Wallington County Grammar School (WCGS)

I went to one of the grammars referred to on this thread. I left at 16 to go to college as I felt it suited me better and my memory is that the push was always towards traditional a levels university route. It was a fair number of years ago but I cannot imagine anything has changed.

I want my child to understand about the options available for modern apprenticeships, vocational courses at college etc.

...the university production line the grammar will probably have pushed her into! Is it the schools or the parents though????

DS's school has tried very hard to promote apprenticeships as a viable alternative to the traditional university trajectory.

I wonder if OP has done the proposed journey on a very hot day like today? Imagine doing that aged 11, laden down with school/PE kit (with blazer on as they are supposed to do unless they get permission to take them off), on a busy train during the rush hour, potentially without air-con.

@Chartreuser

Probably the same one my dd who failed second stage 11+ is at!

Very happy with it!

I actually think it will give her more options to consider post 16 than the university production line the grammar will probably have pushed her into!

DCs are at a partially academically selective comp not too far from WGS. DD didn't sit 11+ but would have probably passed but not well enough to get a place. As it is she is top stream and I think don't better there than she would have at a grammar. She also has a wealth of extra curricular activities that the grammars don't offer.

To be fair about the elevenplusforum, the dedicated regular posters spend much of their time advising those who are considering ridiculous journeys, not to do it.

It's the same every year - families from 2 hours away from QE boys or HBS or a Sutton/Kingston Grammar apply and maybe get an offer and then are on the forums asking if anyone will lift share or knows if a private coach service, or calculating the journey by road or public transport to be a 'doable' 1 HR 45 mins each way, forgetting that we are talking about peak times and an extra 30 mins or HR can easily by added by regular traffic problems.
The advice is always the same - realise a grammar is only a good option if it is a viable travel option. That means some people need to move (which makes it not viable as it will mean uprooti g an entire family) or realise it isn't viable.

The Op is what might be termed an education tourist. Her child lives in the LB of Harrow as has clearly sat exams for SW Herts, along with the Sutton exams and possibly others too. To have got a place at St Clement Danes from that location will have involved getting a high score in the exam, which they have achieved, probably following extensive preparation. Already the journey from where they live to That school will be long and the child won't be local and possibly find joining in extra curricular activities difficult. It is a partially selective Comp and as a result of that and it's catchment is a high achieving Comp. That child has every chance of doing as well there as at a Grammar. But the problem is that it doesn't have 'grammar' in its name and for some people, a grammar school will always be preferable.

In reality, I expect Op knows that the Surrey school won't be viable, but it's a wrench to turn down the offer. I do understand that. In the end though, reality will hit because they won't want to uproot the entire family (that rarely happens in reality once people look into the implications of doing that) and in this case there is a happy outcome because there is already a fantastic school place available, which isn't the case for many who are desperate for a Grammar place.

If you really want the school - commit and move.

Sadly, those wanting to impose such a commute on their DC often cite 'compelling reasons' why they can't move to the locality of the school and put the burden of a difficult journey on the adults of the household instead.

Its insane - we looked at liked both NHS and Wally Girls and DD is hoping to do well at the test because it would be perfect for her (her scores are good at the moment). But its not worth that kind of travel time. We have discounted Tiffins for that reason. Any advantages the school has will get lost in the travel time

Wonder if they will listen to anyone.....there are scarily committed people on that forum so if even they are saying no......

I live very close to Nonsuch High School and for 2 weeks one Summer did a similar commute and it nearly did me in after 2 weeks.

if you love it that much move - we get a few new starters at DD and DS primary school due to siblings coming in - DS has 2 from reception who moved and DD had 2 new starters.

When we looked around Nonsuch the headteacher did say really look at the commute - its DD favourite school but then again she can walk it in 20 mins so it should be

@Toomanycats99 , OP has the same post on Surrey section of elevenplusexams.co.uk forum with more of the same advice!

Think the OP has done a runner.......

Yes, there will be local children waiting on a place at all the grammars. Do the right thing OP: move or give the place to someone who is more able to take advantage of the whole grammar school experience, friendships, extra-curricular activities and all.

OP, can you confirm that you have just had an offer for Wallington? It's not possible to have 2 offers for state schools unless you have recently been offered one from a waiting list and now have to decide probably within a couple of days.

I can see that this late offer (assuming this is what it is) makes you query your original allocation. The offer of a Grammar is attractive and you obviously liked it or wouldn't have applied. If you had been offered Wallington in the first round if offers, was your plan to move, or had you not really factored in the journey issues and applied without a plan? If you had applied without a plan, it was always a daft idea. If you planned to move, then that would still be possible if you get on with it speedily, but it's a lot to uproot a whole family because of 1 school place.

