11 Plus Exams Forum

Have got my sons grammar school results today and he has qualified for Marlings, STR and Crypt .
If it wasn't the anxiety of the results until today, now we have the difficult decision to decide what next. The life of a parent eh !

Are there any parents here whose child travels from Bristol to Stroud or Gloucester
Would be interested to know of any car-shares or similar initiatives.

Thanks.

Hi,
My daughter also got option from Stroud High school. I am also looking for travel options like car share etc. I will be glad to hear if any one is interested.

"....now we have the difficult decision to decide what next...."


Not difficult at all. Boast to all your friends about how well your child did, qualifying for all the schools in another county and then apply to your nearest school in Bristol, where your child will do well, as they are obviously bright, and do not subject them to a ridiculous journey (even without traffic) each morning and evening, so they can actually enjoy, and get involved with, daily school life.

nav_dah, congratulations to your son for qualifying for three grammar schools. If you are unsure of your next step I suggest firstly, visiting the schools and then actually making each journey at the appropriate times.
As a side comment I definitely didn't read your post as boastful. I believe it to be from a proud parent and child who should enjoy their moment.
From experience of forums some people do have a hidden agenda!

Thank you for the encouraging post mar_sea.

These journeys are not feasible using public transport as the commute will take its toll on the child. I was hoping to find a direct coach/van option - or otherwise relocate closer to the school.

There wasn't any intention of boasting as I appreciate all children are different. glad you understood the sentiment. My child has his strengths and since he is academically inclined, I feel it is my responsibility to give him the best opportunity.

Don't worry mar_sea - absolutely no hidden agenda here. I am very much in the open that that is a hideous journey to be contemplating doing day in day out for the next 7 years. My advice - openly - to nav dah is take pleasure in boasting to your friends that he qualified for all those schools however as a sensible parent make the decision not to put your child through that.

Other experienced forumites...also with no hidden agenda....would say exactly the same thing. You may not want to hear it, however, and that is a separate issue.

nav_dah wrote:Thank you for the encouraging post mar_sea.

These journeys are not feasible using public transport as the commute will take its toll on the child. I was hoping to find a direct coach/van option - or otherwise relocate closer to the school.

There wasn't any intention of boasting as I appreciate all children are different. glad you understood the sentiment. My child has his strengths and since he is academically inclined, I feel it is my responsibility to give him the best opportunity.

If you have your DS's best interests at heart, but still believe that his academic needs are best met by one of the distant grammar schools for which he has qualified, then the best thing to do would be to relocate to somewhere rather more convenient for whichever one you choose. At least if he has done well enough to guarantee a place at whichever school you rank first on your CAF, you can time your move for the summer holidays before he moves up to year 7, so if can at least finish primary school with his current schoolfriends.

Presumably, your choice of location will also be influenced by where you / your OH work? Personally, I wouldn't make a school place the reason to both move house and change jobs, unless I wanted to move and change in the first place.

Somewhere with good transport links to the school would make life easier for your DS and for yourselves, as familiarity with and easy access to public transport encourages independence.

Another consideration is school places for other DC, if you have them.

Seriously, though, are there really no secondary schools closer to where you presumably enjoy living and have social ties etc at the moment?

kenyancowgirl - the idea of this post was to find other parents in the same position. I request you to leave it at that.
Thank you.

As I said, you may not want to hear the advice you receive on a public forum...but that is a separate issue. Maybe you aren't hearing from other parents because they realise it is a slightly daft idea?

At the very least "hear" the advice Toadmum has given you....move if you are serious about your child attending a Gloucester school.

nav_dah wrote:Are there any parents here whose child travels from Bristol to Stroud or Gloucester
Would be interested to know of any car-shares or similar initiatives.

With respect,are you mad?

If yes,welcome, you're in good company
If no,I would get a second opinion.

Anyway well done to your child