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Original poster

Wilson's/Sutton Grammar or Graveney first in CAF?

36 replies

fedem · 21/10/2021 11:42

Hi, everyon.
My DS passed the Sutton, Wilsons' and Wallington Grammar tests and reached a good mark for Graveney that might get him an offer by end August ( maybe not first round) I am now struggling with CAF application as neither of these offers are certain.
DS is very bright but not geeky, loves reading, excellent at maths but is also funny and sporty. I did not have the chance of visting the schools. Are grammar schools very geeky and mostly academically focussed? Are they quite diverse in terms of ethnicity? He is keen to be academically challenged as he has been vey bored in his state school in the past three years, but I also want to him to explore subjects ike the arts that he no chance to experience so far and have a broad education and some fun. Any insights on these schools that can help me choose our first chioce on the CAF? Really struggling! Thanks everyone!

OP posts:
puffyisgood · 21/10/2021 14:33

[quote fedem]@puffyisgood my son got 254 on Wandsworth test so probably a good chance at least towards end of summer.
Unlikely schools are closed now, so no chance to hang around to watch the kids ( that would ahve been a good idea)
I emailed the grammar regarding diversity but they told me it will take about 20 days to get back to me on that matter ( passed the CAF) I read an article on the Times looking into how grammar schools are no longer diverse as one ethicity is now very dominant. I want to add also tha my son is mixed race and half from that specific ethnicity, so nothing controversial here I hope![/quote]
Re: diversity - I think I read the same Times article, a year or so ago. You can see it from the FOI Nonsuch stats I linked earlier - as of summer 2021, there's a very clear year-on-year trend for the number of 'Indian' pupils to increase, with the Times seemingly saying that it's common everywhere. Whether you view that as a good or bad thing or not is of course up to you.

Re: Graveney scores - with 254, I'd honestly be super-relaxed about getting in. As this year's results letter said, the highest entry August requirement there's been [in the last 4 years] is 248 and if anything there seems to be a very slight downward trend.

Original poster
fedem · 21/10/2021 14:29

@BumbledBee tahnk you I will DM you

OP posts:
Original poster
fedem · 21/10/2021 14:29

@LIZS yes, Wilson's the hardest - wak to train, train and bus
Sutton and WWAllington walk to train and walk to School#Gravemey, walk to bus stop and bus
Graveney feels abit more local as we are in Dulwich and it is in Tooting I know a few kids that would be on the same bus and live nearby. I cannot seem to find anyone from around here going to the Grammar sthough I am sure there will be plaenty of kids on the train.

OP posts:
Original poster
fedem · 21/10/2021 14:26

@puffyisgood my son got 254 on Wandsworth test so probably a good chance at least towards end of summer.
Unlikely schools are closed now, so no chance to hang around to watch the kids ( that would ahve been a good idea)
I emailed the grammar regarding diversity but they told me it will take about 20 days to get back to me on that matter ( passed the CAF) I read an article on the Times looking into how grammar schools are no longer diverse as one ethicity is now very dominant. I want to add also tha my son is mixed race and half from that specific ethnicity, so nothing controversial here I hope!

OP posts:
Original poster
fedem · 21/10/2021 14:14

@ChildOfFriday
Thank you, yes I know I don'tt get priorty for putting it up the list as schools will not know were in the CAF they are. Though I still have to choose which one to put first as the LA will give me that school if more than one offer comes through. Also , my understanding is that if I put a school further dow the list, my DS won't be in their waiting list f I receive an offer from a school higher in the list. I might be wrong in this. I just need insight into the schols ( that are all now closed for half term , so I cannot even emal/call) to understand which would be a better fit and put it first.

OP posts:
ChildOfFriday · 21/10/2021 13:11

@puffyisgood All that matters is the order you'd rank the schools in if you were guaranteed a place, and always include at least one school somewhere that you can be pretty sure of gaining a place. You don't need to consider risk as you don't risk losing a place for not putting a school first.

BumbledBee · 21/10/2021 13:10

I don't know Graveney but my DS is at Wilson's. He has a broad range of interests and the school nurtures these well. It is a fantastic school and I think their website represents them well: www.wilsons.school/co-curricular/sport/
DS is white and has a mixed group of very lovely friends.
Happy to answer questions if you want to PM me.
I agree that logistics/proximity are important - especially if your DS is sporty and will have match fixtures.

allycat4 · 21/10/2021 12:56

Hi - do you mind me asking what score he got?

LIZS · 21/10/2021 12:56

Also consider logistics of getting to and fro. Better to be in an area where a number do same trip and he can do after school activities easily,

puffyisgood · 21/10/2021 12:52

I think with something like this you need to first, in your own mind, decide what order you'd rank the schools in if you were guaranteed a place and then, secondly, ask someone in your primary school's SLT to give you tips on filling out the CAF.

The letter that comes with the WT should be reasonably clear about your chances of getting into Graveney - 250+ combined and you'll almost certainly be be in, eventually, below 245 and you're out, 245-249 is risky.

Your questions about 'geekiness' etc require some pretty subjective judgements. If you had both the time and inclination you could spend 10 minutes hanging round the school gates of the schools you're interested in at the start or end of the day, that'd probably tell you a lot of what you need to know.

If it's important to you, you could FOI the schools to get diversity numbers, if it's not already in their Ofsteds or diversity reports. Graveney is overall very diverse but it's selective stream [controversially - e.g. see www.instagram.com/graveneystoriesofracism/?hl=en] tends towards being much whiter. Some of the Sutton grammars seem to be tending towards being dominated by 2nd/3rd generation 'Indian' [including via Kenya/Tanzania/Uganda] kids, as per this FOI response for one of the girls' schools where the sisters of Wilsons etc kids go.

www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/diversity_statistics_for_nonsuch#incoming-1853468

Good luck.

ChildOfFriday · 21/10/2021 12:04

I don't know the schools concerned so I can't help with choosing, but I picked up on "neither of these offers are certain"- I just wanted to make sure that you were clear that you don't get priority for putting a school first or lose priority for putting it further down. There is an equal preference system so you should always list schools in your genuine order of preference, and there is no 'risk' involved in putting a school you're not sure you'll get an offer at first, as long as you include others where you're pretty sure you will somewhere on the form. Apologies if you were already clear on that!