Grammer School vs Independent school Gloucestershire?

[Fivechildrenandamenagarie]

Warning: first world problem.

Our DD has to our surprise got into the 3 single sex grammar schools in glos. after taking her 11+.
She is very happy at her current prep school and has only been there since September.
We had been thinking of Cheltenham Ladies College for her at 13+.

If money was no issue which one would you choose?

[SummerSazz]

I'd go for Stroud High, assuming this is one of them?

[LadybirdsEverywhere]

High School for Girls.

Think of the £30k a year you'd save.

If I had it spare, I would definitely spend it on my child's education but only if there wasn't an excellent state school nearby.

[Randomname14]

All of those schools will have some good teachers and less good teachers. Both CLC and DR I know work the girls hard, not so sure for the other two.
In essence it depends how much you value that extra polish and gloss / social strata you would get from CLC. Another consideration is how much your DD does outside school and therefore how valuable the flexibility of shorter days and free weekends at the grammar schools would be. CLC is definitely a 6 day week school with late finishes if your DD does the after school clubs. Obviously CLC has nicer buildings and more timetabled sport etc. If your DD is very happy at her prep I imagine she is more attracted by CLC and changing for Y9. We had a similar decision between the coed grammar and CLC, chose the co-ed grammar and a few years on that was definitely the right decision.

[thecalicocat]

Did she get into Pate's??

[lizardpops]

If money was no issue? I'd choose on the basis of distance between hsfg and clc.

But I find it hard to imagine the scenario where £220, 000 over 7 years is no object so perhaps I am biased. Would it honestly not make a jot of difference if you had to pay fees?

[lostintoys]

Why not go for Cheltenham Ladies' College and leave the grammar school place for someone who can't afford to go private.

[EvilTwins]

What lostintoys said. If you can afford private, send her to private. Leave the grammar places for those who can't.

I'm assuming she didn't get into Pates?

[concernedaboutheboy]

Oh for heaven's sake! The OP is presumably also paying taxes to fund state schooling, is she not?

OP, I think you should choose the school you think will suit your daughter best and which fits with what you want for her in future.

[EvilTwins]

Gloucestershire grammar schools are full of people who paid for prep and coaching for the 11+. It means that children who don't have those resources don't get places. That's not fair. Why should a clever child from a poor background miss out on a place at a grammar school because of the hot-housed children at the prep schools?

[smokepole]

If the OP chooses a Grammar School , I do hope her DD stays in the grammar school until at least her GCSEs . I do think though if she can afford £35000 a year, the grammar places should be left to those who cant (98% of the population). I hope she is not going to deprive some-one else a place just for a couple of years at the grammar.

[Rivercam]

if you have the option of both schools, go around both of them and see what 'fits' your child best. Put the money issue aside - that is irrelevant. Ie. what school would you consider if they were both fee-paying ( or both free). One school may suit your child more in terms of academic ability, sports, pastoral care etc.

[Fivechildrenandamenagarie]

No she didn't make Pates.

I am going to go and look at all the girl grammers in the area that she made the grade for.

I thought maybe some body may have specific info on the schools good or bad.

[SummerSazz]

You need to say which schools they are!!!

[Randomname14]

Fivechildren my information was fairly specific.
Bottom line if money no object and you live Cheltenham / Cirencester way I would go for CLC (unless your DD has a fighting chance of getting into Pates ie ranked nearish 130) with all that you have said. If you live in Stroud vicinity, take my points above into consideration to make your choice between Stroud High and CLC. CLC will get your DD better exam grades than most of these schools.

[SummerSazz]

Sorry I have asked for my above post to be removed as it's more hearsay than any 'inside' info.

[Fivechildrenandamenagarie]

summersazz the schools are High School For Girls (aka Denmark Road), Stroud High and Ribston Hall.

[SummerSazz]

If I had those choices and CLC I would go with Stroud High personally (subject to it being a good fit for DD and her feeling comfortable there). I know a number of DC who are there and are all having a great time.

I know less about Denmark Road and Ribston but I think they all have a different vibe so definitely worth visiting all and seeing where if you/DD feel comfortable there and then overlaying academics before comparing to CLC

[Fivechildrenandamenagarie]

EvilTwins you are right I know quite a few children whose parents could afford to send them privately but have chosen to send their DCs to the grammer school. What about the children who come in from counties outside of gloucestershire to attend the grammer schools? And what about the part of Cheltenham were the house prices are extremely high because of the fantastic local comprehensive school?

The system is not fair. Internally i do have a moral dilemma about taking a place from a poorer child but I am not sure that should be the deciding factor for my DD.

Children DO have to be familarised with the lay out of the exam. It is a strange layout with questions answered on different sheets to the question paper. They have to be able to time manage to get through the questions as the papers get taken off you at intervals through out the exam, so no going back to change answers or fill in gaps.
With out even thinking about the content the structure of the exam is hard enough.
I think the grammer schools should do more to engage the local primary schools and help them with preparation for the 11+.
There is room for a charity to help children in the poorer areas of Gloucestershire prepare for the 11+
I also think that it is a shame that they do not have any form of interview process.

[EvilTwins]

I wish they'd ditch the grammar system to be honest.

They have no need at all to engage with primary schools - it's not like they're short of candidates.

It has come down to money though - the grammar schools are not full of the cleverest children no matter what their parental income. I will be making the decision about whether to put my kids in for the 11+ at some point soon - I don't agree with the system and the (few) teachers I know at HSFG do not make me want to send my girls there. Pates is another story - the teachers I know there are fab and the one girl I know who goes there loves it

TBH, OP, if money was no object and I didn't have the moral scruples I do, then there is simply no comparison between CLC and HSFG/RH. Facilities are incompatible. RH/HSFG are just schools - they've got bright girls but that's where it ends. The facilities at CLC are what you pay for. If you want that, and you can afford that, then I don't know why you'd even consider one of the Gloucester grammars.

[Randomname14]

This is the first year of the "tutor-proof" format. However the eleven plus has always been advantageous to children who remain calm and think rapidly and clearly under time pressure. Practising the test format must allow some time saved on the actual day but whether that is enough to make a major difference for a child's final marks I don't know. The state primary schools we are told are n't allowed to tutor. Who would pay for the expense of interviews?

[Ericaequites]

Send your daughter to the school with the easiest commute where she will be happy and get good results. You pay taxes and your daughter won the place, so she is entitled to attend the grammar school. I think single sex schools are best all through, but I attended an all girls private in the States.
If you have five children, I'd go for the single sex grammar, unless you can negotiate a substantial discount. I recall a book, Seven Sisters at Queen Anne's, but that was preWWII fiction.

[teacherwith2kids]

Why not go to CLC at 11? It starts at 11+, how many girls transfer there at 13?

[teacherwith2kids]

[I would also point out that the only child I know who got into CLC at 11 also passed very high for Pates - I don't move in private school circles, so I don't know how comparable the ability needed to get in is in general. However, you might want to explore with her current prep whether they think she is of an appropriate calibre for CLC. If her passing for the single sex grammars is 'a surprise', then are you sure she will reach the standard for CLC at 13? You could end up with the worst of all worlds - doesn't take the places now, doesn't get into CLC at 13]

[Randomname14]

teacher there are a number of girls we know who did n't get into Pates but got quite easily into CLC at 11 ( and in fact chose it above DR). As I said, the girls appear to work hard at CLC but do very well as a result.
Most of the 13+ girls joining are boarders so a day girl would find it easier to integrate at 11.