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Original poster

Whitgift VS Oustanding State School

61 replies

Popchip · 21/03/2018 19:54

ello Mumnetters,

My DS got an offer from Whitgift. My son loved the school and we were very excited. We were about to accept an offer but we just received an offer from local state school which has outstanding rating. My DS didn't pass grammar schools. This is a local state comp but with outstanding rating and has a very good reputation. Most of his primary friends will attend the school too. We thought we were not able to get a place with the state school as our place is located a bit far from the school given previous accepted furthest distance but from this year, the school started to stretch the catchment towards our side narrowing the other side because a new school has opened.
We paid deposit to Whitgift to secure a place anyway but my husband started saying that the state option is better value for money and closer to us. Whitgift commuting time is around- 45-60 min. Very long commuting but his teacher said that commuting time should be the last thing I should worry as he will get used to it quickly and worth long commuting. My husband is not convinced to pay the big fee whereas we have a good state school for free near us. My son's choice is whitgift...
My son loves sports. Academically, he has not been at the top set but quickly catching up. Passing W exam gave him a lot of confidence and he became willing to take on more challenge. I would like him to go to his 'dream' school but my husband doesn't agree. I am worried if we choose state school agreeing with my husband's opinion , we regret to have declined Whitgift later.... Is there anyone who didn't go for Whitgift and chose local state comp? Financially, we are fine to for the cost. My husband just doesn't want to spend the money when good free state school is available. He would like to save the fund for future.
Also, switching between Whitgift and state school, which way is generally easier? If we change our mind a few years later, is it relatively possible to switch to another? The state school should have healthy waiting list as it is heavily oversubscribed and very popular.

OP posts:
TJsAunt · 22/03/2018 14:54

If £ is not a problem then I'd want to visit both schools again to have a second look?

There is no absolute. No one can definitively say that one is better than the other in all circumstances (not even Mrs Patmore Hmm).

IMO most kids will get broadly similar GCSE results whichever route they take - as long as they have the strong parental support your ds clearly does.

So the decision has to be about which school offers the best fit for your own dc. Does the school have the facilities to stretch your ds and allow him to focus on his passions? Does the school offer the broader education you are interested in?

We made our choice based on the way the school offered so much outside the GCSE courses.

Enko · 22/03/2018 10:11

Whitgift in a heartbeat. Dh is an old student abd still regularly goes to old student evenings. I wish we had lived close enough for ds to go.

45 mins is no distance at all to travel ds will get used to it quickly

Floottoot · 22/03/2018 09:57

Even an outstanding state school won't perhaps offer your DS the same opportunities as Whitgift.
We took my daughter out of a supposedly outstanding state secondary at the end of year 7, and put her in a GDST scjool. The difference in her overall experience is immeasurable. You get more than just an excellent education at a good independent.

AveEldon · 22/03/2018 09:30

Why did your husband agree to apply & pay the deposit if he didn't want to spend the money?

Has he seen Whitgift and the state school?
Have you compared the sports facilities?

PissedOffNeighbour · 21/03/2018 20:24

Lots of things Daisy! We could afford private education for our DC but choose to send them to an excellent state school! Any money saved can be used towards house deposit or towards university costs etc.

Original poster
Popchip · 21/03/2018 20:24

Thank you DairyisClosed!! I wish I could send him to a sofa too...
He would like to save money for later education i.e. Uni (he might want to attend medical school for example), he might want to start a business, etc...

OP posts:
DairyisClosed · 21/03/2018 20:18

Your DH wants to save money on your sons education?! That's just shocking. If my husband said something like that to me he would be sent to sleep on the sofa until he came to his senses. What else could you possibly spend the money on that is more important than your son's education?

Original poster
Popchip · 21/03/2018 20:15

I called school admission at local council and the state school admission office today. It sounded that the places become available fairly rarely. The school takes 240 children at year 7. it is quite a big school but people tend to stay as the school is good and most people are happy to stay. My son is not naturally gifted child type. Has been always given the easiest reading books and very bottom table until around year 4. He is August born child too. I am worried he will be buried in the big crowd at the big state school.

OP posts:
Leeds2 · 21/03/2018 20:03

The state school will probably not have a very long waiting list if you wanted to transfer from Year 8 onwards, as many children on the waiting list above you will have gone to their allocated school, are happy and not want the upheaval of changing schools. You can't of course rely on that, but you could perhaps ask the state school what their wait list is at the moment for, say, Years 8 and 9. Just to give you an idea.

Fwiw, I would choose Whitgift every single time. I live locally to it, but no sons, so no actual experience of the school other than second hand from friends.

LIZS · 21/03/2018 19:58

Whitgift has a 13+ intake but he would go through the exam and interview process again. He would be up against predominantly privately educated and overseas candidates for a more limited number of places.

MrsPatmore · 21/03/2018 19:58

Go with state. Whitgift will have places at year 9 and again at 6th form if you need to reconsider. Your clever ds will enjoy being in the top sets at the local comp amongst his friends and will have lots of extra time to do clubs etc after school.