth of homework on top.

Slogger wrote:Westcliff would be an easy journey from Hockley - the school bus stops at the White Hart around 8am. You do have to change at Shenfield for Chelmsford - it takes me about an hour when I do the journey to watch Essex play cricket there.

Or SHSB? Arriva routes 7 and 8 run through or from Hockley and stop next to the school, also the Stephensons route which serves WHSB now goes on to SHSB according to the timetable on the CSSE website.

For SHSB you can also travel by train (a few minutes) from Hockley to Prittlewell station, which is about 15 minutes' walk to the school - I think this would be my choice as the trains are more frequent than the buses. SHSB as a school is very good at sport / athletics and naturally everyone has to participate in games lessons, but there is no compulsion to try for teams unless you want to.

Yes, my son travels to SHSB from Hockley by rail - the 7.41 in the morning and he's home by 16.30. Started in September and settling in well. I'd have a look at all three schools if KEGS is an option and test the journeys out too.

Thanks everyone. Hopefully next week will show me the light once we tour again, as I'm very confused just now bit like lots for parents on here, but must be grateful we have a choice!

Sorry all but I am new to this forum. Our DS also appears to have an option for KEGS and WHSB. We didn't pay much attention to either school prior to receiving results as in truth we didn't dream they would be an option.When the results were received I automatically assumed we would opt for KEGS as rightly or wrongly I was of the understanding that it was allegedly superior. However now having visited KEGS on more than one occasion I have real concerns. I have found facilities to be tatty if I am honest and the sports facilities to be way off what Westcliff has to offer. Whilst sport is not the be all and end all it is important to our son. We would greatly appreciate any insight / views. Have we got wrong impression of Kegs? Are we crazy to consider Westcliff when Kegs is an option??? Help!

Don't be swayed by physical attributes

Do consider which school would be best for your DS on all criteria but just because the fabric of the school is tatty doesn't mean it isn't.

Sports facilities may be better at one but check what KEGS actually do in terms of what your DS enjoys and think about what he might do out of school in that respect if KEGS is otherwise better for him.

The less broad intake of the super selectives means that the academic pace is quicker and there is more competion - which can be good or bad.

Do a trawl through threads over last few weeks - lots of comments about both school.

Which sport is your ds into? The Kegs sports fields are not on the school site but a few miles away at Bedford Fields in Broomfield, so you would not have seen them on a visit to the school.

I agree with KB that you should not be put off by the fabric of a school. When we looked at CCHS for our dd, I can remember thinking how tatty it seemed but we were drawn to the school by the buzz about the place and the infectious enthusiasm and happiness of the students.

Hi,

my DS is also luckily enough to be in the same position as you are. however my DS has a clear front runner, which is WHSB.

With regards to the sport facilities at KEGS I can at first hand experience tell you that the facilities at Bedford fields are second to none! my DS attended a premiership soccer camp there a couple of summers ago and I was extremely impressed with the grounds and the facilities on offer. Its a shame that prospective parents/pupils aren't able to view the sports grounds on the school open days.

good luck