11 Plus Exams Forum

Hi - DD is in Billericay - would really very much appreciate constructive advice with regard to choice of Grammar School - friends have suggested that Colchester is more 'prestigious' as it is 'harder to get into' but Chelmsford is clearly better journey wise for a child from Billericay.

Does anyone have a child that attends Colchester Grammar for girls (from Billericay area) and if so, what is the journey like?? does it warrant choosing Colchester over and above Chelmsford County High??

Any helpful feedback really appreciated - I don't want to discount any school due to lack of 'asking' or finding out opinions of others/helpful advice etc.

I only have feedback from friends and relatives as I had boys, but I think the difference in prestige, if there is any of real note, would be more than compensated by the easier, and less time consuming, journey. Both are excellent schools.

My understanding is that the Chelmsford Grammars usually require a slightly better performance in the eleven plus and so are marginally more difficult to get into. I think this says more about geography than the schools themselves. Chelmsford is in central Essex and can attract students from London as well as within the whole of the county. They are all fantastic schools and I think differences in prestige are minimal and subjective. Best thing to do is visit the schools and see which one feels like it would suit your child more.

My DD starts Colchester this morning so unable to comment on the school yet!

I am not aware of any difference in prestige between the two but agree with First-timer that Chelmsford is the harder to get into. Many Chelmsford children go to the Colchester grammars as their 2nd choice because of this but living in Colchester we did not bother to apply to Chelmsford as we knew from past scores that if she didn't qualify for Colchester she wouldn't for Chelmsford. The Chelmsford schools can have 200 more applicants each year than the Colchester ones for a similar number of places.

Completely agree with the above posts. We only have connections with CRGS but I am sure that all of the grammars are excellent schools.

I think travelling time does sometimes play a part in deciding which of the schools to place first. I don't think there's an awful lot to choose between any of them academically but the length of day may just sway a parent. I personally would not send my child to a grammar school further away when one just as good was closer to home. Good luck with whatever you decide.

Thanks very much - all the advice given definitely confirms what I was thinking.

We live in Great Notley so both schools were within distance but I wouldnt have wanted to put my DD through much more travelling than she already does, hence only putting the two grammar schools on the application form. Sometimers they get an hours homework so I wouldnt want her getting back any later. She is going back to Colchester tomorrow to start Year 8 and she leaves home at 7.20am to catch the bus and returns home at 4.45pm on a good day (traffic and bus break downs which sometimes are far to often!) Despite the tiring day she loves her school and I am in no doubt that she is in an excellent school where she has the chance to excel, which she certainly did in her first year. Chelmsford is an outstanding school also but harder to get into as it covers a wider area, the girls travel from further afield but again they love it. Make sure you go to the open evenings and speak to the students. Dont forget the other Grammar schools that may also be within reach from Billericay, Westcliff or Southend are about 40 minutes away.

can i raise a similar question about the boys schools : keggs vs crgs
which one is the better school for academic & all round development of the child ?
distance wont be an issue as we will have to move closer to whichever school my DS gets into.its also interesting to note that the entrants to oxbridge seem a lot higher from crgs than keggs, especially this year when there were 40 entrants to oxbridge from crgs.
can anyone comment on this please ?

I have a son in year 9 at CRGS and am very happy with his progress both academically and socially. However we did not consider KEGS due to distance so I can't compare it.
CRGS do have a few overseas boarders in their sixth form - I don't know whether this has any effect on their oxbridge numbers?

The same applies to the boys schools as I stated earlier for the girls - so KEGS is harder to get into than CRGS. Thus if Colchester becomes your first choice then there is no point putting KEGS as your second choice, whereas many people have KEGS as first choice and use CRGS as "back up".

The open days are coming up soon, if location doesn't matter then I think it comes down to which you like the feel of best.

Minesatea wrote: CRGS do have a few overseas boarders in their sixth form - I don't know whether this has any effect on their oxbridge numbers?

It is really hard to get into CRGS 6th form as an 'outsider' whether as a border or day student. They look to take in those students who will get excellent A level results and develop into good uni applicants to compliment the existing students who also, incidentally, have to meet academic criteria to stay on onto the 6th form.

It is an excellent school, not that I am biased in any way of course