11 Plus Exams Forum

Could anyone give me any feedback about Claires Court Senior Boys School in Maidenhead. I am considering it for my son who is average academically but maybe not grammar school material.

Claires court is supposed to be a good school. I know it promotes chess quite alot, as we've been there for many a chess event.

Someone I know also chose it above Reading Grammar school. Thier child had passed the Reading 11+, but the parent eventually chose Claire's Court. If I remember correctly he had also attended Ridgeway, so maybe that was the deciding factor (maintaining friendships)???

Maybe you could post your question on the Independant schools section of this website, there maybe more peolpe in the know over there.
http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/forum/ ... m.php?f=31

hi I would reccomend it as they offer a good education and also
they discover what your son my acheive well in eg Drama, sport or
just a good mixture.My daughter is at the girls school and it was the best place for her

As Principal of Claires Court, I caught this message in my daily Google search filter and thought a sensible in-house response would help. Approximately 600 pupils of ours are of secondary age, and whilst we choose not to select on ability we inevitably are selective on background, and it seems every cohort of ours at secondary level includes an appropriate diversity of type to allow all to flourish. Frankly I think it's brave of us not to run selection exams, but since this has brought us for over 30 years now a wealth of pupils (and of families) there seems no good cause to change. In 2010 our sixth formers will be populating unis from Cambridge, Durham , Manchester, Bristol through to Fine arts colleges and premiership rugby academies - are not boys and girls lucky these days, in so far as those with an excellent scholastic background are able to apply for such diversity of opportunity.
What's right at junior level is that we have a great 11+ pass track record, and that yes parents of ours and elsewhere choose us over the free grammar schools in Berks and Bucks - in the main, I suspect that those parents are those who can afford the choice, where family size allows them to support their children at our school. For many families I know they need to opt in and out of our provision, and for that reason we remain committed to providing for the parents the choices they need at 5, 7 11, 13 16 and university entrance. Hope this helps.

ccjames, thanks for this reply. To be honest I know of Claires Court but had not considered it for DD (y5) but will now book appointment/see open day.