staceymack7 wrote:
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/