How are Grammar schools so much better than comprehensives if they get the same funding?

[Karma1387]

Me and my partner are in a situation where we are looking to relocate in order to move to a Grammar school area. This is going to involve us both having to find new jobs and coordinate a house move at the same time.

Some of my family disagree with our decision to move for the sake of grammar school and don't see how they can be better than a normal comprehensive school.

I am hoping some people on here will have some knowledge on how grammar schools achieve so much better than comprehensives?

Also anyone with experience with grammar schools they could share? From what I have read the class sizes aren't much different to comprehensives and they get the same funding. Is it literally just a case of because they do the 11+ they tend to only take on the more academically inclined kids. Does this translate to less bad behaviour etc compared to comprehensive schools?

The move is going to be stressful with us both trying to find new jobs plus moving further away from both our families I want it to be worth it! Our local comprehensive is awful for results and we want to give the kids the best opportunities.

Personally I would rather homeschool and fully keep them out of the school system but my partner is very against this and is determined we need to move to a grammar school area so any advise to aid our discussion would be amazing!

Are we being unreasonable to relocate for the possibility of grammar school?

You ever been outside London? Try a rough Northern comp and come back and chat like that 😂

We have no idea as eldest is only 2.

It might worth looking at the admissions policies of the schools that are out of your catchment area.
Due to low birth rates many schools are not full and have changed their admissions policies to attract more families and families out of area.
For example, our primary school has just added attending pre school and put it higher than location.

If you really do need to move to access higher quality school and could do that if you worked then it would be a no brainer for me.

Is being academic and good at school all due to how the child is born or is it due to hard work and dedication?

Yes house prices are a huge problem but thank you I will take a look!

I would be careful moving just for the grammar school, what if your kids don't get in. It's not always about passing the exam, my friends child did the exam for our local grammar, he did brilliant but still didn't get in because so many passed it went down to siblings at the school, proximity to the school etc he missed out due to this

Even in London. Take a look a Lister Comprehensive in Plaistow or oasis in Silver town. And there are no grammar schools bearby

A lot allow out of catchment but its a gamble on if you will get a place.

We couldnt really move until kids are at least at school so we don't have nursery costs but it could be worth applying for some good primarys out of area and dealing with the move further down the line if they get in.

They tend to be full of minorities, particularly Chinese, Indian, African and Bangladeshis kids, who are both naturally smarter than us and work harder. These groups, especially in these schools, can be a little more sociably conservative in thier late teens (e.g. less drinking).

Yeah, exactly. And I’d be interested to know where in London the pp lives. I doubt it’s in one of the shittier parts where the comps are rough as fuck.

@Karma1387 are you okay? Are there other things going on driving the fixation with this?

You are trying to plan the impossible.

Narrow it down to the factors you can control.

Other than schools, do you like your current area or do you want to move?

If you want to move, is Lincolnshire the right fit for you in terms of careers and lifestyle? Would you still choose it if the government did away with grammar schools tomorrow?

If the answer to all of that is yes then find somewhere with a nice primary school that offers what you are looking for.

Talking about home schooling kids who are still toddlers is mental.

As is moving purely on the basis of grammars. It will put an unbearable pressure on your kids to focus an entire move and the next decade on this.

They are subject to the same Ofsted inspections etc. they can't just get rid of kids

No. Our incredibly bright eldest went to a grammar school she hated it, everything about it. Only stayed 8 months before transferring into our local comp.

She was bright, so she did well regardless.

Grammar schools might not even still exist in 9 years time so I agree that you are thinking too far ahead. As a PP said, Bishops Stortford is a good bet as the schools are very good even though they are non selective.

Totally agree with every word of this.

When my son was 2 I never imagined I'd be taking him to church. But he decided for himself that he wants to go to catholic secondary school so that's exactly what I'm doing. You can't look at a toddler and see the future, life changes.

It all boils down to this really. It's not popular but it's true. I distinctly remember my Dad telling me - aged 10 - that he wasn't pushing the 11+ for the education I would receive but the types of children I would be in class with, and he was right. Bad behaviour and bullying was extremely rare, and the majority of my classmates had a genuine interest in learning. Our parents relocated from Cambridgeshire to Lincolnshire for us to have a Grammar education (and for cheaper housing!)

DD10 is due to start at our local Grammar in September along with seven of her year six classmates, all of whom are the type who genuinely enjoy school, listen to their teacher, and don't get into trouble. The kids who are getting told off for having their phones out in class, fighting outside the school gates and arguing with the teacher are going to the local comp. Shockingly.

I am okay thank you for asking! 37 weeks pregnant and a massive overthinker.

We hate where we live currently. Takes forever to drive anywhere. Other half has an almost hour commute for a less than 25 mile journey with no traffic. We have no desire to live in licolnshire besides its a cheaper area with grammar schools. If grammar school wasnt on the cards we wouldn't move there.

We have to apply for DS school place next year so I feel a lot of pressure to make a decision and move where we want to be so he doesn't have to change schools.

Both my DCs went to Kent grammar schools ( DS was super selective). The schools were incredibly socially homogeneous ( basically the children of doctors, laywers, high ranking police officers, diplomats, bankers e.t.s) So almost without exception dual income University educated professionals. So highly invested and interested in their children's education. Parent's evenings were packed out people carried IPADs or note books to record the consultation. As PP has said they had tests under exam conditions for a week every summer from yr 7. The boys worked at least a year ahead finishing all the curriculum before February half term in their GCSE year. I would describe the wnviromemt as high support, high challenge, I will never forget the yr8 parent's evening being told that 68% just wasn't good enough.

This is crackers. Your eldest child is only 2. You have no idea how they will perform academically at school. You might have a couple of average-ability kids on your hands, as many of us do, despite being rocky smart ourselves. Then what?

My niece and nephew both recently left Kent grammar schools. There dad doesn't have a single GCSE and mum works in a hotel as a cleaner

Hence the post. Primary school applications are next year so I want to make a decision on where we need to move to before then so he doesn't have to change schools.

Sorry if you've already answered but why would he have to change primary schools?

If we say put him in one of the local primarys we would have to move to a different area for either a good comprehensive or a grammar school.

I think you’re way over thinking this!

My little ones go to our local primary, we’re quite rural and the school is part of a ‘federation’ sharing resources and specialist teachers.

Reception is more learning through play before starting the more formal education. Most primaries are like that.

And we have no more than 22 in the busiest class, and all classes have TAs as well.