KEFW

[excitedmumanddad]

My point is that the parent you spoke to about KES Stratford might look for very different things in a school than you do - none of the GS are bad so you would expect the performance data to stack up! A child will do their best in a place where they are happiest - I couldn't send a child somewhere they hadn't visited and seen for themselves, regardless of what everyone else thought of it. You could try calling the school and seeing if they would show you round - they close for half term tomorrow for two weeks though so it would be empty classrooms, but, if they could facilitate it, it might be better than nothing... I assume it is because the Open Day is a big resource drain on a very small school so it is only run once - I love the school but there are things we liked, for example, that completely turned our friends off and vice versa when we looked at other schools!

Thanks kenyancowgirl. You are right about the open days. My DS really enjoyed CHB, FW, BV and QMGS. He likes sports and was impressed with the school grounds / facilities. I will try giving the school a call to ask if they allow out of turn visits. But it will not give us the same experience .... I am getting more and more inclined to knock this school out of my list and include my local comp instead. Thanks for your valid inputs to help in this regard.

[nervousmom]

When looking at schools for my DS (now in year 11) we looked at KES, FW & Alcester Grammar school.

KES was the first one we visited and I loved it. The location for a start, who doesn't like Stratford? Plus you can be taught in Shakespeare's classroom! I thought it had a lovely feel and really wanted my son to go there.

The down side, (as well as a plus side!) I felt was the location in the centre of Stratford. My son would have been able to travel by train along the Stratford line and walked the shortish walk to school, however, the school has no playing fields around it and I believe they have to go off site for games.

When I was in Stratford a few weeks ago, the boys were out doing a run down by the river!

However, my son was not as impressed as I, mainly because he didn't want a single sex school.

So we went off to FW (he & my husband had been before) I didn't think it would beat KES, but I was very impressed, just the whole feel of the place. Location wise, it is out in the sticks a bit, but I believe there is plenty of public transport. Although not from where we are, so DS & DD are dropped in Wythall each morning to get the Green Bus.

With the score your son has and the options available, if it were me, I would leave QM off the list and make room for the comp ( if you're lucky enough to be Tudor Grange you would be fine, but I'm guessing from your comments it isn't!)

Alternatively, if you didn't like Aston, I would remove this and make room for local comp.

Overall though, your son has done very well and odds are he will be at a grammar school this time next year.

[excitedmumanddad]

When looking at schools for my DS (now in year 11) we looked at KES, FW & Alcester Grammar school.

KES was the first one we visited and I loved it. The location for a start, who doesn't like Stratford? Plus you can be taught in Shakespeare's classroom! I thought it had a lovely feel and really wanted my son to go there.

The down side, (as well as a plus side!) I felt was the location in the centre of Stratford. My son would have been able to travel by train along the Stratford line and walked the shortish walk to school, however, the school has no playing fields around it and I believe they have to go off site for games.

When I was in Stratford a few weeks ago, the boys were out doing a run down by the river!

However, my son was not as impressed as I, mainly because he didn't want a single sex school.

So we went off to FW (he & my husband had been before) I didn't think it would beat KES, but I was very impressed, just the whole feel of the place. Location wise, it is out in the sticks a bit, but I believe there is plenty of public transport. Although not from where we are, so DS & DD are dropped in Wythall each morning to get the Green Bus.

With the score your son has and the options available, if it were me, I would leave QM off the list and make room for the comp ( if you're lucky enough to be Tudor Grange you would be fine, but I'm guessing from your comments it isn't!)

Alternatively, if you didn't like Aston, I would remove this and make room for local comp.

Overall though, your son has done very well and odds are he will be at a grammar school this time next year.

Thanks nervousmom. I have just had a conversation with KE Stratford. They are allowing parents to visit (after the half terms) on the 8th of November. Unfortunately that is after the deadline. I am getting more and more inclined to knock this one off the list. We want to keep QMGS as we were very impressed with the Head Master, teachers and students who genuinely made an effort to impress my DS. The facilities were brilliant and we felt the school culture was very welcoming to say the least. TG is perhaps closest to where I live but we are in AB catchment. So you perhaps understand my dilemma

[kenyancowgirl]

Nervousmom is right about the central location (handy for the shops!) and the sportsfield is about a 5/10 minute walk across the river but they tend to trail down there with their mates so no getting lost! It is small - which can be pluses and minuses - it has masses of history - it is predominantly a rugby playing school, but they also offer rowing and fencing amongst other sports; it's big on drama and music; it is single sex but has girls in the 6th form. It is run very much like a public school so well disciplined, Latin and Mandarin are compulsory in Y7/Y8. That's just a flavour which hopefully shows you that it is different, in the same way that BV is different, and KEFW is different again. For my boys it works - for others it doesn't.

