Has anyone moved to get into the catchment area of grammar schools?

Lunar_Eclipse

Plans_all_plans wrote: »

Well by moving I don't think we are making the choice of grammar over state, as ultimately the school makes that decision by giving/refusing admission.

Good post.

Thought I'd point out that academic schools can, and often do, excel at Art, Music & Sport too. Kendrick Grammar school in Reading had the best Art Department, in terms of talent evident in the work on display, I've ever seen. They frequently have pupils coming in the Top 10 nationally at GCSE/A Level: I had no idea such rankings existed until I went there. It's fantastic (and no we're not heading there:rotfl:)

Plans_all_plans

I agree with you Lunar Eclipse. In my experience, it is very rare that a top performing academic school doesn't offer top notch art/music/sports facilities as well.

In terms of the admissions criteria, there are various categories and if we moved house, DD would fall in the 3rd from the top. If we didn't move, she would fall into the 5th from the top. If everyone who lived in borough i.e. in category 3 passed the test, those children in category 5 would find it more difficult to get in, even if they passed with higher marks. That is how it was explained to me.

The criteria state that if in any category there are more applicants than places, then entry is granted to those who have scored highest on the test.

munchings-n-crunchings

Although there are no grammer schools in my county, there are in the adjacent county, about 25 miles to 4 grammer schools.

As there is prestige to the local Independent schools, with getting their pupils into the grammer schools, they offer tutoring in the 11+ as part of the normal timetable from year 3.
Children that I know who live close to the grammer schools attending local primaries do not receive any form of help towards the test.

So by moving early, there would really be no benefit.

In my area, the grammer schools offer different methods of entry.
1 reserves the top 15% of places to the top scoring candidates regardless of where they live, then the rest of the places, like the other grammer schools, it's all done on distance from the school regardless of your mark, as long as you've passed.

Also check what the test will consist of. Up till about 4 years ago here, it was 2 papers of verbal reasoning.
Now, it's one verbal, and one non verbal.

Try and keep your options open.
We, my daughter and I, decided to go the scholarship route to the independent school. These are ofen based on academic, music, sports etc.

I don't believe any tutoring is ever wasted. I would not have wanted my daughter to be dragging along the bottom of a selective grammer school, and though she would be more suited to be somewhere academically in the middle of a comprehensive.
As it has turned out, she is now bobbing along towards the top of her year group in a non selective independent school, So, the choice paid off for us.

Regards
Munchie

property.advert

Not grammar but moved for primary and have now secured the best education I could. This leads to age 11 but well before that I'll work out where we need to be and move if necessary. It isn't exactly something which is sprung on you without your knowledge as some seem to think.

Kimberley82

I wish there was a grammar school near us