11 Plus Exams Forum

DD has been offered places at both Forest and Chigwell. Does anyone have any experience of these schools?
I love one, DD the other.....
Thank you

I know people with children who are very happy at both schools. People can say all sorts of things, but it is your child, so I suggest you go back and have a look at both before deciding - they both have pros and cons. Take a list of questions that you want answered!

I think the best way to answer this is to:

1) List down your and your DD’s criteria for choosing a school.
2) You both go through the list independently and give each criteria a score (0-5 for example – 5 being most important, 0 being least).
3) Once completed – compare and discuss.

Parents in here will have their own confirmation basis as to which school is better than the other, and the circumstance they are in may be different to yours.

Hope that helps.

Thank you both.
Great suggestions. I started the pros and cons list with DD today and we're going to write a list of questions for when she visits both schools this week.

Dd is at chigwell. It's a super school. Can't recommend it enough.

Congratulations your Dd has done extremely well to be offered places at both schools, you are in a great position to have a choice.
When we were faced with a similar decision between three schools liked them all not much difference academically and similar facilities a lot came down to location. Forest probably has better transport links ie Tube and coach service. Please be mindful of that when you make your decision.
Our Dd is progressing so well and happy we couldn’t be more pleased with Forest.
I hope revisiting the schools has helped, and good luck with your decision.

I have three children in Chigwell and I can’t say enough good things about the school. The youngest we were tempted with Forest but she chose Chigwell and she was right. Both schools are excellent. My daughter did the taster day at forest and that seemed to help her make up her mind. Pastoral care is very very strong in Chigwell. My Ds was struggling a bit and they really stepped in and he is doing really well now but I’m sure it’s the same at Forest. Well done and good luck!

Have you managed to make a decision?
It’s always nice to know the outcome
With hard work I’m sure your daughter will excel at either school.

Not yet! I've really appreciated all your replies and have been rereading then regularly!
I loved Chigwell from the start - I really felt that they'd look after my daughter and she felt the same. Unfortunately, bar the exam, she hadn't seen it since the interview in October. Cue her declaring that Forest was her first choice (post January interview). We spent a lot of time going through all the things that were important to her and, following a taster day at forest, I begun to feel that forest was the right choice after all.
On Friday we went in a tour with Mr Punt....and she remembered ask the things she loved about Chigwell and declared she needed to go there. Sigh.
My problem is I'm not convinced she's not just changing her mind every time she visits one of them. Although each time she can explain very convincingly why x/y is her favourite ...
So. We're going to Forest tomorrow. If she still declares Chigwell is the one we'll send her there. If she changes her mind then I'll take the decision out of her hands....
The reasoned responses here have made me realise that they're both excellent schools and she'll do well in either.
Thank you!