[excitedmumanddad]

Nervousmom is right about the central location (handy for the shops!) and the sportsfield is about a 5/10 minute walk across the river but they tend to trail down there with their mates so no getting lost! It is small - which can be pluses and minuses - it has masses of history - it is predominantly a rugby playing school, but they also offer rowing and fencing amongst other sports; it's big on drama and music; it is single sex but has girls in the 6th form. It is run very much like a public school so well disciplined, Latin and Mandarin are compulsory in Y7/Y8. That's just a flavour which hopefully shows you that it is different, in the same way that BV is different, and KEFW is different again. For my boys it works - for others it doesn't.

Thanks kenyancowgirl. I am thinking I will give the following preference..

1. CHB
2. KEFW
3. BV
4. QMGS
5. Local Comp

Leave the rest to destiny and fate

[quasimodo]

Well Done.

[nervousmom]

Nervousmom is right about the central location (handy for the shops!) and the sportsfield is about a 5/10 minute walk across the river but they tend to trail down there with their mates so no getting lost! It is small - which can be pluses and minuses - it has masses of history - it is predominantly a rugby playing school, but they also offer rowing and fencing amongst other sports; it's big on drama and music; it is single sex but has girls in the 6th form. It is run very much like a public school so well disciplined, Latin and Mandarin are compulsory in Y7/Y8. That's just a flavour which hopefully shows you that it is different, in the same way that BV is different, and KEFW is different again. For my boys it works - for others it doesn't.

Thanks kenyancowgirl. I am thinking I will give the following preference..

1. CHB
2. KEFW
3. BV
4. QMGS
5. Local Comp

Leave the rest to destiny and fate

Looks good! Good luck! (although AB not as good as TG, it could be worse !!!)

[excitedmumanddad]

Nervousmom is right about the central location (handy for the shops!) and the sportsfield is about a 5/10 minute walk across the river but they tend to trail down there with their mates so no getting lost! It is small - which can be pluses and minuses - it has masses of history - it is predominantly a rugby playing school, but they also offer rowing and fencing amongst other sports; it's big on drama and music; it is single sex but has girls in the 6th form. It is run very much like a public school so well disciplined, Latin and Mandarin are compulsory in Y7/Y8. That's just a flavour which hopefully shows you that it is different, in the same way that BV is different, and KEFW is different again. For my boys it works - for others it doesn't.

Thanks kenyancowgirl. I am thinking I will give the following preference..

1. CHB
2. KEFW
3. BV
4. QMGS
5. Local Comp

Leave the rest to destiny and fate

Looks good! Good luck! (although AB not as good as TG, it could be worse !!!)

Thanks nervousmom. Yes agree - we feel AB is improving. They did make a genuine effort on open evening. The results are improving as well.

[excitedmumanddad]

Firstly my thanks to experienced moms and dads who are perhaps taking time out to help worried new parents. I know there are a few in this forum. Quasimodo, kenyancowgirl & nervousmom have been immense help for me. Thank you.

I have a question with regard to the CAF. While preparing a draft yesterday on the Solihull website, BV also required us to mention our faith. None of the other schools had any such criterion. Do you know why this is the case?

The CAF is not as straightforward as I thought.... though we can make changes (after submission) via email, we are told we cannot see the changes visible online till offers are made available on 01/03. That seems like a bit of a black box to me. Especially with some of the confusions that I have noted with emails in other regions, I am a little worried about how this will pan out.

[nervousmom]

I haven't heard of any issues with BV regarding faith but no harm putting it in.

I would try and make sure your CAF is correct before sending off, as I wouldn't trust them to make the changes after!!

What is particular is the issue? (My brother in law message earlier about my niece's CAF and the special instructions box, I advised I always leave this blank unless there are some extremely special circumstances)

Glad to be of help, I have been through the process with my DS & DD and have given advice this year for my niece. I have been on the forum now for 5 years and like to keep an eye on what is happening each year. I have another DS who will be sitting the 11+ in 2020 and another DD who will be sitting in 2024, so I'm going to be here for a long time yet!)