Hi All,

My son is in year 4 now and We live in Letchworth. Though we are in Hertfordshire, we are far off from most of the Grammar schools.We are willing to relocate closer to school, if my son gets through in the Grammar/ Partially selective/ selective schools.

I would like to know the names of the Grammar Schools, Partially Selective schools and Independent schools entrance exams that my son can write. In other words,

1. the name of those schools which do not have a catchment area.
2. Also the name of the schools which will allocate places to students outside their catchment area.

Appreciate your help.
Thanks,

This thread may help you.

It will be worth checking again when your DC is in year 5, as schools can and do change their admissions policies. They consult on any changes around December/January time.

Also bear in mind that different schools have different tests, so you might want to ensure your DC can either cover numerous formats or limit the ones taken.

Schools not located closely together geographically may end up with clashing dates. Most schools will only allow the test to be taken on a reserve date for medical reasons. Clashing with another school test date isn’t usually accepted (some might). So you may have to make a decision on which one to go for.

You’ll also need a good local school to fall back on, so don’t neglect looking at them as well.

1.
QE, Barnet (the boys' grammar school, not the girls' comprehensive)
Colchester Royal Grammar School
Pates, Cheltenham (mixed)
Crypt, Gloucester (mixed)
Sir Thomas Rich, Gloucester
Marling, Stroud
Colyton, Colyton (mixed), unless they've changed their admissions policy recently.
London Borough of Bexley grammar schools, if your DS passes within the top 180
St.Olaves, Orpington
Wilson's, Wallington

The latter does state that it doesn't approve of boys travelling over an hour to school, but that isn't actually one of its admissions criteria.

2.
All schools have to admit (qualified, in the case of grammars) any applicant, if undersubscribed in that year group.

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Independent schools don’t generally have catchment areas. The list could be never-ending. Some are more selective than others. Start with the Good Schools Guide (sub required but you can just buy a month of online access or use a copy in your local public library).

Whilst DD is happy in her grammar I wouldn’t have upheaved my job and our home, distanced myself from friends and family for a school. The grammar just happens to be our closest state secondary school and we have no local catchment school. Before you think of a move have you investigated your local options? They may well be great options and a move isn’t necessary. Just because it is a grammar or an independent doesn’t mean someone’s waved a wand over it to make it more ideal than other options that might be available to you.

Just to add to the list already posted of out of catchment grammar places - add
Dartford Boys Grammar - some places for boys who are not in the defined Kent parishes but the score required is usually very high - some people move IC by the cut off date of change of address in early Dec if they did well but not stellar.

thank you. I will have a look !

Thanks a lot for that valuable advise. Though I mentioned relocation, it does bring a lump to my throat. Will be giving first priority to those schools, which doesn't need us to relocate. Thanks again.

Thank you for helping me with the list of schools. Will have to look at each one of them in detail.
Cheers,

Both Sutton Grammar School and Wallington Boys have open places and it's the same exam as for Wilsons so it makes sense to consider all three of them. They are very different schools though - all excellent but with a very different feel. My DS goes to Sutton Grammar and is thriving but I don't think he'd have enjoyed Wilsons at all. Grammar schools aren't the be all and end all.

(Nothing against Wilsons, I know several boys who've had good experiences there, but it's not right for my DS.)

On the independent school front, you have Bedford and Haileybury within commuting distance.

At an extreme (1 hour +) commute, but still in Herts, you have Berkhamsted, St Albans and Habs.

As you're considering relocating for grammar schools, I assume St Christopher (on your doorstep in Letchworth, but not the most academic of schools) is not the sort of place you're looking for.