QEB vs. local grammar school

[11plusninja]

Only DS is in Y4. I live in Warwickshire and my job is based in central London (commute daily in pre-COVID times).

I have been following this forum for a good while now (dare I say years), especially the threads relating to QEB.
My local grammar school is average; nothing like the super-selective grammars of Tiffins, QEBs, etc ...

Next year, I will be completing the CAF and have been wondering about various options for stating preferences ...

Option 1:

1st pref is local grammar
2nd pref is local comp

(a) would have to accept that DS getting 1st pref would be based purely on performence ON THAT DAY

Option 2:

1st pref is QEB
2nd pref is local grammar

If DS attains qualifying score for QEB, then ...

(a) would involve buying a flat somewhere in North London or Watford area for a feasible journey to QEB
(b) using that as a weekday base for myself for commute to London
(c) weekends and school holidays, would be spending at home in Warwickshire

Option 3:

1st pref is local grammar
2nd pref is QEB

(a) QEB 11+ test (GL) would serve as practise for local 11+ test (CEM), as long as it happens before
(b) back-up in case DS has a bad day for local 11+ test
(c) if achieved both qualifying score for both, I would always wonder "how future would have been unfolded" if DS had gone to QEB

Option 4: (unlikely now)

1st pref is KESCHB (B'ham)
2nd pref is local grammar

(a) 1st pref is nearly on par with QEB, and shorter by distance, but still 1 hour journey by car
(b) however, highly unlikely to get 1st pref, even if qualifying score is attained, as the school now has a priority catchment (we don't live in B'ham)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

If I look at the end goal of what kind of difference would ultimately make if DS had an opportunity to go to QEB as opposed to local grammar ?
Well, I can only think it would mean a better chance at Oxbridge; maybe, a better chance for medical / dentistry courses as well. Apart from that, I don't think it would really make any difference in terms of going to a red brick uni.

I've probably been been spending too much time on this forum and have now caught the "QEB at all costs" syndrome!!

... appreciate any opinions about my line of thinking!

[hermanmunster]

I would go for option (1) - there is more to family life than dashing off to a school miles away

Option (2) does not allow for your son to have local friends he sees at weekends etc

Option (4) - have you considered changing this to KES (instead of CHB) - yes there would be fees but might be less than buying a flat in North London

OPtion (3) - if you get local GS then you won't get place at QEB - have to decide what you like

[Nella]

Hi 11plusninja and welcome to the forum.

Gosh, what a lot of scenarios! If it was me I would be asking myself the following questions:

1. Would I like my child to have a short journey to school? (Don’t underestimate the impact a long journey has)

2. Would I like my child to have local friends?

3. What happens if my circumstances changed/ no longer worked in London- what happens with school then (if my child had a place at QEB)- we would be tied to London

4. If living in London in the week would I/ my child want to be splitting time between two places for the next 7 years, what happens when there are weekend sport fixtures/ my child wants to hang out with his mates at the weekend?

5. Maybe your child won’t want to be a doctor or dentist or even go to Oxbridge or a ‘red brick’ university - would making all the above sacrifices be worth it? By the time your child gets to university age he should be living for himself making his own choices what he does with his life as an adult- you may have very little say in the matter!

I know that I would be going with option 1.

Good luck with whichever option you choose

[scary mum]

The other thing to remember is not to look too closely at the league tables. For one, they get good results because they pick children at the age of 10 who are good at exams - their results are mostly due to the rigorous selection. The actual difference to the results your particular child gets in 5 or 7 years time is unlikely to be influenced by more than a tiny amount by which school he attends. Far more influential will be his willingness/ability to work hard & the family support he has. As he moves into his teenage years his friendships will become important to him, and you don't want to be driving him back & forth from north London every weekend for parties/get-togethers. As others have said, apart from the social aspects, what about weekend sports fixtures or other school events?

Option 1 all the way. QEB may be a good school, but it is just a school, teaching the same subjects to the same syllabus, with both good, mediocre (& dare I say it, bad) teachers, just like every other school.

[Nella]

Further to Scary mum’s reply regarding cherry picking. The same can be said of CHB; however with the introduction of catchment areas-and a qualifying and priority score- the boys don’t need to have been tutored/ prepared for the 11plus within an inch of their lives to score enough points for admission. So the pupil outcomes may look very different in 7 year’s time.

A school is just a school- look at the wider implications for the family. You don’t say if you have any other children who would be affected by the location of your son’s potential school but I would be adding that to my list of things to consider.

[thisisnuts]

As a happy QE parent, I can say hand on heart that QE isn't worth the sacrifices you'd be making for option 2 !

[11plusninja]

Many thanks to those of who have replied. Appreciate your views very much.

I do at times think that I'm overlooking the impracticalities of such a potential move to London area if ever option 2 did materialise.
And suppose there's the indirect financial cost (paying interest on mortgage + stamp duty) that comes into play of whether it would be worth it.

So yes, all in all, perhaps option 1 is the most sensible; perhaps even option 3 (for practise / mock exam+ opportunity of having a second bite at the cherry) - sorry, is this what is meant by "11+ tourist?"

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.

[nyr]

There are a few extreme examples for the 2 open-entry super-selectives often discussed in this section. Read families based in one of the more distant Home Nations and some further still.

There are many young children doing one hour plus commutes, though many families do relocate.

I get the impression that the school not living up to expectation is often linked to the sacrifices made.

[Daogroupie]

There are many many more that turn it down than embark on unrealistic travel.

I personally know of 5 ds who have turned it down this year and I know of around the same every year.

Every year QE and HBS have students who drop out unable to cope with the travel.

Sleep is more important than league tables. DG

[mad?]

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?