Would you move your child to a more academic school with a longer commute?

32 replies

confusedmamaof3 · 23/09/2025 10:48

Hello,

I would like to ask for your advice on whether it is worth considering more academic schools such as City of London, Alleyn’s, LEH, or Westminister for secondary education.

My daughter is very academic — she is consistently at the top of her year group, and her GL Assessment results are always above 135 in both Maths and English. She also loves art and drama. She is currently in an all-through selective school, but the academic results there are not as strong as those of the schools I mentioned above.

Her current school is only a 10-minute drive away. However, if she were to move, she would need to leave home around an hour earlier each morning.

Do you think an academically gifted child thrives better and is stretched more in a highly academic environment?
Or is it more beneficial for her to remain in her current school, where she is in the top set and can enjoy the motivation of being ahead?

Thank you in advance 🙏🏻.

OP posts:

TheNightingalesStarling · 23/09/2025 13:22

What extra would she gain from these schools? For example... the current school just teaches French and Spanish, but the potential school teaches those plus German, Latin and Russian, which she is potentially interested in. Or offers further maths GCSE. Or whatever she is potentially interested in.

Your DD will be the one doing the commute... if she's able to get Straight 9s/As at her current school, it will be the extras that make it worth while.

Opposing that, a shorter commute could give more time for out of school activities. Its a balance.

Octavia64 · 23/09/2025 13:19

Some kids get very anxious in that kind of environment.

we deliberately did not choose a school like that for my DD as we didn’t think she’d cope well with the pressure.

you need to think about her personality as well.

QuiteAJourney · 23/09/2025 13:15

You talk about leaving home about 1 hour earlier every morning - that would mean another extra hour in the afternoon. 2 hours extra per day is a lot, especially as she gets into GCSE years. Plus less friends likely to be close by.
Is the difference very marked? Is there any other more academic school closer by but more manageable in terms of distance?

SixSeven · 23/09/2025 11:17

I think no, your daughter will do well wherever she goes with the right amount of encouragement at home and the option of tutoring if you get worried. In my experience teachers at her current school are likely to push her if she’ll get good results (for them as well as her!).

squeaver · 23/09/2025 11:17

Where do you live?

Original poster

confusedmamaof3 · 23/09/2025 11:14

@HawaiiWake
Thank you. If we are applying to other schools, and our daughter’s attendance may drop slightly since most of these schools have Stage 2–3 assessments, open days, and other events. Do you think it would be bad for my child if we told her current school that she is trying for other 11+ schools? She may be eligible for a scholarship at her current school, but they often mention being “committed to joining their senior school.

OP posts:

HawaiiWake · 23/09/2025 10:57

Apply and see if you get any offers. They are all very different schools and some have bus services and others have good transport options. What year is she in now? Go to open days with her and see if the school fits your DC. Brand names are not the main focus and some of these schools have families that tutor their child on top of school work. Check GCSEs options and A levels options, again there may be huge differences in subjects. Some schools only top set do Further Maths to get 9, others allow more kids to try and may get 6/7/8 but it is ok.

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