Moving to Reading or Slough
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Moving to Reading or Slough
We are planning to move out of London's busy life.
Our DS is now preparing for 11+ exams.
We were thinking of move to Reading, Berks and prepare DS for Reading boys school. But looking the super selective process of 'Reading Boys', we donot want to take a chance keeping only one grammar school choice.
We checked the Reading school's catchment area criteria, according website, they are mainly covering Reading town and its sorrounding.
Slough school's catchment areas are based on distance i.e., door to door miles (priority1 -within 2 miles, priority 2 - within 4 miles)
Need your honest Advice :
1. Is it best decision to move to Reading and keep preference-1 school as Reading Boys and Herschel/Langley as prefered-2 schools ? what is %ge of success in getting into Slough's schools if not selected for Reading Boys ?
2. Move directly to Slough and try grammar schools in this catchment area ?
thank you in advance..
Our DS is now preparing for 11+ exams.
We were thinking of move to Reading, Berks and prepare DS for Reading boys school. But looking the super selective process of 'Reading Boys', we donot want to take a chance keeping only one grammar school choice.
We checked the Reading school's catchment area criteria, according website, they are mainly covering Reading town and its sorrounding.
Slough school's catchment areas are based on distance i.e., door to door miles (priority1 -within 2 miles, priority 2 - within 4 miles)
Need your honest Advice :
1. Is it best decision to move to Reading and keep preference-1 school as Reading Boys and Herschel/Langley as prefered-2 schools ? what is %ge of success in getting into Slough's schools if not selected for Reading Boys ?
2. Move directly to Slough and try grammar schools in this catchment area ?
thank you in advance..
Re: Moving to Reading or Slough
I’d also look at the other schools in the area, so you know you have good back ups if your DS doesn’t get a place at a GS.
I think you need to look at the schools and decide which ones might suit him best and what areas you’d like to live in.
Langley has a very tight catchment, so you’d need to live near. Check the other schools’ admissions policies as well.
Reading school catchment is an approx 15 mile radius.
I’ve added historic allocations data and admissions web links in stickies at the top of the Berkshire forum.
I think you need to look at the schools and decide which ones might suit him best and what areas you’d like to live in.
Langley has a very tight catchment, so you’d need to live near. Check the other schools’ admissions policies as well.
Reading school catchment is an approx 15 mile radius.
I’ve added historic allocations data and admissions web links in stickies at the top of the Berkshire forum.
Re: Moving to Reading or Slough
thank you for the reply...
For reading boys school. I observed that , the last day for registration in 30th June.
And must be with in catchment area before 31st August.
My question is ... When does schools(Reading boys) ask for address proof to prove our address ?
For reading boys school. I observed that , the last day for registration in 30th June.
And must be with in catchment area before 31st August.
My question is ... When does schools(Reading boys) ask for address proof to prove our address ?
Re: Moving to Reading or Slough
They would be on a rather sticky wicket if they asked for proof of address at any point before you have actually made an application (by means of submitting your CAF in the autumn), because 'being in catchment by a certain date' is only a tool for ranking applicants and cannot be used in any way in the process of candidates merely registering for and sitting the entrance exam. (And yes, I know that that illustrious partially selective comprehensive school, Dame Alice Owen’s, does this and seems to get away with itRBDearDad wrote:thank you for the reply...
For reading boys school. I observed that , the last day for registration in 30th June.
And must be with in catchment area before 31st August.
My question is ... When does schools(Reading boys) ask for address proof to prove our address ?
).However, once you do apply, to be ranked as 'in catchment', you know that your address evidence must relate to the address as at the date given, not the date you submit the evidence, but late August to late October is plenty of time to make sure that everything is in order, including finding a local primary school for year 6.
Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.Groucho Marx
Re: Moving to Reading or Slough
While my DS is preparing for Reading boys, we have booked a new home in Reading.
Hope my DS will be in the list of 138 kids in year 2023.
Sometimes, I feel like I am doing mistake by booking a new home as this home is only catchment area of Reading boys.
and my home is not within catchment for another top school.. "Maiden Erlegh".
Please let me know, What are the secondary school options in Reading ?
If we chose any of Slough schools .. are there any buses from Reading to Slough ?
thank you..
Hope my DS will be in the list of 138 kids in year 2023.
Sometimes, I feel like I am doing mistake by booking a new home as this home is only catchment area of Reading boys.
and my home is not within catchment for another top school.. "Maiden Erlegh".
Please let me know, What are the secondary school options in Reading ?
If we chose any of Slough schools .. are there any buses from Reading to Slough ?
thank you..
Re: Moving to Reading or Slough
Where in Reading are you, are you technically in Wokingham?
