11 Plus Exams Forum

Hello everyone... Hoping you can help.

DD has ranked around 170 for all of the above and the school emails have said if we put any of the schools as first preference we're likely to get it.

We had always planned to move which is why DD was entered.

So, two questions...

What can you tell me about the schools; how are they different... Strengths / weaknesses etc.

Nicest places to live... Semi rural but still easy journey to school.

Many thanks for any help you can give us as we know virtually nothing other than what you can find on the internet... Your thoughts and opinions I'm sure would be much more informative.

Thanks Karen

Are you saying you haven't actually visited either the area or any of the schools? Is this a serious post?

Get a bus map. Follow the routes which serve the schools outwards until you reach an area where the 'streety bit' / 'green bit' balance meets you 'semi-rural' criterion?

Painswick is very 'desirable' and actually attractive to go with it, which doesn't necessarily follow. (I was a bit shocked to discover that my mum's old house has moved from the lane it used to be in to the main road of the 'new' - 1970s estate the other side of it, but Hey Ho, that's progress, I suppose). Closest to Stroud but also on bus routes into Cheltenham and Gloucester as well.

Goodness. Another one surprised you've not visited the area either. Where are you moving from?

All 3 schools are potentially in a massive catchment area, so my advice would be to visit each school and to decide which is the best one for your child. That will narrow the choices.

Re suggesting an area - one man's meat is another man's poison. I really agree with the bus routes as they go through some lovely villages (we are in SHS catchment area) but think about what facilities you want/need. Semi rural after a town (we moved from SE nearly 10 years ago) is a big school to the system and leaving all your friends behind.

Good luck!

Mrs D