WCGS Vs SGS Vs Wilsons

[familyguy]

Hi,

My DS passed all three but we are undecided as to our first choice. we visited all three and were impressed with all of them.
The exam results are pretty comparable so what are the main criteria for choosing one over the other?

[streathammum]

I'm having a similar dilemma, but also including Graveney in Wandsworth, which is walkable from where we live.

What would be useful to know from any parents who've been through this whether there were any factors that they wished they'd checked more carefully before making their choice, or anything that they based their choices heavily on but which turned out not to be so important after all.

[Mira11]

Same here.......I really would like to know if there were a child that passed all exams and end up having no place at any of the schools. Hope someone who have been through this before give us some info

[Slugterra mum]

Hi

Remember, this is all just a numbers game.

In Sutton, there are 435 boys selective places. The number the schools pass is based on their experience of filling their PAN on allocation day. 2015, WCGS needed to go back to the list after 1st March; the same happened for SGS for 2016. Wilsons traditionally offer more than they have places as they know they will lose a significant number to the independent sector (whitgift, trinity etc.).

If, for example, a school decides to make 800 eligible for one of their places, consider this likely example:

100 eventually go to Tiffins
50 go to St Olaves
25 go to QE
25 go to Graveney
200 go to independent

800-400 = 400 boys left for the 435 places.

The schools just have to make their best guess based on previous years, and pass the number they believe they need to fill their PAN and have a workable waiting list.

Hope this helps calm the nerves - but the most important thing is that you put the school you really want as your first choice - there are no tactics involved in this, simply put the schools in your order of preference.

To understand how the allocation works, there's a really good sticky at the top of the surrey page called: The allocation and equal preference system.

Well done to your DS's, and try to relax, there's nothing more you can do now, what will be will be.
Enjoy half term.

[Moormum]

What about your son? Which school does he prefer?
Think about transport. How hard will be every day way to school for your son?
My son is in Wilson's now. He is absolutely happy to be there. Wilson's was only one school he really wanted. Only one problem we have - he loose one hour after school for way home. It might be time for relax or homework. And he must wake up early morning.
Think about this.
All schools are great. Differences between them aren't very serious. Think about your son's everyday comfort more then about school's results.

[Goodheart]

2015, WCGS needed to go back to the list after 1st March; the same happened for SGS for 2016.

Does that mean the schools had to approach the parents of children who'd been told that they hadn't passed the Second Stage and so didn't list the school on the CAF? Or were they only able to approach the parents of children who listed the school on the CAF anyway (despite being told not to as the child hadn't passed the Second Stage)? Or does "the list" refer to some other group of parents?

[Slugterra mum]

After march 1st I believe, others may know differently, if they have not filled their pan and need to drop the pass mark, you would not be ignored if you had not put them on the caf in October because at that time you had not passed.

[Lotuspb]

I absolutely agree with Moormum. We are in similar situation and hence doing some research. All I've learnt that all of these grammar schools are good. It's really daily preference one has to look and that is commute to n from school. What I've also learnt that in Y7, most of the parents (like n including me) look for the school as per league tables and trade off on daily commute. This well or may not work after sometime and end up changing in later years.

Most school dont publish the info as what % of pupils starts in Y7 and completes till A level. I'm sure that will not be as good as their league tables.

Therefore in my opening, best is to look at commute from school while deciding true option.

[sleeplessmum]

Hi

My son sat the grammar schools last year and past all 3 including Tiffins. It was a hard decision as to which one to rank first but what helped us was the following:

- which school he liked the most.
- the distance from the school( very important, if he wants to attend clubs after school). I only wanted one mode of transport.
- when attending the opening evening, which one we felt would nurture him and bring the best out in him.

It's a hard decision but am sure you will choose the right one for him- well done to him.

[ToadMum]

I absolutely agree with Moormum. We are in similar situation and hence doing some research. All I've learnt that all of these grammar schools are good. It's really daily preference one has to look and that is commute to n from school. What I've also learnt that in Y7, most of the parents (like n including me) look for the school as per league tables and trade off on daily commute. This well or may not work after sometime and end up changing in later years.

Most school dont publish the info as what % of pupils starts in Y7 and completes till A level. I'm sure that will not be as good as their league tables.

Therefore in my opening, best is to look at commute from school while deciding true option.

It really isn't anything to blame the school for, if pupils are moved away due to an unsustainable commute. How many of these schools have upped sticks and relocated during the past five, ten, or even fifty years, let alone in the gap between CAF submission and the beginning of the next autumn term? People know where the schools are and they know where they live. It's not the school's decision as to whether the journey from the latter to the former and back, five days a week, thirty-nine weeks a year, is a sensible one - that is the parents' responsibility.