There are various good schools around, but most are oversubscribed so it depends where you live.
There’s two Maiden Erlegh schools, quite close but one in Reading and one in Wokingham. Nearby there is also Bulmershe and I know several local parents choosing it over either ME schools (which are a bit marmite-Ish tbh, I personally didn’t feel impressed by ME). ME in Reading uses feeder school criteria in its admission policy so unless you live very close or go to one of the feeder schools, it’s unlikely. ME typically allocates to about a mile, not everyone in catchment gets a place.
Further out there’s Forest school in Winnersh that locally has a good rep for pastoral care. I know less about schools further out
There are various good schools around, but most are oversubscribed so it depends where you live.
There’s two Maiden Erlegh schools, quite close but one in Reading and one in Wokingham. Nearby there is also Bulmershe and I know several local parents choosing it over either ME schools (which are a bit marmite-Ish tbh, I personally didn’t feel impressed by ME). ME in Reading uses feeder school criteria in its admission policy so unless you live very close or go to one of the feeder schools, it’s unlikely. ME typically allocates to about a mile, not everyone in catchment gets a place.
Further out there’s Forest school in Winnersh that locally has a good rep for pastoral care. I know less about schools further out
Re: Moving to Reading or Slough
Presumably you mean the Slough grammar schools? (if you wanted a Slough non-selective shool, then I assume that you would have moved there, rather than Reading and it's very unlikely that they would have places for applicants from 20 miles away). I'm not in that area, but from this forum I have gleaned that most (?all) of them have admissions policies prioritising more local applicants.
Whichever schools you are looking at, you need to check each one's admissions policy carefully.
Whichever schools you are looking at, you need to check each one's admissions policy carefully.
Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.Groucho Marx
Re: Moving to Reading or Slough
There will be privately run mini buses from Reading to Slough, I'm sure, but it isn't a journey I would want to do every day for 7 years. The train is much faster than driving.
As ToadMum says, the best thing is to look at the admissions criteria for each school, as it's all a bit complicated.
If you put Reading first & the Slough grammar schools lower on your CAF you will always be allocated the highest one that you qualify for (look up the equal preferences system). The schools do not know where you have ranked them.
The advice we always give is to have at least one school on your list that you are certain of getting, and to list them in your genuine order of preference. If you do not have a school on there that you are certain of getting you risk your son being offered a place at a failing school miles away.
As ToadMum says, the best thing is to look at the admissions criteria for each school, as it's all a bit complicated.
If you put Reading first & the Slough grammar schools lower on your CAF you will always be allocated the highest one that you qualify for (look up the equal preferences system). The schools do not know where you have ranked them.
The advice we always give is to have at least one school on your list that you are certain of getting, and to list them in your genuine order of preference. If you do not have a school on there that you are certain of getting you risk your son being offered a place at a failing school miles away.
scary mum
Re: Moving to Reading or Slough
thank you for the reply..
hi @ToadMum.. we are looking for Grammar schools in and around Reading. There are other best non-grammar available within Reading.
hi @Scary mum - process is so complicated unless we chose the right place to live with right Schools around. Thanks for letting me know that, there are kids who are commuting between towns.
Just one more question.. Is there any way we could change Grammar schools in year 8 or 9 ? this may be from Reading grammar to Slough grammar or the opposite ..
hi @ToadMum.. we are looking for Grammar schools in and around Reading. There are other best non-grammar available within Reading.
hi @Scary mum - process is so complicated unless we chose the right place to live with right Schools around. Thanks for letting me know that, there are kids who are commuting between towns.
Just one more question.. Is there any way we could change Grammar schools in year 8 or 9 ? this may be from Reading grammar to Slough grammar or the opposite ..
Re: Moving to Reading or Slough
You would be reliant on a space coming up, in other words another child would have to leave, and yours would have to be the top of the list.
I'm not familiar with these particular schools but some do not allow children to take a test for year 8 etc if they have already taken the test previously, others have tests for years 8, 9 etc but often no spaces. You should check the entry criteria for each school.
I would not recommend taking a place on the basis that they may be able to move later, apart from anything it's disruptive for the child, as well as a high risk of no places becoming available.
Have you looked into local schools for the rest of year 6?
I'm not familiar with these particular schools but some do not allow children to take a test for year 8 etc if they have already taken the test previously, others have tests for years 8, 9 etc but often no spaces. You should check the entry criteria for each school.
I would not recommend taking a place on the basis that they may be able to move later, apart from anything it's disruptive for the child, as well as a high risk of no places becoming available.
Have you looked into local schools for the rest of year 6?
scary mum