Grammar school options for Tilehurst, Reading

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11plu5parent
Posts: 11
Joined: Sat Feb 03, 2018 5:43 pm

Grammar school options for Tilehurst, Reading

Post by 11plu5parent »

Good afternoon

I am a new member looking to get my son to sit 11 plus exam. I want to know if Reading Grammar is the only option we have? Thank you for your help.

I will be exploring this forum further. I can see a lot of useful information.
Tinkers
Posts: 7240
Joined: Mon May 16, 2011 2:05 pm
Location: Reading

Re: Grammar school options for Tilehurst, Reading

Post by Tinkers »

It’s the only realistic option, travel wise, unless you are prepared to move.

It’s *possible* to get places at one of the Slough schools, see the links for admissions in the stickies at the top of the forum as they have different ones (I doubt Langley is a goer). However look at travel options very carefully. There’s options from East Reading/Earley But probably not from Tilehurst. There’s little no to benefit to be gained from going to a GS if the journey takes a lot out of your child and they don’t get the chance to take full part what schools offer them other than just the academic school stuff.

You also need to consider your DS will cope with after school activities, group HW tasks and how you will get to things like concerts and parents evening, (and if you ever need to get to school if they are ill or need something). Later on the schools may offer after extra sessions that may not be an option if travel is difficult. My DD has been offered GCSE booster sessions after school, and been able to work on textiles coursework after school, because she has no issues getting home as we live close.

Slough is an easy option test wise as you do one test for both Reading and Slough, as long as you make sure you register with both.

Bucks isn’t an option, no Bucks GS School is likely to offer that far out. It’s also a different test.

What are your local secondary schools options? I’m from East Reading so not as familiar with the west side.
Tinkers
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Joined: Mon May 16, 2011 2:05 pm
Location: Reading

Re: Grammar school options for Tilehurst, Reading

Post by Tinkers »

Admissions links for Slough
https://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/forum ... 10&t=44649" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
11plu5parent
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Joined: Sat Feb 03, 2018 5:43 pm

Re: Grammar school options for Tilehurst, Reading

Post by 11plu5parent »

Thank you Tinkers

We have Denefield & Little heath schools near us but I think they are just average schools.

So from process perspective, we register with both Reading & Slough GS schools and perhaps make a decision after result is announced?
Tinkers
Posts: 7240
Joined: Mon May 16, 2011 2:05 pm
Location: Reading

Re: Grammar school options for Tilehurst, Reading

Post by Tinkers »

The process last year was that you had to register with both Reading and Slough separately, but you stated where your DS will sit the exam. I’d advise checking what the procedure is nearer the time as it can change from year to year, it caught out a few people last year as the registering with both is a relatively new thing.

Once you get the results, you can then see if your DS has any chance of getting a place. I keep the historic data threads at the top of the Berkshire forum up to date as a reference.
You can then decide where you want to apply.

Denefield and Little Heath May be ‘average’ compared to say Reading but they will have a much broader ability intake compared a GS, so that’s to be expected. Tbh, unless there’s something distractically wrong with them your DS will probably do better at one of them with a shorter, much less tiring journey to school than they would with an excessively long journey to a Slough school. And they would have more time for HW etc. If you decided on a Slough School after the results, then you should seriously consider moving closer.
Tinkers
Posts: 7240
Joined: Mon May 16, 2011 2:05 pm
Location: Reading

Re: Grammar school options for Tilehurst, Reading

Post by Tinkers »

Denefield has just been inspected and got ‘Good’.

http://www.readingchronicle.co.uk/news/ ... f=mrb&lp=4" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
11plu5parent
Posts: 11
Joined: Sat Feb 03, 2018 5:43 pm

Re: Grammar school options for Tilehurst, Reading

Post by 11plu5parent »

Hello members

Based on the latest grammar school results - is there a chance of my son getting admission in slough consortium school if he gets the require marks? Or we are too far out (live in Tilehurst) and there is no chance of my son getting an admission even if he does well in the exam?

Also there is a direct train from Tilehurst to Burnham. Is there a chance of getting admission there if he achieves the score required.

Any help will be appreciated.
scary mum
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Joined: Mon Mar 15, 2010 3:45 pm

Re: Grammar school options for Tilehurst, Reading

Post by scary mum »

Also there is a direct train from Tilehurst to Burnham. Is there a chance of getting admission there if he achieves the score required
No, absolutely no chance. Even people in Langley didn't get admission this year.

I'm not so familiar with the Slough schools so someone else can comment on those, but I believe most now give priority to local children. The journey from Tilehurst would be very tiring, as discussed above.
scary mum
Tinkers
Posts: 7240
Joined: Mon May 16, 2011 2:05 pm
Location: Reading

Re: Grammar school options for Tilehurst, Reading

Post by Tinkers »

It’s too long a journey in my opinion from East Reading, so from Tilehurst I think that journey for your child would be unsustainable, certainly by road. If you have quick and easy access to trains in Reading, then it might be doable, but you need to check on a school day. The M4 road works really do have an impact and I see it at a standstill between J10 and J11 at least once a week at 7:30.

As for getting a place. Langley is a no. St Bernard’s will likely be a no unless you meet the religious criteria I suspect. Herschel I’m not sure will allocate this far, but until they provide this year’s allocations (usually around the test results date the following year) we won’t know how the changes the Herschel’s admissions this year has planned out. I don’t remember seeing any one this year from East Reading/Earley saying they have a place at Herschel (but that doesn’t mean it hasn’t happened, but in th least few years we have seen some and this year I haven’t).
However we can already see that the cut off for places has shot up for Upton Court, probably in part as a result of Herschel. Getting the qualifying score will not be enough.

Burnham Grammar, and in fact any of the Bucks Grammars are well out of reach. Their allocation distances don’t even make it to the Three Tuns. They certainly won’t reach Tilehurst. Form what I’ve seen of allocation distances for Bucks, there is no point any one from Reading or even Wokingham trying. .
mitasol
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Re: Grammar school options for Tilehurst, Reading

Post by mitasol »

Also there is a direct train from Tilehurst to Burnham. Is there a chance of getting admission there if he achieves the score required
Less than 5 children from Reading or Wokingham were allocated a place at a Bucks GS and none were allocated Burnham GS.

Bucks GS allocation by location https://www.buckscc.gov.uk/media/451311 ... r-2019.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Bucks allocation profile which show the distance. https://www.buckscc.gov.uk/media/451309 ... -final.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

If would be useful if all regions were more forthcoming with allocation profiles.
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