Commute from Hounslow to sutton grammar schools- need advise

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southbucks3
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Joined: Tue Dec 18, 2012 11:59 am

Re: Commute from Hounslow to sutton grammar schools- need ad

Post by southbucks3 »

One_Shot wrote:
ToadMum wrote:
I agree that participating in schools fully is very desirable. However, If I reflect back the primaries I am aware of, it is evident that there are very few parents who prefer to send their kids to after school clubs. Most prefer to do extra curriculars outside the school during weekdays/weekends so that their children's interests are taken care off for them to develop a more rounded personality.

I wonder if this changes drastically in secondary schools? For e.g. are there significant number of girls that stay after school in TGS regularly to participate in variety of activities?

considering we are probably talking about under 5% of the schools population whose parents have taken a concious decision to send their kids to far away schools with probably the thought of investing in their interests over weekends, is it really such a big issue for the school and/or those children?

Our primary has oversubscribed hockey, footy, cooking, and a good turn out for rugby, netball, art, environmental and gardening clubs. All v popular and all build friendships.
The sports clubs at secondary school need commitment evenings and weekends, as does music and drama.
By not partaking in such clubs the child is missing out on comradeship that makes upper schools special. I can still remember my hockey years, and the songs I sang in choir!
One_Shot
Posts: 120
Joined: Thu Aug 15, 2013 6:36 pm

Re: Commute from Hounslow to sutton grammar schools- need ad

Post by One_Shot »

tiffinboys wrote:Have a look here

http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/forum/ ... 0&p=384232" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
I've just looked in more detail and counted 44 girls in the 2013 intake whose addresses fall outside the 2014 catchment; many are WELL outside it. That's almost a third of the intake. No wonder there is an impact on after-school activities and no wonder the catchment is being implemented.
That is indeed very interesting. How does this reconcile to your post's data (which I presume is official data the school had released?) where you had stated that "The average intake from the extended catchment (Southhall, Ealing, Tooting etc) is between 0.4 to 2.8 per annum" to support your argument of excluding these areas as these were not representative of the TGS criteria?

http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/forum/ ... 0&p=361759" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
One_Shot
Posts: 120
Joined: Thu Aug 15, 2013 6:36 pm

Re: Commute from Hounslow to sutton grammar schools- need ad

Post by One_Shot »

southbucks3 wrote:
Our primary has oversubscribed hockey, footy, cooking, and a good turn out for rugby, netball, art, environmental and gardening clubs. All v popular and all build friendships.
Sounds like a great primary that every LA needs to aspire to build. Is this is an indie or a state primary?
southbucks3
Posts: 3579
Joined: Tue Dec 18, 2012 11:59 am

Re: Commute from Hounslow to sutton grammar schools- need ad

Post by southbucks3 »

One_Shot wrote:
southbucks3 wrote:
Our primary has oversubscribed hockey, footy, cooking, and a good turn out for rugby, netball, art, environmental and gardening clubs. All v popular and all build friendships.
Sounds like a great primary that every LA needs to aspire to build. Is this is an indie or a state primary?
Village state c of e primary. There was a maths club last year too, and the lower school has seperate craft activities. Then there are clubs you can pay for too, like judo and karate, we are very lucky with all the choice They all end at 4.15, so it is purely for pleasure not child minding, and they do get cancelled due to weather or other school or teacher events. Many parents help out too, and also older brothers and sisters come and help out from the local grammar and upper schools to either gain experience for sports coaching or duke of Edinburgh. My sons gs regularly accomodate us with a teenage sixth form volunteer, who they encourage and allow to jiggle their timetable to help us out.
Peridot
Posts: 2195
Joined: Thu May 16, 2013 5:02 pm

Re: Commute from Hounslow to sutton grammar schools- need ad

Post by Peridot »

Ok... If I randomly select one of the five 2013 TGS class lists... Here are the places the 30 girls live (correct as at end of summer term; some may have moved):
London SE21
Hatfield
Kingston
Croydon
Hounslow
Harrow
Hounslow
Hounslow
Kingston
Carshalton
Kingston
Harrow
Pinner
Hounslow
Teddington
London W5
Hayes
Morden
London SE21
Hayes
Isleworth
Twickenham
Hayes
Twickenham
Maidstone
London W5
Morden
Watford
Twickenham
Teddington

It appears that significant numbers of parents are prepared to consider long journeys.
dlb
Posts: 135
Joined: Tue Jan 10, 2012 11:49 pm

Re: Commute from Hounslow to sutton grammar schools- need ad

Post by dlb »

Maidstone!!! Bet that's a nightmare journey! Is the school really worth the travelling for 7 years??!!
Life begins at the end of your comfort zone!
Amber
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Joined: Thu Sep 24, 2009 11:59 am

Re: Commute from Hounslow to sutton grammar schools- need ad

Post by Amber »

Said it before and will no doubt say it again: cannot for the life of me understand why anyone would either move house or consign a child to 7 years of lengthy commuting if they have a half decent, let alone an outstanding, school on their doorstep.

Grammar schools are astonishingly like other schools inside, the children are not all sitting around debating world issues in Latin during their lunchbreaks between canapés and wholesome dinners which they all heartily appreciate; nor are they doing 'harder' work than anyone else, constantly stimulated by the intelligent contributions of their upstanding classmates. It's the same old curriculum, same mix of bad and good kids and bad and good teachers.

I think there is an entirely unjustified mystique surrounding grammars in some people's minds and a visit to a year 8 class in a comp, and to their break and mealtimes, would not be substantially different from a grammar. I genuinely don't understand what people think they are getting for all this hassle, over and above what the 'outstanding ' school on the doorstep can offer. A child who is desperate to go to a grammar school miles away from home has not, in my view, come to that decision spontaneously and independently at the age of 10, sorry.
Peridot
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Joined: Thu May 16, 2013 5:02 pm

Re: Commute from Hounslow to sutton grammar schools- need ad

Post by Peridot »

Wholeheartedly agree, Amber.
southbucks3
Posts: 3579
Joined: Tue Dec 18, 2012 11:59 am

Re: Commute from Hounslow to sutton grammar schools- need ad

Post by southbucks3 »

[quote="Amber"

Grammar schools are astonishingly like other schools inside, the children are not all sitting around debating world issues in Latin during their lunchbreaks.[/quote]

They do quickly learn mucky latin poems though, which they recite in between mouthful of tangtastics!

I really want to pry into some of the lives of the house movers, but am far too polite. But: do they swap the child's primary school for 6 months of year 6, how do they move so quickly, given that even rented houses need contracts to finish and new ones to start, what happens about other kids in the family, and jobs, social networks of the adults, etc etc. When they move again after a year of being at the school, do other kiddies shift primary again? Lots of questions I am always too polite to discuss either at school, or on here.
ToadMum
Posts: 11947
Joined: Wed Jan 18, 2012 12:41 pm
Location: Essex

Re: Commute from Hounslow to sutton grammar schools- need ad

Post by ToadMum »

dlb wrote:Maidstone!!! Bet that's a nightmare journey! Is the school really worth the travelling for 7 years??!!
Only 1hr 52mins Maidstone East to Kingston with two changes; no idea what all the fuss is about :roll:
Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.Groucho Marx
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