QEB vs. local grammar school

[ToadMum]

Still, I'm fascinated to what lengths parents actually go to send their DS to QEB, whether it be a 1+ hour journey (even in London) or uprooting their family to live there.

Hi 11plusninja. I can see you have had lots of helpful answers to your questions. Perhaps if I can ask one. Why does what other parents do fascinate you?

Perhaps, at heart, the OP is my own long-lost Elephant's Child twin?

[11plusninja]

Still, I'm fascinated to what lengths parents actually go to send their DS to QEB, whether it be a 1+ hour journey (even in London) or uprooting their family to live there.

Hi 11plusninja. I can see you have had lots of helpful answers to your questions. Perhaps if I can ask one. Why does what other parents do fascinate you?

Well to me, what other parents do in this situation (DS has QE offer but lives too far) serves as a benchmark to whether my line of thought for option 2 is just simply crazy or perhaps, infact, not that all uncommon

[Daogroupie]

It certainly is not common for parents to apply for schools which they cannot possibly attend from their house, unless they are intending to move.

Your school should be in your community, because your ds needs to have local friends which, as others have said, will become more and more important as he grows older.

Some parents do not think it through and they then pop up year after year expecting there to be some private coach to get their dc miles and miles from home to school and back.

To follow their misguided example would be unwise. DG

[Nella]

At least the OP is investigating the feasibility in advance rather than after her son has been offered a place and then is asking for transport advice!

[hermanmunster]

At least the OP is investigating the feasibility in advance rather than after her son has been offered a place and then is asking for transport advice!

Very true

[streathammum]

Still, I'm fascinated to what lengths parents actually go to send their DS to QEB, whether it be a 1+ hour journey (even in London) or uprooting their family to live there.

Hi 11plusninja. I can see you have had lots of helpful answers to your questions. Perhaps if I can ask one. Why does what other parents do fascinate you?

Well to me, what other parents do in this situation (DS has QE offer but lives too far) serves as a benchmark to whether my line of thought for option 2 is just simply crazy or perhaps, infact, not that all uncommon

What is it about QE that appeals so much to you, that you would consider such upheaval in order for your son to go there? What does it do better than the schools local to you? I am not talking about league tables here (the school does well in league tables because its intake is academically very strong), I am thinking about out-of-school activities, the grounds, the sports/drama/music provision, whatever it is that really matters to your son that QE does and other schools don't. Also, I'm not trying to be provocative when I ask - have you had the chance to visit the school and see what it's like in real life? Or is your view of it mainly down to the website and comments on boards like this?

If you're worried about local schools not being equipped for Oxbridge entry, remember that there is a chance to move at sixth form - you don't have to plan your son's secondary education around his possible university destination.

[11plusninja]

Just thought I would report back on my post from 6 months ago ...

In the end, my DS got 223 for QE, so way off for the required score. We went for the open day back in July and were impressed with the school and it's facilities (swimming pool and new music hall) but it was not meant to be for him.

Today, we got his score for local authority, Warwickshire, and that was 271 (also GL), so he was well happy with that score. So it will the local grammar for his 1st choice. In a way, I'm sort of glad that the decision was made for me - I think that even if he got a good enough score for QE, it would be unrealistic for us to have a second home (just for Mon-Fri) which would be commutable for QE. And I won't have to face the dreaded after thought if I turned down QE ... what would have happened if he gone there instead of the local grammar?? It would have been also a huge lifestyle change and I would have to weigh up whether it would have really made any significant difference where he would be at the end of Yr 13. In terms of league table, QE is No 1. and my local grammar is No. 80+ but I will live with that I suppose.

By the way, we found out too there was another pupil in his year that got 258 for QE, but they decided it will the same local grammar as my son will put down as his 1st choice on CAF - his parents entered him for QE purely to gauge how well he would do against the best. So just goes to show that not all that gets a good enough score for QE actually put QE as their 1st choice!

[Ann.kumar]

my DS got 223 for QE, so way off for the required score

This is definitely not way off, probably only 2-3 raw questions (depends on birth month) away from cut off mark. Your DS also did well against the cohort.