11 Plus Exams Forum

My daughter will be starting at Colchester in Sept. She is delighted, and so are we, but I've had mixed reactions from other people about the news! Some seem very negative about the bus journey she will have to take, the resulting length of her school day and the fact that her friends probably won't live nearby. Others have mentioned that the girls are pushed too hard, and some end up with eating disorders as a result. Can anyone with a child already there tell me a bit more about the school?! I'm wondering if all the negative comments just come from people who don't agree with the grammar school system.

Hi,
My daughter is in year 7 at Colchester and I can not praise the school highly enough. She loves it.
The sorts of comments you mentioned are what we heard about Chelmsford, so I think they are probably from ill-informed people.
My daughter leaves home at 7 am and gets home about 5.15pm but the bus journey is a bit of a social and she doesn't mind it at all. She also does her rough homework on the bus.
All I can say is well done to your daughter and I am sure she will have a great time.