TOGS?
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confuseddaddy
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Tue Oct 28, 2008 2:34 pm
TOGS?
Our dd has received a v high score (enough for TOGS-based on previous years). Should we go for TOGs, even though we are some distance away (20miles odd) and will have to transport her ourselves by car each day and back?
I would add that she is very bright and top of her class at a v good school and where most children pass the 11 plus. We feel that she would flourish more in an environment where the other children are on a par with her.
Any thoughts welcome?
I would add that she is very bright and top of her class at a v good school and where most children pass the 11 plus. We feel that she would flourish more in an environment where the other children are on a par with her.
Any thoughts welcome?
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Kent99
Hello confuseddaddy
I'm not sure that any of us can really advise you on what is, in the end, a very subjective, personal decision. As the parent of a year 8 girl at TGS I can only offer the following points to consider:
1. I don't know what alternative grammars you have local to you but my perception (rightly or wrongly) is that TGS do move through KS3 faster than some of the other Kent grammars. On the other hand, they don't set girls except for maths (from year 8) which some grammars do for core subjects right from year 7. Not all the girls at TGS are brilliant or wonderfully behaved so no guarantees that she will necessarily be able to move ahead faster there.
2. TGS claim to put girls in forms according to where they live so that they will have friends close to home. This may work well if you live somewhere like Sevenoaks where there are enough girls to fill a form; if you live further out, however, the system can throw up some oddities. For example in year 8 I think there are Ashford and Orpington girls in the same form and girls from mid-Kent and Sussex in another....
I think you need to consider whether there are likely to be other girls from your area in your daughter's year group. If there are perhaps you can car pool? If not, be aware that (due to the operation of "sod's law")you may be looking at a 40-50 mile drive to your daughter's new best friend's house!
3. A 20 mile school journey is by no means unusual at TGS so her working day will be no longer than many, but most girls will travel by train or bus so she may feel a little left out. Personally, I would not contemplate driving 80 miles a day on the school run but that must be your decision.
I'm not sure that any of us can really advise you on what is, in the end, a very subjective, personal decision. As the parent of a year 8 girl at TGS I can only offer the following points to consider:
1. I don't know what alternative grammars you have local to you but my perception (rightly or wrongly) is that TGS do move through KS3 faster than some of the other Kent grammars. On the other hand, they don't set girls except for maths (from year 8) which some grammars do for core subjects right from year 7. Not all the girls at TGS are brilliant or wonderfully behaved so no guarantees that she will necessarily be able to move ahead faster there.
2. TGS claim to put girls in forms according to where they live so that they will have friends close to home. This may work well if you live somewhere like Sevenoaks where there are enough girls to fill a form; if you live further out, however, the system can throw up some oddities. For example in year 8 I think there are Ashford and Orpington girls in the same form and girls from mid-Kent and Sussex in another....
I think you need to consider whether there are likely to be other girls from your area in your daughter's year group. If there are perhaps you can car pool? If not, be aware that (due to the operation of "sod's law")you may be looking at a 40-50 mile drive to your daughter's new best friend's house!
3. A 20 mile school journey is by no means unusual at TGS so her working day will be no longer than many, but most girls will travel by train or bus so she may feel a little left out. Personally, I would not contemplate driving 80 miles a day on the school run but that must be your decision.
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confuseddaddy
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Tue Oct 28, 2008 2:34 pm
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WesterhamMum
- Posts: 134
- Joined: Thu Jan 24, 2008 2:08 pm
- Location: Westerham, Kent
Hi confuseddaddy
I agree with Kent99. I also think it depends upon the back up or support you might have with regards to the school run. It is a huge commitment for the next 7 years if you do not have friends/family to rely on to help with the school run if necessary. I also agree that it depends where you are. As Kent99 said, 20 miles is less of an issue if you are in an area where others close by will be doing a similar journey and you could if necessary just drop your daughter to a friends house to travel in with.
I hope my daughter will be going to TGS next year and we live about 13 miles away, but her best friend will hopefully be going with her (both scored 420) and although I will have to drive her to the bus stop (about 3 miles away) from there, she can get one bus (40 mins) which will drop her outside the gates. She can also get a bus straight to my parents’ house if necessary and I hope that the year after, her sister will join her at TGS. We also have many friends who are already at TGS and will be using the same bus or can share school runs.
Maybe you could call the school and see if there are many other girls from your area. The other thing I would consider is whether or not you have any other grammar schools nearby. Generally speaking, I think that they all offer an excellent education and similar opportunities and often children are happier being top of an ‘average’ grammar than middle of a super selective. I know I would certainly consider a closer grammar school if there was one in my area.
Good luck with your decision and I am sure your daughter will thrive wherever she goes.
WesterhamMum
I agree with Kent99. I also think it depends upon the back up or support you might have with regards to the school run. It is a huge commitment for the next 7 years if you do not have friends/family to rely on to help with the school run if necessary. I also agree that it depends where you are. As Kent99 said, 20 miles is less of an issue if you are in an area where others close by will be doing a similar journey and you could if necessary just drop your daughter to a friends house to travel in with.
I hope my daughter will be going to TGS next year and we live about 13 miles away, but her best friend will hopefully be going with her (both scored 420) and although I will have to drive her to the bus stop (about 3 miles away) from there, she can get one bus (40 mins) which will drop her outside the gates. She can also get a bus straight to my parents’ house if necessary and I hope that the year after, her sister will join her at TGS. We also have many friends who are already at TGS and will be using the same bus or can share school runs.
Maybe you could call the school and see if there are many other girls from your area. The other thing I would consider is whether or not you have any other grammar schools nearby. Generally speaking, I think that they all offer an excellent education and similar opportunities and often children are happier being top of an ‘average’ grammar than middle of a super selective. I know I would certainly consider a closer grammar school if there was one in my area.
Good luck with your decision and I am sure your daughter will thrive wherever she goes.
WesterhamMum
