11 Plus Exams Forum

Now that my daughter has reached the pass mark for both these schools, we are thinking about which order to put them in on the preference form.

We visited both schools and liked them both, if for slightly different reasons, and despite them having a different 'feel'. We also know that the results of both schools are similar at GCSE level.

However, would really welcome any personal views of the good and not so good points from anyone who has a child at the schools... to help us form a better picture ahead of making a decision.

Any comments/feedback/views welcome and thanks ahead of you taking the time to reply.

Hi,

I dont have any info on these schools but I would look at A'level results rather than GCSE if looking at an exam result comparison, and also how many leave after GCSE. It may come down to tiny things such as distance, does it have an after school facility etc.

remember 'past performance' is no gaurante of future success - go for the one she prefers

Hi MarkyBoy1972 and congratulations on your DD passes.

If you are uncertain, perhaps you could arrange another visit to both during the day with your DD to see whether this would help in your decision.

It is quite nice for children to move up to senior school with primary friends - have any others passed and what will they be doing?

I know of girls who attend Ribston and who love it..but I suspect the same can be said for the girls at Denmark Road.

If both schools had equal preference with me, I think I would base my decision on ease of travelling to and from it...but that's just me!

Good luck with your decision - I think you can rest assured that you will definitely get offered one of the grammars whichever order you put them in.

B

Thank you for your kind replies ... very helpful and useful.

I'll take into account the advice and it's quite nice to be filling in the preference form with two good schools to chose from.

Take care and keep smiling ...

a friend who has one at each has been far happier with DRd. Another friend swears by Ribstone, where she has 2 daughters. But everyone also says that mysterious thing about which one would "suit your child the best." The trouble is it really is quite hard to get a "feel" when one is outside looking in. It's only when you're committed and part of it that you really get to know a school properly. And of course it's so very different from primary anyway. Or at least it is for us, where the primary is a five minute walk down the road and, in our case, Tommies is a bus setting off at half seven in the morning. Gulp.

...just been looking at bus times... going to be a 7.45 bus pick up whichever grammar she gets! Zzzzz, she will have to get her own breakfast!