Going All IN for grammar school application for DD - London

[kenyancowgirl]

Could I just add - this is a forum so people will judge what you post, and if it makes you think, then that is ok.

I would ask that if you realise that some of the schools on your very long list, will not be ones that your child actually sits, please have the decency to tell them in advance. It costs state schools a lot of money to run these tests, at a time when budgets are being cut, affecting the quality of provision offered to every child - including yours.

[ToadMum]

You have listed 'CSSE' and 'CCHS - Colchester'. The CSSE exam gives access (potentially, depending on score) to the girls' grammar school in Colchester (Colchester County High School, commonly abbreviated as CCHSG) and in the Borough of Southend on Sea (Southend High School for Girls and Westcliff High School for Girls). The school normally abbreviated to CCHS is Chelmsford County High School, which has not been a member of the CSSE for several years now. The CEM entrance exam for this school is the same as that for the Slough Consortium and Kendrick, so if you register your DD for more than one of these, she only sits the exam once.

You've forgotten the Gloucestershire grammar schools, though? Still largely or wholly sine catchment, I think, the same CEM exam gives access to all five schools which admit girls. Pates in Cheltenham is probably the most popular target school from out of area, but Stroud High is the shortest walk from a station.

[decentguy_uk]

ToadMum - Many thanks for reply. Very useful.

[drinkmoretea]

Can I just echo the earlier comment that if you decide that you are not going to actually go for any exams (e.g. Kent) then please do remove your application as soon as you can. It is going to be a real costly headache for the schools to run these exams this year with social distancing, so if everyone who is not going lets them know in advance they can run fewer sessions, print fewer papers etc.

Also this is a very long list and the poor child will be exhausted towards the end and may run out of stamina - so you may well wish to target your efforts to fewer exams.

[Deb70]

Grammar schools are just schools at the end of the day. Having a reasonable journey to school, not being exhausted, being able to take part in extra curricular activities and living close to friends, are important for your child's well being and success.

[yoyo123]

Grammar schools are just schools at the end of the day. Having a reasonable journey to school, not being exhausted, being able to take part in extra curricular activities and living close to friends, are important for your child's well being and success.

Exactly!

[Earningaplace]

Hi. All the independents take registration usually up until
October / November. It’s worth noting that the schools
Have different types of exams papers and it’s best she’s prepared properly in order to succeed.

[decentguy_uk]

If applied for Slough consortium, have we entered automatically to CCHS (Chelmsford Girls School)

[ToadMum]

If applied for Slough consortium, have we entered automatically to CCHS (Colchester Girls School)

No.

For two reasons:

- even if the schools use the same exam, you have to register for each school separately, in order for your DD to receive a standardised score for each one.

- Colchester County High School (CCHSG) is a Consortium of Selective Schools in Essex (CSSE) member school. The CSSE uses it's own exam and you have to have registered your DD with the CSSE for her to sit it. CCHS, the school which uses the CEM exam, is Chelmsford County High School. Which is not in Colchester.

I don't think there is a 'Colchester Girls School'. There is a Colchester High School, but that is an indie and you w
would have to apply for that one separately to the state CAF system.

[decentguy_uk]

Thanks all for response. My original reply had a typo about CCHS.

I have registered with CCHS and Slough and requested Slough consortium to share DD results with CCHS. This way we dont have to sit 2 exams as CEM results are shared