Private vs Grammer, Distance vs Preference

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daddytea
Posts: 14
Joined: Thu Oct 15, 2015 1:28 pm

Private vs Grammer, Distance vs Preference

Post by daddytea »

We are living near Gants Hill. My DS has achieved well above O/C requirement score to enter KEGS. I am sure he will not have problem getting into Ilford County too.
He prefer KEGS but KEGS is 1 hour 15 min away. Will you choose your preference school?
I am sure he will achieve in both schools, is the extra travel worth it?

We may also consider private schools like Bancroft, Forest, City of London Boys provided he can get 50% scholarships. I have confident that he will get some.

Will you choose private schools over KEGS? These private schools is close to our house and the only downside is we may need to pay. My DS also like them.

Sorry for asking too much for my first post.

Nervous daddy!!
Daogroupie
Posts: 11099
Joined: Wed Mar 04, 2009 3:01 pm
Location: Herts

Re: Private vs Grammer, Distance vs Preference

Post by Daogroupie »

This is a personal preference that depends on what type of boy your son is.

Some things are better at private schools and suit certain boys.

In my opinion state schools are a better preparation for life in the outside world but you need to visit the schools and make your own choices.

The exams for private schools are different, they are standard format with creative writing so I would start preparing now. DG
hermanmunster
Posts: 12817
Joined: Fri Sep 15, 2006 9:51 am
Location: The Seaside

Re: Private vs Grammer, Distance vs Preference

Post by hermanmunster »

Daogroupie's advice is quite right, somethings are better at state and others better at private schools.

I wouldn't put too much store by the 50% scholarships - they rarely are that high, many are quite low though the gap can sometimes be made up by means tested bursaries
daddytea
Posts: 14
Joined: Thu Oct 15, 2015 1:28 pm

Re: Private vs Grammer, Distance vs Preference

Post by daddytea »

My DS like KEGS but the problem is the distance.
I understand many are willing to travel even further to South End West Cliff. I am wondering anyone can share the effect to the child and how well they cope?

Does it worth it? I really lose sleep as I am worrying about the travelling for my DS. At the end of the day it is him that suffer most , though we also need to wake up earlier to take him to the bus stop.

He also like all 3 private. He likes sports, music and maths. He will be happy in any of these schools. The only states school he likes is KEGS.

Regarding scholarship, I understand it is difficult to get 50% and we will try both academic and music and hope he will get something.
If I can afford, I will choose private school that is closer.

I will keep you posted once we know the result. Thanks a lot for answering.
J50
Posts: 296
Joined: Wed Oct 10, 2012 10:35 am

Re: Private vs Grammer, Distance vs Preference

Post by J50 »

Is that 1hr 15min on an average day? Or on a good day? What about a bad day? Or when you have to pick him up from a sports match or he has to make his own way home? 1hr 15m sounds quite a long time to me...
daddytea
Posts: 14
Joined: Thu Oct 15, 2015 1:28 pm

Re: Private vs Grammer, Distance vs Preference

Post by daddytea »

J50 wrote:Is that 1hr 15min on an average day? Or on a good day? What about a bad day? Or when you have to pick him up from a sports match or he has to make his own way home? 1hr 15m sounds quite a long time to me...
There is my estimation of using the school bus. We live quite close to the station. If he want to come back by himself, he can take train to stratford and then back to Gants Hill
and it is about 50min to 1 hour door to door if the google map is accurate
https://www.google.co.uk/webhp?sourcei ... urn false;

Driving myself to Chelmsford is about 45 min.

Another option we have is ilford county high and only 5 min away but my son and all of us don't like it at all. Feedback from several students we know that are bright are negative. We have visited several state schools and we just draw our comparisons. I don't want to expand too much about what we dislike as it is up to our taste. It is by no means a bad school. I hope I have not offended anyone, it just it is not up to our taste. I am sure most other thinks it is a good school.

Will you let your child go to a school that he don't like but close or goto a school that he is like and happy but 1 hour away?

That's the dilemma.

I am not pushy at all and let my DS to choose but I want find out all the pros and cons and let him consider and I will support him fully.
FlightyRachel
Posts: 114
Joined: Thu May 29, 2008 2:57 pm
Location: Essex

Re: Private vs Grammer, Distance vs Preference

Post by FlightyRachel »

I really feel for your dilemma, so I thought I would tell you my experience of long bus journeys (well, my sons' experiences) to see if it helps. I have 2 sons who travel for about an hour and 15 mins each way to school by bus. One is in year 13, one is in year 7. Despite being quite different personalities and my being really worried about the journey, it is the highlight of the day for both of them. They both honestly love it. I mentioned moving (to see if we could cut down their journeys) and my yr 7 son said only if we moved somewhere nearby so he could still get on his bus! My older one was never very into extra curricula stuff, so he tended to come straight home, my younger one has joined lots of clubs and so sometimes comes back on the train instead, as he's missed his contract bus. A couple of times I've had to drive down and get him.

If your son really loves KEGS, and you do too, I wouldn't let the journey be the deal breaker. The feel of a school is really important and I personally believe that children get a good sense of where they'd feel happiest.

You do hear lots of people criticising those of us who choose to send our children on long journeys, and I can see their point of view, but often those people have no direct experience of commuting in themselves. My littler son is already so much more confident and has used the public bus to visit my mum, on his own, because he now feels at home using buses and trains. I think it can really help with their confidence.

Wishing you all good things, you sound really nice!

Edited to add, can't help about the private school thing, as I have no experience of them!
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