11 Plus Exams Forum

Hi all,
I am new to 11+. I am living in Hornchurch (part of Essex) and want my daughter to apply for grammer schools. As the majority of them need living in cachement area. Can you please suggest which grammer schools I can apply. Any restrictions to apply?
Thanks

You can apply to any of the grammar schools but you have to get a higher score if you are out of catchment. I don't know your area but if you are unsure which is your nearest grammar school, ask at your DC primary. They should know. The school should then have a website that should say where their catchment area is.

I think you will find that your nearest grammar school is Woodford County High School, but your DD will not be allowed to sit the exam for there if you live in Havering (? the local Borough which includes Hornchurch) as you are not in catchment.

You are perfectly at liberty to enter your DD for the CSSE exam, which gives access to a minimum of 35 places each at Westcliff High School for Girls and Southend High School for Girls - also for any place at Colchester County High School for Girls as that is currently 'super-selective', i.e. places are allocated purely on score. You can also apply for her to take the 11+ at Chelmsford County High School for Girls, which allocates 24 places to girls living outside a 12.5 mile radius of the school on score.

Please, please, though, do consider how your DD is going to get to any of these schools, if you are not in a position to move nearer to the school should she get a place.

The Henrietta Barnett School (lots of info about it on this forum in 'Hertfordshire') is also a super-selective, but please don't even think of making your child travel these and back every day from where you are...

BTW if you want to know more about how to get to Westcliff or SHSG, I will do my best to help . Some may say why help 'OOCs' get places? However, the WHSG and SHSG OOC places are ring-fenced, and it would be best to have some idea of the realities before you start...

A girl at CRGS sixth form travels from Havering daily. Her choice, but her journey is over 2 hrs each way. The Havering boys board!

The consortium bus picks up from the Harvester in Gidea Park to the Southend Schools.

There are a good number of DC that commute from Havering and tolerate it.

The train carries the Chelmsford OOC lot from Gidea park station.

I do not know of any that go to Colchester though that is a bit too far...

pushymother wrote:The consortium bus picks up from the Harvester in Gidea Park to the Southend Schools.

There are a good number of DC that commute from Havering and tolerate it.

The train carries the Chelmsford OOC lot from Gidea park station.

I do not know of any that go to Colchester though that is a bit too far...

Is the Gidea Park one run by the CSSE? I can only see the First Bus from Gants Hill to Chelmsford?

You can also get the train from Gidea Park to SHSG - changing to the bus at Southend Victoria. I am struggling not to add, 'If you must...', though, I must admit . WHSG also do-able, either by getting onto the c2c line somehow, to Chalkwell, or by going to Southend Vic and travelling 'backwards' on the 21 or the 29 bus. But again please see previous qualifier .

OP - have you thought about Coopers Coburn in Upminster?

ToadMum wrote:

pushymother wrote:The consortium bus picks up from the Harvester in Gidea Park to the Southend Schools.

There are a good number of DC that commute from Havering and tolerate it.

The train carries the Chelmsford OOC lot from Gidea park station.

I do not know of any that go to Colchester though that is a bit too far...

Is the Gidea Park one run by the CSSE? I can only see the First Bus from Gants Hill to Chelmsford?

You can also get the train from Gidea Park to SHSG - changing to the bus at Southend Victoria. I am struggling not to add, 'If you must...', though, I must admit . WHSG also do-able, either by getting onto the c2c line somehow, to Chalkwell, or by going to Southend Vic and travelling 'backwards' on the 21 or the 29 bus. But again please see previous qualifier .

OP - have you thought about Coopers Coburn in Upminster?

Coopers is very hard to get into (unless you can play the sibling card). First one must be on their knees to save the fees(the C of E route) as the first part of the admissions criteria.

Secondly to get a like for like house in Upminster which STILL does not guarantee a catchment place (see point one) you would pay at least 150k more. Financially, if you like your house in Hornchurch you might as well pay for Brentwood for the seven years than the catchment gamble.

My friend (lives in Grays) rented for two years in Upminster sacrificing many things financially only to fall 700 meters short. She just could not afford to rent any closer. Her son also got a 309 on 11+ but as we well know that score does not get you an OOC place.

He has ended up with Hall Mead which is really great and now preferred to Coopers by many. He is doing very well there and they are very happy with the school but no sixth form.

Coopers is not the school that it used to be when it was selective but still hugely preferable to the secondary schools in Hornchurch when looking at GCSE results.

Hi. I think the best will be WHSG. As you live in Hornchurch. It will be for your daughter to take train to Chalkwell from Upminster. It takes my son 30mins to Chalkwell from Upminster. He attends WHSB. He is usually home by 1700hrs and we leave in Rainham . There are so many +++ kids at Upminster station going to the southend schools and my son loves the journey. So please don't be discouraged.

shasha wrote:Hi. I think the best will be WHSG. As you live in Hornchurch. It will be for your daughter to take train to Chalkwell from Upminster. It takes my son 30mins to Chalkwell from Upminster. He attends WHSB. He is usually home by 1700hrs and we leave in Rainham . There are so many +++ kids at Upminster station going to the southend schools and my son loves the journey. So please don't be discouraged.

Whereas I would concur re the hordes using Chalkwell station for the Westcliff schools (DS1 and DD get the train from Chalkwell to Southend East and already once this term DD has timed her arrival on the platform badly and not been able to get to the train before the doors locked ), the OP did mention a daughter. Given that, unless said DD is particularly fond of walking up and down hills, I would suggest that if she really fancies coming all the way to the seaside for school, she should look at SHSG. Seven minutes more on the train but at least seven minutes' less station to school and more or less all on the flat .

The bus that picks up from Gants Hill does it only go to Chelmsford? I am wondering if there are other coaches/buses that pick up near Gants Hill for WHSG? I am aware of Maymist coaches that pick up from Chadwell Heath?