MGS -Judd-Skinners
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MGS -Judd-Skinners
First of all a big thank you for this forum which I discovered about 5 years ago. It helped me through my darkest days of wrestling with the baggages that came with the 11+ My DD is now now happily settled in year 8 at great girl's grammar in Maidstone 
My DS just took his 11+ and surprised us with some amazing scores (pat on the back for mummy too as she tutored him 
) I am about to do the online admission form. He loved MGS and Judd equally. MGS is right on our doorstep a mere 10 minutes drive. Judd is half an hour away but the fact that he scored highly we are tempted to put it as his first choice (He would not mind because he attends a Tonbridge primary and some of his friends will probably go there)... My struggles...should he go to Judd just because it's a better performing school or stick with an equally lovely school on my doorstep? He honestly cannot call between the two. My DD despite scoring full marks, chose Invicta over TOGS because she wanted a change and tired of the Tonbridge circuit (Her words not mine!) and she was tired of the commute from Maidstone to Tonbridge so a Maidstone grammar was her first choice and she loved the school too. My DS on the other hand is quite quiet and timid and will probably benefit from seeing some familiar faces...BUT will it not be nice to be able to walk home from school during the summer or spend 10 minutes on a school bus rather than stuck in a car with mummy for 30 minutes or on a train. Please if you have DS at MGS let me know how they are finding the school. ...At the end of the day it will be my mine and my ds's decision...but If you were in my shoes what would you do? would you choose the slightly better school over distance? Oh he loves Skinners too but hates the blazer
My DS just took his 11+ and surprised us with some amazing scores (pat on the back for mummy too as she tutored him ) I am about to do the online admission form. He loved MGS and Judd equally. MGS is right on our doorstep a mere 10 minutes drive. Judd is half an hour away but the fact that he scored highly we are tempted to put it as his first choice (He would not mind because he attends a Tonbridge primary and some of his friends will probably go there)... My struggles...should he go to Judd just because it's a better performing school or stick with an equally lovely school on my doorstep? He honestly cannot call between the two. My DD despite scoring full marks, chose Invicta over TOGS because she wanted a change and tired of the Tonbridge circuit (Her words not mine!) and she was tired of the commute from Maidstone to Tonbridge so a Maidstone grammar was her first choice and she loved the school too. My DS on the other hand is quite quiet and timid and will probably benefit from seeing some familiar faces...BUT will it not be nice to be able to walk home from school during the summer or spend 10 minutes on a school bus rather than stuck in a car with mummy for 30 minutes or on a train. Please if you have DS at MGS let me know how they are finding the school. ...At the end of the day it will be my mine and my ds's decision...but If you were in my shoes what would you do? would you choose the slightly better school over distance? Oh he loves Skinners too but hates the blazer -
frangipani
- Posts: 299
- Joined: Thu Jun 02, 2011 10:17 pm
Re: MGS -Judd-Skinners
Hi Jini,
We were in a similar position to you last year. We live very near to MGS and can walk there in 15mins, but my DS wanted Judd. I found it a very difficult to chose between the two. For several reasons we felt MGS was not right for him but Judd seemed perfect, the only negative being travel, which for mgs was a positive. I let my ds choose in the end as he was adamant he wanted Judd even though he wouldn't know anyone as his friends chose Maidstone schools.
We don't regret the decision one bit, he is very happy, coping fine with the journey and loves going to school.
I wouldn't choose Judd just because of a high score but would consider how the child may fit in as a whole, as the chances are he could possibly go from being top at primary to bottom in a superselective, so some children may cope better at MGS as there is a broader range of ability. My ds was highly able in primary and the teachers struggled to challenge him, which he found frustrating so we were confident he would flourish in a high ability environment. He is also not bothered if he isn't always top of the class as he was growing fed up with some of the unwanted attention it caused at primary. But some children would struggle with this and lose confidence.
What I'm trying to say is try not to be seduced by what may appear to be the best school because that may not be the best school for your DC. Think about the big picture and how your ds will cope for the next seven years. Also consider after school clubs and sporting fixtures as these will affect travel times.
If you have any questions feel free to pm me
We didn't consider Skinners as I felt that was too far to travel. Not keen on the Blazers either.
We were in a similar position to you last year. We live very near to MGS and can walk there in 15mins, but my DS wanted Judd. I found it a very difficult to chose between the two. For several reasons we felt MGS was not right for him but Judd seemed perfect, the only negative being travel, which for mgs was a positive. I let my ds choose in the end as he was adamant he wanted Judd even though he wouldn't know anyone as his friends chose Maidstone schools.
We don't regret the decision one bit, he is very happy, coping fine with the journey and loves going to school.
I wouldn't choose Judd just because of a high score but would consider how the child may fit in as a whole, as the chances are he could possibly go from being top at primary to bottom in a superselective, so some children may cope better at MGS as there is a broader range of ability. My ds was highly able in primary and the teachers struggled to challenge him, which he found frustrating so we were confident he would flourish in a high ability environment. He is also not bothered if he isn't always top of the class as he was growing fed up with some of the unwanted attention it caused at primary. But some children would struggle with this and lose confidence.
What I'm trying to say is try not to be seduced by what may appear to be the best school because that may not be the best school for your DC. Think about the big picture and how your ds will cope for the next seven years. Also consider after school clubs and sporting fixtures as these will affect travel times.
If you have any questions feel free to pm me
We didn't consider Skinners as I felt that was too far to travel. Not keen on the Blazers either.
Re: MGS -Judd-Skinners
Thank you Frangipani, your comment... "as the chances are he could possibly go from being top at primary to bottom in a superselective, so some children may cope better at MGS as there is a broader range of ability." is exactly what I am thinking. Although my DS is really bright , he is not confident at all..He is not fully aware how capable he is although his teachers and I tell him all the time. He was so surprised at his scores that he kept asking me whether it might have been a mistake Bless him! He has been in the top group of his class and I do have a niggling fear that when he realised that there are some super bright DCs in his class, that will dent is confidence, saying that though, he is one of those kids that simple get on with things oblivious to what is going on around him (his coping mechanism)
Bless him! He has been in the top group of his class and I do have a niggling fear that when he realised that there are some super bright DCs in his class, that will dent is confidence, saying that though, he is one of those kids that simple get on with things oblivious to what is going on around him (his coping mechanism)