TOGS vs NW vs DGGS

[bromleymum8]

Hello Everyone,
I have been following the posts since last one year and it really gives good insight on many topics.
Today, I thought to join the forum as was really getting very confused over the choice of the school for my daughter.

we live in bromley, but since this is a rented accommodation, we are free to move anywhere. Daughter has cleared the NW test , Bexley and Kent tests with good scores (above the cutoffs for OOC for most of the schools). This is where the trouble ticks in.
We visited all the schools and liked them, daughter liked Dartford Grammer, TOGS and NW.

I am now little confused as to what should be the order in the CAF, I am quite hopeful she will get the first or the second choice based on the last year cut offs.

My questions would be -
1. Is TOGS worth all the pain, that we move to Tunbridge ?
2. Is IB the future model to be used in UK over A levels ?
3. Based on recent issues heard about NW, is it still a good choice for the overall development of the child. I have heard all the focus is on academics and not over all development which is a must for university places later on ?
4. Is Dartford a good balance of academics as well as overall development ?

Sorry, I am asking a lot of things in one post, but believe me I was just thinking and thinking and getting mad, so thought to ask you all here. May be someone might have experienced a similar dilemma as me.

Thanks a lot for reading it. I would appreciate some of the parents to comment about TOGS, NW or DGGS as to how their kids are liking the schools.

Best of Luck to everyone,

regards,
BromleyMum8

[curiousappa]

Hello Everyone,
I have been following the posts since last one year and it really gives good insight on many topics.
Today, I thought to join the forum as was really getting very confused over the choice of the school for my daughter.

we live in bromley, but since this is a rented accommodation, we are free to move anywhere. Daughter has cleared the NW test , Bexley and Kent tests with good scores (above the cutoffs for OOC for most of the schools). This is where the trouble ticks in.
We visited all the schools and liked them, daughter liked Dartford Grammer, TOGS and NW.

I am now little confused as to what should be the order in the CAF, I am quite hopeful she will get the first or the second choice based on the last year cut offs.

My questions would be -
1. Is TOGS worth all the pain, that we move to Tunbridge ?
2. Is IB the future model to be used in UK over A levels ?
3. Based on recent issues heard about NW, is it still a good choice for the overall development of the child. I have heard all the focus is on academics and not over all development which is a must for university places later on ?
4. Is Dartford a good balance of academics as well as overall development ?

Sorry, I am asking a lot of things in one post, but believe me I was just thinking and thinking and getting mad, so thought to ask you all here. May be someone might have experienced a similar dilemma as me.

Thanks a lot for reading it. I would appreciate some of the parents to comment about TOGS, NW or DGGS as to how their kids are liking the schools.

Best of Luck to everyone,

regards,
BromleyMum8

I am in same boat between TOGS, Colchester grammar, Colyton in exeter

I am going mad aswell same as you

Haven't visited dartford girls as their ranking in 2015, 2014, 2013
Not great as our other choice

I have been told by lot of people that IB suits well for able and talented children

Yes it's lot of work since they have to do 6 subjects rather than 4 in A level

Even level 5 in IB got 2 medicine seats in exeter and Leeds according to chemistry Head of the department in TOGS this year.
but it's bit harder with Alevel equivalent level B to get medicine seat in exeter or leeds

So we kept TOGS in one of choices

But hard to decide between Colchester and Colyton
Hope some one can help
DD didn't like the feel of the Colchester
But colchester does well in ranking comparison with Colyton

In Times Ranking

Colchester upwards 12 to 7
Colyton downwards not huge difference
24 to 25
Tonbridge 6 to 10

Telegraph league table is wrong in tonbridge grammar ranking

[curiousappa]

Looking at your location dartford seems right for you as your DD liked the Dartford than TOGS

I know it's hard choice

All the best anyway

[hellomum]

Similar dilemma where we are debating the merits of IB over A-levels and the school to choose b/n ToGS Vs HBS Vs NonSuch. We are leaning towards ToGS because of excellent school facilities, IB and travel-wise neutral for DH who commutes to Canary Wharf. While HBS is a great school but commute for DD will be crazy.

Good luck to all with your choices

[bromleymum8]

Thanks a lot curiousappa and hellomum for your replies.

I have heard Colchester is a very good school so good luck for your application.

Today, will be finalizing the form and ending all the dilemma

Gud Luck everyone.

[mpsv]

Hello bromleymum8 ,
Congratulations ur dd should be super bright ....my dd is in Yr4 we live in Wiltshire.I am also planning to apply for more grammar schools just like what you did for the dd.. Can you let me know whch schools offer out of catchment place.... It will be helpful if u have any excel spreadsheet
Thanks

[PettswoodFiona]

Hello bromleymum8 ,
Congratulations ur dd should be super bright ....my dd is in Yr4 we live in Wiltshire.I am also planning to apply for more grammar schools just like what you did for the dd.. Can you let me know whch schools offer out of catchment place.... It will be helpful if u have any excel spreadsheet
Thanks

Note that the schools that are mentioned by the OP here are really within striking distance or commuting of the Likes of Bromley or Petts Wood and so most in our area who take multiple exams are doing as they would qualify on either a superselective score or on distance. We will generally know about admissions in our areas. Asking for an excel spreadsheet is a tad ambitious! There is a lot of information on each board, if you search for OOC all over this forum. Bexley offer 180 places to top scorers regardless of distance but many of these are not taken up and the places don't get reallocated further down the list. St Olaves has a catchment of the entire world which makes it very tough to get into and Newstead you have to be in a nine mile radius when submitting the SIF. Kent has a few schools that offer not based on distance. The most common ones are Judd and Skinners for boys - although these have been scaled back for OOC very recently. For girls Tonbridge and Dartford. Then you have schools like Wilmington that reserve 12 places for top scorers. Good luck but don't get drawn into the exam tourist hype that many do as it just puts a lot of stress on the child and the requirements OOC are often much higher or parents find they sat the tests in vain as they could never have qualified anyway.

[bromleymum8]

Thanks a lot PettswoodFiona. You have explained it very well.

@mpsv, I don't have any excel sheet for this. We came here in 2013 and were new to the system, so I gradually learnt all this by following the posts and reading on the internet. Also when the time comes, you learn everything what is required. And as PettswoodFiona rightly said, there is no point sitting in the tests everywhere as that just puts unwanted pressure on the child.
Just shortlist the schools that you would like your child to go and prepare accordingly. I am sure with 2 years time, she will surely get her choice.

Gud Luck to you and your child !!

I am happy to help if you have any more questions

regards,
Bromleymum8

[mpsv]

Thanks bromleymum8...can you suggest me some good practise materials that u used ...
I am not entirely sure if relocating to a new place for grammar school is a wise move ??
As dd is currently in a indie on academic scholarship.

[PettswoodFiona]

Thanks bromleymum8...can you suggest me some good practise materials that u used ...
I am not entirely sure if relocating to a new place for grammar school is a wise move ??
As dd is currently in a indie on academic scholarship.

I appreciate you asked Bromleymum but I have some experience here as DD is currently in the independent sector so forgive my interjection. Firstly if she has a scholarship that is unusual at junior level - is it a selective independent school? I have heard of some small scholarships (as opposed to substantial bursaries) which are given at 7+ but these are often nominal amounts. For us although DD is at a selective independent she didn't feel her cohort were that academic and those she met at grammar open days were ones she found she had more in common with and wanted to be with. We also struggle with the fees (no bursaries in the lower school) so the eleven plus was a good option for us. However I don't think we would have put moving above and beyond going to a grammar as we are very settled, love our area and have some other great state schools. If you move and change schools at the same time it is also a massive upheaval.