Help: tiffin boys vs Dr Challoners grammar!!

[tumpa]

All
i am in a rel fix and hope someone can share thoughts on Tiffin Boys and Dr Challoners grammar!
If one has to choose b/w the two, which one will you prefer 1st?
I just want an all round opinion from fellow parents, irrespective of 'my' preference. When I look at stats, both are very good. I ask around, get the same feeling. My problem is I missed the open evenings for both so do not have any first hand feel from open days.
My DS has just cleared the qualifying score for tiffin coming in at 229. Not sure if I should put DCGS as first choice or tiffins.
What would you do?

[mad?]

I would choose the one that was local to me, with the minimum journey and where they already felt an affinity with and were at home. Other than than there is nothing to choose between them, both take very bright kids and get very good results, which is not hard really given the intake.

[scary mum]

You won't get into Dr Challoners unless you are already living very close, so I presume that is the case, in which case, why move?

[suzanne]

Unsure if 229 will get you in to Tiffin - cut off could be higher with more applications this year.

[Sally-Anne]

The OP is in catchment for DCGS, within the usual allocation distance and (from previous posts) moved within the required time frame. Hopefully they can also prove, if required, that they no longer have a home that they own within 30 miles of DCGS. (Distance from memory on that point!)

tumpa, you would have to be quite mad to choose Tiffin in that situation. DCGS goes first on your CAF if you want to stay local, and you must hope that he qualifies in Bucks as well. You name Tiffin second and if 229 is definitely a qualifying score he has to commute or you move again.

[tumpa]

Thanks Sally-Anne, Suzanne and others...
I have seen Sutton trust report and there is indeed hardly any difference b/w two based on University hit rate...but wondering what would be any intrinsic view or personal preference in this forum?
i am in DCGS catchment. I have moved a year ago to qualify on catchment/distance criteria (couldn't take a chance)... hoping the Bucks exam goes well next week...
But for a significantly better school choice would definitely move again...

Just wondering therefore from a pure comparison perspective though, how is the environment/mix in tiffin/DCGS ? E.g. if it was QE boys vs DCGS, I would have definitely gone for DCGS..as based on what i have heard, my DS wouldn't cope with pressure there...

On cutoff, I understand from letter the qualifying score last 5 years in Tiffin was 223-229. Does this mean this was the lowest score for places offerred after waiting list?
The funny thing is I never expected my Ds to come so close. And in the last NVR section he was too busy looking for his lost watch and missed 3 questions!

[tiffinboys]

I think that mad? and Sally-Anne gave very good advise. Unless there are other good reasons to move near to Kingston, I would go for DCGS too.

[scary mum]

hoping the Bucks exam goes well next week...

Presumably if you are in catchment for DCGS your son took the tests a couple of weeks ago? The OOC ones are usually in half term.

[Guest55]

Yes - I was confised by that comment. Please explain OP.

[tumpa]

I had moved into catchment area but not changed school. MY DS still goes to a prep school in Harrow LA. Therefore my DS falls under OOC dates in half term but I think I qualify under catchment clause as I am living in the area since early this year (the cut-off as per DCGS FAQ states you have to be living in the area from 1st April 2012 for entry on Sep 2013.
Hope this explains.
I think I will probably heed to advice from SA and mad? in the end but just wondering how much more well-known/well suited for uni entry is Tiffin over DCGS, if at all...