11 Plus Exams Forum

Hi All,

So as the Trafford exam is now only a few weeks away I’m doubting the past year of work with my daughter. If she does pass for AGSG the bus will take her an hour each way compared to her current school which is a 5 minute drive. Stretford is 30 mins and Sale 45. I keep thinking is sending her all that way better than keeping her where she is with a tutor twice a week more beneficial? She’s still my baby and I want nothing but the best for her but now I’m doubting myself and this whole situation. If she is offered a place and I reject it she may lose the place in her current school and that could be even worse. Anybody send their child that far for school?

It is a really difficult decision that lots of parents have to make - an hour each way is a really long time out of the day (I did it decades ago and hated it - when my kids when to GS I bought a house opposite the school ) . It is possible that there are others doing it from your area? do you know of any?

When you say "stay at her current school" is this and all-through indie or do you mean that she could go to a senior school locally?

Hi,

Her current school ages from 3-18 years . It’s a good school, her cousin is in the same year (who is also sitting the Trafford exam) and my parents live right across the road which is always a great help if for any reason I’m running late. I just feel that she’s not reaching her full potential. We don’t know anybody going that far, but there is a school bus that will take her there which takes an hour.

I can't comment on your particular situation, but I travelled 45 minutes on the bus each way to secondary school. Dropped off at the school gates and a 5 minute walk to the bus stop from home. It made for a really long day. It was worth it as I loved my school. That said, I wouldn't let my DD do it... the hassle it caused my parents when I missed the bus or had to be collected from school due to illness, as one or other of them ended up being 2 hrs late for work. For the same reason, I couldn't do the after school clubs, and going to friends houses/ them coming to us was so difficult for my parents and so didn't happen that often. Also the number of days the bus was late, so I was late to school or really late home, and those days wandering around in wet clothes because there's only so long a good coat and brolly can keep you dry in bad weather.
That was in the 90s though, so hopefully buses are less likely to break down, and obviously depends on your family situation...my parents working close to the school, or not working would have made things much easier. As would have a good public transport option so I could have got myself to or from school.

I don't want to depress you, but to try and give you a view of how it worked for me. If your DC loves the school and you can make it work then go for it, but the above are some of the reasons I want my DD to go to GS... we're significantly closer to the grammars than to a comprehensive!

Thank you for this. I think my minds been made up.

We will try for Stretford as our first choice which is 20 mins away, if not then we will keep her where she is with tutoring. She’s also applying for MHSG and WHSG which are both also 10 mins away.

Taz1981 wrote:Thank you for this. I think my minds been made up.

We will try for Stretford as our first choice which is 20 mins away, if not then we will keep her where she is with tutoring. She’s also applying for MHSG and WHSG which are both also 10 mins away.

Sounds like a good plan - you have other good options.

Taz1981 wrote:Thank you for this. I think my minds been made up.

We will try for Stretford as our first choice which is 20 mins away, if not then we will keep her where she is with tutoring. She’s also applying for MHSG and WHSG which are both also 10 mins away.

Tutoring for what?

Tutoring to help her with her maths and English.