To relocate so that my child can go to grammar school

[care4]

Hello everyone!

We currently live in Addlestone, Surrey (Postcode removed by mod) and as far as I know we don’t have any grammar school nearby. The nearest one is in Kingston upon thames.

Hence, I think we need to relocate but don’t know where to start??

Coz we don’t know where will my child end up getting admission before moving?? What do others do in this situation?? Is it necessary to be in catchment area, to increase chances getting into grammar school?

Which area would be best in London for grammar schools catchment area please?
My son is in year 1 now, so we do have some time.

[Amber]

Hello. Firstly I would suggest removing your complete postcode from the forum as your address can be narrowed down to a few houses by it and maybe that is a bad idea.

Secondly, and I know there will be other views on this, I would absolutely not ever recommend moving so your child can go to grammar school. As has been said on here many times before, they are just schools - not so very different from other schools and if you live in an area without them the chances are you have some good alternatives nearby and don't need to think of uprooting your family. In fact just a few lines down on this section of the forum is a thread about it:
http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/forum/ ... &start=110" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Yamin151]

Hello. Firstly I would suggest removing your complete postcode from the forum as your address can be narrowed down to a few houses by it and maybe that is a bad idea.

Secondly, and I know there will be other views on this, I would absolutely not ever recommend moving so your child can go to grammar school. As has been said on here many times before, they are just schools - not so very different from other schools and if you live in an area without them the chances are you have some good alternatives nearby and don't need to think of uprooting your family. In fact just a few lines down on this section of the forum is a thread about it:
http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/forum/ ... &start=110" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I have to say I completely agree. Living near a grammar is a double edged sword indeed. The alternatives always suffer by the presence of a grammar school. Lovely for those in the grammar, not so good if you don't get in. Not saying others are awful by ANY means, but they DO suffer.

Better if you move anywhere, to be sure you are close to one of the secondaries that has a great name in your area, your child in one of its catchment primaries, and in an area you love for its people, neighbours etc.

[hermanmunster]

I think that is apparent that while there are very good grammar schools, the "other " schools in the Grammar school patch are often not nearly as good as comprehensive schools in non selective areas

[kenyancowgirl]

Also, it is very shortsighted to move on the basis that your child 'might' get a place at GS. Competition for places is intense and, as your son is in Y1, who is to say that he will be GS standard by Y6? Even if he is, there is no guarantee of a place at a GS. I would first have a really good look at your local catchment secondary schools - as others have said, you may find that Ofsted/teaching quality/parents and pupils are all rated highly and there may be no reason to move. Far more important to move to an area with good comprehensives, if yours aren't that, as you will have a better chance of getting a place! As the others have said - where there are no GS, inevitably, the comprehensives are stronger as they have a true representation of ability levels. where there are GS, the comps can be patchy, as the majority of higher ability dc hive off to the GS. You have to ask yourself, would I be happy to send my child to a patchy comp, if he did not make the GS we moved into catchment for?

[mystery]

Yes , but the OP might know all of this and currently be living in a dump of a place which they arrived in last week only (sorry, don't know Addlestone!).

Try looking up where all the grammar schools are in the south-east. This will get you quite a long way. Then you need to look at their admissions policies to see if it is based on score or distance from the school. Generally speaking, if there are a lot of grammars close together (as in Kent and Bucks) it is done by distance (with the odd exception). In Kent, for example, there are loads of grammars mostly just requiring a pass, but there are some exceptions (e.g. Judd and Skinners for boys) which do it by score in the test so where you live is generally irrelevant - but check the policies. And admissions policies can change at quite short notice - that's the rub.

[Hopefuldad]

Agree with most comments you got to do your research and the reasons should probably be more than just a GS place. However you should relocate to a catchment of a good comprehensive and a place at a GS would be a bonus.

I think that is apparent that while there are very good grammar schools, the "other " schools in the Grammar school patch are often not nearly as good as comprehensive schools in non selective areas

Dont agree with general comment above. Redbridge and Sutton have grammer schools yet they are top performing boroughs in school league tables. IMHO those that dont make it go on to boost the local schools because of the possible prep they have done

[hermanmunster]

I think that is apparent that while there are very good grammar schools, the "other " schools in the Grammar school patch are often not nearly as good as comprehensive schools in non selective areas

Dont agree with general comment above. Redbridge and Sutton have grammer schools yet they are top performing boroughs in school league tables. IMHO those that dont make it go on to boost the local schools because of the possible prep they have done

Wasn't referring to the borough or LEA, some perform well or badly for reasons unrelated to the types of schools - what I was referring to is the fact that in some areas with GS that the other schools are not what everyone might wish for and it can be too far to apply to / travel to other schools.

[Hopefuldad]

HM

thanks for the clarification.

[care4]

I agree on what is said so far,
What if my options are either Grammar or good private school? First option as grammar school.