STCD is a great school and highly sought after. You are not facing a Grammar vs awful Comp dilemma. In fact you're already giving your child a much bigger journey from where you live than most local children will be doing.

Unless you plan to move speedily, give up the Wallimgton place realising it was a practical impossibility. Recognise the great results the school you've been allocated get and that your child will have every opportunity there.

I would add that of all the Sutton grammars, Wally boys has the most local children (though skewed over to Coulsdon/Croydon etc) as it has got rid of its second stage in the test.

OP - I have a boy at WCGS and you need to accept your local place or move - those are your choices. The daily commute isn't one of them.

If you really want the school - commit and move.

Ali, is that the girls going into Nonsuch on the X26? I’ve seen a few on the bus from the airport. A pain of a commute but not the end of the world as it’s just one bus so they can sit down and read or something.

To continue ...

There are quite a few who live eg near Heathrow and have 1.5 hour type commutes. They are rarely able to do social stuff with friends from school, they tend to not do after school activities as would be too late to get home (or they share lifts or taxis with others). Quite a few have moved closer since starting. Where their choice is local not very good school or that commute I do understand why they do it. But I believe St CD us a really good school so would be my choice in your circumstances.

Having a DS at a non-grammar (as he didn’t want the pressure of grammar) has shown me that he could do well academically at a comprehensive but that it’s sometimes prevented by big behaviour problems from others and that is much less of an issue at grammars. So if you have confidence that St CD doesn’t have major behaviour issues (fights, swearing at teachers, bullying) then go for that. If they are bright they should do well anywhere provided the lessons are not disrupted too much by others.

DD goes to one of the other Sutton grammars and we are local (3 miles, 40 min commute). There ar

I used to live just over the county border from Chorleywood. St Clement Dane's was famously hard to get into - I believe that in some years even if you lived in Chorleywood itself but at 'the wrong end' of the village you weren't guaranteed a place. I would snap up your son's place there. By all accounts it's a brilliant school and has been for years and years.

BigSandyBalls2015 as I said the (partial) catchment policy has only come in relatively recently (I reckon in the past five years or so).

Actually looking at Wally Boys Admissions info, it looks as if they have less of a catchment policy than the other SW London grammars:

" In rank order of performance in the Selective Eligibility Test (SET). Up to 15 places for those boys who are successful in the Selective Eligibility Test (SET) where the permanent home address* is
one of the postcodes (SM1, SM2, SM3, SM4, SM5, SM6, SM7, KT4 8 , CR0 4 , and CR4 4 – (so localish) at the time of Common Application Form (CAF) submission deadline."

Tiffin still has a very large Inner Priority catchment area, with a radius of about 10 KM but think it was introduced to stop lots of 'far away' applications from parts of London heading into Middlesex/Berkshire.

I think at the end of the day, the schools want the children to be relatively local for all sorts of reasons but well-being and forging friendships being two of the main ones.

As I said previously, I used to do that journey (roughly) years ago, as a former boyfriend lived in OP's neck of the woods. At that time of my life I was used to galavanting across London for work and play, so really didn't have an issue with time spent travelling. I just found that journey a total PITA and I was even travelling non-peak hours mainly, so always had a seat and it wasn't crowded.

I guess if a DC knows no different they would get used to it, but it's not even a direct journey without changes (which would make it more doable IMO). You've only got to have regular issues on one line for the whole school journey to go 'belly up'.

Also 1 hr 30 journeys can have a habit of morphing into much longer ones. That may not be the reality most days. DC1 goes to a school in the neighbouring borough (and we are on the right side for quick, direct access). Their journey still takes an hour door to door and that's leaving home at 7.15am.

OP I live about 25 mins away on one bus from WCGS and with after school activities friends Ds' don't get home till at least 4-30/5. So in winter he'll be leaving way before it gets light, arriving in the dark still and then leaving in the dark again.

It's a good school for those it suits, plenty of children's do well here from non selective comps too.

It would be a horrific commute, please don't do it to him. Would also mean as he gets older and wants to meet up with friends etc he would always be the one schlepping for hours as everyone else would be relatively close to each other

New model - I wasn’t aware of any catchment, hence the ‘super selective’ status rather than simply ‘selective’

Don't do it! Honestly Wally boys is not worth putting your son through that every day

Or move, obviously

Crazy. Be the adult here & don't torture your son.

obviously a million times more academic than any comp, anywhere.

Well, obviously!! What a ridiculous stereotype. Thanks for proving my point though.