Q for people with kids already at the grammar schools

[Daogroupie]

Thank you for the update.

So lovely it all worked out.

is he planning to apply for a choral scholarship at University?

DG

[Lysander]

He’d like to sing at an Oxbridge college but he’s only Y10 at the moment - I’ll have to come back with an update in 3 years

[Polgara_Glos]

This really confused me as Millbrook doesn’t exist anymore!!

So glad it’s all working out so well.

How did he take to boarding?

[mad?]

This really confused me as Millbrook doesn’t exist anymore!!

The post referring to Millbrook is from 2014

[Lysander]

Polgara the boarding was harder for me than him. It was weekly boarding the first year and then by the time he was full boarding he was also a full choir member so part of a very close-knit team of boarders. I missed him terribly but saw him as much as possible and was very glad that he could board, as he had so many musical commitments it was a very good thing he didn’t have a school commute too.

This won’t be a path everyone would want to take, and I know families with day pupils in both the local choir schools, but it worked well for us and ds has had the best musical education he could wish for, and is at an excellent school now.

[Octsmum]

So lovely to hear an update. Glad it has all worked out.

[mad?]

So lovely to hear an update. Glad it has all worked out.

Yes, it's lovely when people come back to update - especially when it is good news

[Lysander]

I said in 2021 I’d have to come back with an update in 3 years…

Ds heard today from Oxford about his application and he’s got an offer. I’d worried that opting for the independent school would count against him, and did wonder whether we should have switched to grammar at Y9. But we didn’t, and he has had an amazing education, and is on track to get to where he wants to be.

So for any parents with this dilemma, I can recommend following your heart, and choosing the less ‘safe’ option, as it has worked brilliantly for us. My other dc are at Gloucestershire grammars and having a great time, but we chose the right educational route for each child, even though we’d never originally planned to do anything different to the local schools.

[PettswoodFiona]

Congrats to your son on his Oxford offer, my daughter is in Y1 at Cambridge and did the opposite to you, left private primary, went to grammar, turned down Westminster sixth form offer and living the best life now at Cambridge. Definitely the right route for her. Hope all goes well for your son with the exams I the summer.

[mad?]

Lovely to hear from you Lysander and thanks for the update - so glad it has all worked out - good luck to DS and let us know what happens next