Hi,

My son is in yr5, he is very bright (advanced Maths and English) and for the past 6 months he has said he wants to sit his 11+, and that I would be ruining his life if I didn't allow him the opportunity! Lol

So, if I was to allow him to sit the test, what would be his options for schools? What is the travel really like? How much does the train/coach cost? Is it possible? Can I afford it?

He doesn't seemed fazed when I tell him that it will be a long journey/longer days/not much of a social life (what I'm lead to believe).
We don't live near the secondary school most of his friends will be applying for, so he's fully aware that what ever secondary school he goes to he won't initially know anyone but hes not bothered

Any advice greatly appreciated
Thanks

Hi .

An initial query - where has your DS got this idea about the 11+ from?

Aside from the answer to 'You would be ruining my life if you don't let me' being, 'No, I wouldn't. And stop being so melodramatic ', where you might be looking at would probably be Westcliff High School for Boys - tube to Upminster, train to Chalkwell then about a 20-25 minute walk. Or Southend High School for Boys - same tube and train but carry on to Westcliff station and walk (a bit longer than Chalkwell-WHSB, but not too much further if he likes walking) or to Southend Central and get a bus.

For KEGS in Chelmsford, if you can get to a station on the Greater Anglia line into Chelmsford, the school is about a ten minute walk.

All these schools have some places open to non catchment applicants. Ilford County High School is obviously geographically closer, but if you are not in the Common Catchment Area (if you are in Hornchurch, you are not), you might as well be on the moon.

Colchester Royal Grammar School is totally non-catchment, but a long walk from the station and Colchester is even hillier thann Westcliff.

See the sticky at the top of 'Essex' for details of discount rail travel.

Detail of the CSSE (Consortium of Selective Schools in Essex): http://csse.org.uk/

_________________
Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.Groucho Marx

Hi,

I'm not actually sure where the idea for 11+ has come from, definitely not from our school as I've heard it's not something our Headteacher agrees with. Though last week the advance Maths teacher asked who would be sitting the exam and he raised his hand Lol

We have a few melodramatic moments, the joys of a 10yr old!

Thank you for the information you have provided, I dont suppose you know how much the travel costs are?

Thanks

Is he at a state school now? If so then I'm confused as why they are doing 'advanced' maths - there is no need with the new Primary NC as 'mastery' covers that. It is not good practice to accelerate ... I can post link to research if you wish.
I would encourage hi, to look at the NRICH website www.nrich.maths and look at the challenge and also explore the Primary Maths Challenge http://www.primarymathschallenge.org.uk/

Sorry it's called 'Able Maths' just a small group of children once a week, stretch them a little more. Not advanced as the school stick to curriculum.
My son enjoys it as Maths is his fave subject.

No-one needs stretching in the new NC - I'd question the school on this. What exactly are they covering and if the tutor has mentioned the 11+ then that's not great either.

What local options do you have for secondary?

Only the summer term prices are up on the greenrailtravel site at the moment:

Stratford - Chelmsford summer term (1st April - 31st July), £470.20

Upminster - Chalkwell, £294

Upminster - Westcliff or Southend Central, £318

You need to add on 'plusbus' for Southend Central to SHSB and the cost of travel to Upminster / Stratford.

The scholars tickets are valid for travel at any time on the dates valid, so great for meeting up with friends from school, short hops between stations on your route, etc. Annual tickets cover the whole year, usually fro the last ten days of August to the end of July, and will be about three times the term price as the dates run up to each other.

https://public.greenrailtravel.co.uk/scholars.html

_________________
Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.Groucho Marx

Those would be Albany, Abbs Cross, Sanders

I've hears of Abbs Cross; it's a good school. Isn't Campion local to you as well?

It is but we don't have a faith