Slough or Wokingham?

[Parent Abroad]

Hi,

We are planning to move to Wokingham from abroad (July/Aug 2021) after my son finishes Year-5 in his current school.

The idea to live in Wokingham is solely to be in the grammar schools’(Reading Boys + Slough Consortium) designated area as well as to have good comprehensive schools as back up (Maiden Erlegh etc.), if my DS doesn't clear 11+ .

Is Wokingham a good choice to commute to the Slough grammar schools?

We are under an impression that living in Slough instead would open more grammar school options. Is that true?

We are worried, if he meets the required standard in the Slough Consortium 11+ examination but still doesn’t get a place because of the distance.

Also if he doesn’t get a place in any grammar schools and we ended up living in Slough, what are the state school options in Slough? Are they comparable to Wokingham state schools?

We will be staying in a rented accommodation and hubby’s office is in Reading, so we have flexibility to move.

Many thanks

[scary mum]

Welcome to the forum.
I'm not an expert on these areas, but there are some historical data on the Slough school here, and Reading here. You should carefull check the admissions criteria for each school as well, as they can change each year. Some schools require you to be resident for a time before applying (I don't know if this is the case for Slough or Reading, but it will be in their admission criteria).
I don't know the Wokingham schools at all, but I'm sure someone will be along soon who does (note that they are all state schools including the grammar schools).
If you were in Slough you may also be in catchment for Burnham Grammar, although this is in Buckinghamshire (& so involves a different exam), it is right on the border with Slough & takes a fair number of pupils from Slough (althought the distances have been shrinking in recent years). You can check Burnahm Grammar admissions information for the last few years here.

You will also need to find a primary school place when you arrive too, so that may affect your choices (you won't be able to apply until you have an address here).

[mad?]

Hi

Welcome to the forum.

I am not sure what the alternative options are for Slough but just for clarity grammar schools are state schools.

There are some great schools in Wokingham, Maiden Erlegh, which you mentioned, being one of them. You will find many locals who do not apply to grammars in these areas because they prefer their local option. However, these schools are over subscribed and you will not get a place in them unless you live nearby. For example, whilst Maiden Erlegh falls under Wokingham as a local authority, it is not particularly near the town of Wokingham itself. So, it depends what you mean by moving to Wokingham. If you move into catchment for ME (I use this school as an example only as you mentioned it) your DC's journey to a Slough school will be awful, although for some reason some do it.

You will need to research the individual schools and their admissions policies, both grammar and non grammar. Hopefully someone will be along soon who can advise you on non grammar options in Slough.

Good luck
x posted with scary mum - I agree with what she has said also

[Tinkers]

It’s a fair way from Earley (where Maiden Erlegh school is) to the Slough schools. There are private transport facilities, but it would limit after school activities your DS could attend. Do not underestimate the effects of longer journeys on children and their learning.

This year’s allocations for ME only went to 0.8 of a mile, so you’d need to be living very close to get a place there. I have allocations data for both Reading and Wokingham schools for this year and probably for previous years. Most are oversubscribed. The Slough GS allocations can be found in this section of the forum. Also check the various admissions criteria. Langley has very tight priority areas (you wouldn’t get Langley from Earley), and St Bernard’s has faith criteria.

ME is a marmite school and some love it others hate it. The other schools in Wokingham are in the most part well regarded too. I have numerous friends choosing Bulmershe over ME these days. (And one choosing not to bother with Kendrick for his DD and going to Bulmershe instead as well).

A colleague of mine lives in Slough and has one child at UC, one at Langley and two at a non GS (which I can’t remember the name of right now, but if it’s mentioned I’ll recognise it). He’s more impressed by the non GS than the two GSs. Other than that I don’t know much about Slough schools.

[streathammum]

OP, most non-selective schools base their admissions criteria on distance from school (unless they are faith schools). You will find your relocation much simpler if you research these non-selective schools, decide on the one that's best for your child and move next door (or close enough to be certain of a place) within the timeframe required by your new local authority.

Basing your whole relocation on your child gaining a place at a particular grammar school sounds risky and seems to put quite a lot of pressure on the child, to be honest.

[Tinkers]

Also note that ME has residency requirements in its admissions policy.
https://www.maidenerleghschool.co.uk/at ... 9&type=pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Tinkers]

I’d also forgotten that Reading are making some changes to their admissions policy.

Reading are changing their test so it won’t be the same as Slough anymore.

In addition they are also making changes to their catchment and removing the fo,owing postcodes SL6 1, SL6 2, SL6 3, SL6 4, SL6 5, SL6 6 & SL6 7.

[Parent Abroad]

Thanks for all this info!

Yes I’m aware of the changes in Reading school this year also the ME residency requirement.

Regarding the non selective schools in Wokingham, our knowledge is limited to ME and Bulmershe so we are looking into houses in their catchment but seems like the options are less.

Since I haven’t heard anything from the Slough non-selective schools yet, we’d probably stick to our original plan with Wokingham. Do the Wokingham parents only aim for Reading School for boys’ grammar school?

Would like to hear from any parent from WC with child/ren studying in Slough.

TIA

[Tinkers]

Yes, most Wokingham people only aim for Reading and Kendrick, if they are considering GSs. Many don’t even bother at all as the local schools are all pretty good.

Only a few decide to try for Slough as well. With the changes to the reading admissions ( being a separate test to Slough and Kendrick) I suspect that number will decrease further. I don’t think many will bother putting their DC in two different tests, especially when the format is likely to be different.

Some still have their DCs take the Bucks test, but they have no realistic chance of a place in Bucks, despite what they might think.

Houses in catchment for ME do come with a premium attached.

[wokinghamperson]

To get into ME, historically, you've needed to live within 1 mile of the school.
With the exception of one, I believe all secondary schools are oversubscribed, so in Wokingham Borough although you can list any school as no 1 preference, you're highly likely to be allocated your closest one.
(The exception being the one all boys and one all girls secondary schools).

As another poster said, travelling to Slough from Wokingham is not an easy journey. I do know one who was unsuccessful in getting into Reading boys but got into Slough on appeal. He is driven to a park and ride, bus to Reading station, train to Slough. Not a quick journey!

Reading Boys appears to be one of the hardest of the grammar schools to get into, with a few I know this year not being successful, but receiving offers at Slough, Bucks, Barnet and Sutton grammar schools.

In DS class some boys took upwards of 10 grammar and private school entrance exams....

Wokingham Borough has some good options for secondary schools. If finding housing near ME is tricky, there are new estates adjacent to both St. Crispins (Wokingham) and Bohunt (Aborfield).
There are also a number of very good private schools. (Luckley & Reddam are both in Wokingham, Blue Coat in Sonning, Leighton Park, Reading).

Best wishes and hopefully you have a year 6 place nailed down.