Deciding against choosing a grammer school?

Eleven Plus (11+) in Birmingham, Walsall, Wolverhampton and Wrekin

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1bzy
Posts: 4
Joined: Fri Mar 23, 2012 2:28 pm

Deciding against choosing a grammer school?

Post by 1bzy »

First of all I would like to say thankyou to this forum and regular posters for providing the great help and information regarding the 11plus exam.

I would like to ask if some parents would decide against sending their child to one of the lower KE pass mark scools (Ason,BV having potentially scored enough) due to distance factors (lets say about 1hr/1.5hrs on public transport)

Or would it still be worth choosing one of these schools due to to the quality of the education over a local comp.
Dopey2012
Posts: 24
Joined: Sat Oct 13, 2012 10:46 pm

Re: Deciding against choosing a grammer school?

Post by Dopey2012 »

I guess that depends more on the local comp than the grammar.
hermanmunster
Posts: 12817
Joined: Fri Sep 15, 2006 9:51 am
Location: The Seaside

Re: Deciding against choosing a grammer school?

Post by hermanmunster »

agree with Dopey - in some areas the local comprehensives can produce amazing results and are thriving, while other no selective school in the same town struggle and do not do so well - all depends on the school
orianagirl
Posts: 92
Joined: Wed Jul 01, 2009 8:53 pm

Re: Deciding against choosing a grammer school?

Post by orianagirl »

We are having the same dilemma. My DS achieved a good mark in the KE exam (not enough to get into CH boys but a good chance at Aston and possibly Five Ways), however he would face a bus journey of over an hour every morning and evening to get to either of these schools. Many of our local comps. have very good reputations and we are wondering whether it is worth putting our DS through the daily slog of a long bus journey before and after school when he could be attending a school within 20 minutes walk from home.
hermanmunster
Posts: 12817
Joined: Fri Sep 15, 2006 9:51 am
Location: The Seaside

Re: Deciding against choosing a grammer school?

Post by hermanmunster »

Some of the comprehensives in Solihull are certainly very good - though some better than others ... all depends really ...
orianagirl
Posts: 92
Joined: Wed Jul 01, 2009 8:53 pm

Re: Deciding against choosing a grammer school?

Post by orianagirl »

Hermanmunster, luckily we live fairly close to a couple of the local schools with good academic results and reputations. My DS stands a reasonable chance of gaining a place at one of these and that is why we are now questioning whether or not to put him through having to leave home around 7am and not returning until after 5pm (I would add that he is completely up for doing this but I wonder whether the novelty would wear off a few weeks).
1bzy
Posts: 4
Joined: Fri Mar 23, 2012 2:28 pm

Re: Deciding against choosing a grammer school?

Post by 1bzy »

orianagirl wrote:We are having the same dilemma. My DS achieved a good mark in the KE exam (not enough to get into CH boys but a good chance at Aston and possibly Five Ways), however he would face a bus journey of over an hour every morning and evening to get to either of these schools. Many of our local comps. have very good reputations and we are wondering whether it is worth putting our DS through the daily slog of a long bus journey before and after school when he could be attending a school within 20 minutes walk from home.

It is a situation that has really got us thinking. The local comp. has a good reputation but i'm sure not anywhere near as good as KEA or BV both academically or facility wise as i've read.

I suppose its a decision on whether a daily journey of about 2hrs (lost homework time/tiredness etc) is worth the possible potential these schools offer.
Okanagan
Posts: 1706
Joined: Mon Aug 22, 2011 9:20 pm
Location: Warwickshire

Re: Deciding against choosing a grammer school?

Post by Okanagan »

An hour each way compared to 20 minutes:
1 hour 20 a day
6 hours 40 a week
260 hours a year
1820 hours over 7 years schooling
130 days if you assume 14 hours a day awake.
You can do an awful lot with that amount of extra time.
HappyRobot
Posts: 227
Joined: Sun Mar 25, 2012 12:02 am

Re: Deciding against choosing a grammer school?

Post by HappyRobot »

We have ruled out fw as our ds would need to leave the house at 6.35 am and be travelling 3 hours a day....but we are okay for him to travel about 2.10 - 2.20 hours a day.
Paramjeet
Posts: 228
Joined: Sun Mar 18, 2012 6:30 pm

Re: Deciding against choosing a grammer school?

Post by Paramjeet »

In some cases I have known families to move closer to the desired school
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