11+ schools Essex / Grammar - anyone have experience of boys grammar?

[ForestMum1]

Hi all lovely mums. My son is taking 11+ this year and so we are looking at these schools:
KEGS
Brentwood School
Westcliff for Boys
Southend for Boys
(outside chance of Colchester Grammar for boys)

Does anyone have recent experience of these schools? my son is intgelligent but dont want him having hours and hours of homework....he isnt mainstream sporty so concerned about rugby and football which is at most of them? also would like a school that has varied curriculum especially hands on science experiments etc...please help i feel like its a mindfield?! Thanks so much!

Mine went to SHSB and loved it. They aren’t sporty but quite a few of the boys there are. They scored highly enough to get into KEGS but the travel would have been daft when we live so close to Southend. Brentwood is private, isn’t it? Not part of the CSSE.

Where do you live-factoring in travel time is hugely important.

Thanks @Howshouldibehave we live near Billericay but i dont mind travelling/driving for the right school as i'll drop him or move ;o)

We considered all of those schools. Discounted KEGS due to distance from home (Grays).

Ended up choosing Brentwood and haven't regretted it. Facilities are campus are much nicer than the grammars. Son now in year 9 and enjoying his time there. He's not sporty either and does fencing rather than football.

He moans about the homework but to my eyes it seems a reasonable amount and nothing above average.

Should have mentioned that Brentwood has a separate entrance exam, not CSSE. Son took both as well as Kent test so had the pick of the schools.

I could have written howcouldI’s post - identical to my experience.

They are all good schools though. Go to the open days and see where your son feels at home.

(Brentwood being a different option altogether).