Location of grammar schools with no catchment areas

[CrazyMaizie]

Hello,

We are reviewing our options for returning to the UK in a few years. We are not tied to any place and so technically could move anywhere. I would like to ensure good schooling. Is there a list anywhere of grammar schools that do not have catchment areas? I would like to be able to apply from overseas then, if a place is offered, move to that area. Is that even possible? We've been looking at private schools but realise in England a grammar school might fit the bill instead!

How about looking at non-grammar school areas where all the secondary schols are pretty good? I'm thinking perhaps Winchester or Chandler's Ford, or Lymington in Hampshire- I go there a fair amount for work and from what I hear the schools are excellent - Kings', Westgate, Thornden, Priestlands. These happen to be some lovely places to live too, although expensive. These places also have excellent sixth form colleges whose A level results are on a par with top private schools.

The problem with grammar areas can be (not always) that if your child doesn't pass then the alternatives are not great. Even very bright children, who are top of the class in primary, or have been heavily tutored, sometimes don't pass - they have an off day or whatever. So it will be a big gamble for you to move to one of these areas. I have friends in these places and the stress and anguish caused every year by the 11+ is immense. For parents and children. I'd be inclined to avoid that if I were you and I really could move anywhere.

Look at Ripon Grammar as you are liking Yorkshire. Also in the north (but not Yorks, obviously), Lancaster Grammar. Both have excellent reputations locally and further afield as both take a few boarders. No idea about catchment areas - sorry

I would back Claudia up in asking
Why Grammar?
Why do you want all of that stress when you could buy a house in an area with high performing comps and relax ...

Blu Many many good schools are comps anyway.

They would likely need to have a local address to apply for a comp. especially if it is a particularly good one which is oversubsribed, which the better performing ones tend to be.

The one problem the OP may have is that admissions criteria are reviewed regularly. As they are looking a couple of years ahead they may find that in the time it takes for them to identify the school they prefer and prepare their DC, the school may have introduced a catchment area which will then prevent them from applying.

Each school will have it's own exam format which may require a DC to cover a lot of material in order to stand the best chance of getting the score they need. If they are looking to prepare for more than 1 SS in order to maximise their chances, OP may find the amount of prep. work required is quite substantial.

Comps do not have entrance exams.
That is why they are comps.
They tend to have catchments,

but if you buy a house in Winchester the choices are Westgate, Kings, Henry Beaufort, Perins and then Symonds for dessert
not exactly a rough deal really

I can tell you about North London:
Queen Elizabeth Barnet (Boys) Henrietta Barnet (Girls) - no catchment
Parmiters - catchment but maybe 3 or 4 places outside catchment. You'd need full marks to get in.
Latymer - catchment

Dame Alice Owen - catchment
Watford Boys school - catchment

Full list of grammars here:
grammar list

Often a child is categorised as "bright" pre-teens when actually they are just more developmentally advanced. The other kids will catch up with their achievements when they mature a bit - but having had to work a bit harder, they have better study habits and are less complacent.

I think grammar schools are great at countering this and are certainly showing my "bright" child: yes, you have talents but there are so many other good people, so you need to work hard and keep your feet on the ground.

mellicauli The SW Herts consortium Schools are not Grammar Schools, they are Comps. They are 10% - 35% selective depending on whether you are applying for academic, music, technology or sport. As they are only semi-selective the majority of places are allocated to LAC, SEN, Children of Staff, distance, sibling or cross sibling. St Clement Danes offers up to 10% academic non catchment places though.

Love that list melli
Shame it thinks Salisbury is in Devon

Parmiters (i.e. SW Herts Consortium) = 52 academic places, 20 music places, 20 proximity and the rest siblings. For academic places you have to sit 11+. The exam was the same as QE Boys, so that's more grammar than not grammar to me!

The point is there are a few places for out of catchment which you will be if you apply from abroad for OP. To be honest, Parmiters is fine school but I think our local comprehensive is just as good and more conveniently situated.

mellicauli - The exam was the same as QE Boys Really? So QE Barnet, a SS, has the same exam as the SW Herts semi-selectives?

"George - no they don't. Our local ones don't have any catchment areas - the pupils with the highest 150 scores get in. End of."
How does that work? Surely more that 150 get full marks and then distance criteria kick in?

BertrandRussell - Surely more that 150 get full marks and then distance criteria kick in? I very much doubt that as many as 150 would get full marks in an 11 plus exam for a SS. Even if they did, there is no guarantee that they would all put the school on their CAF.

I would be very surprised if there are superselectives that do not have to use distance criteria. Happy to be proved wrong of course.

Bertand My presumption is that they make the test papers so challenging, that nobody does get full marks, but yes, people do travel quite a way and no, there's no distance criteria.

BertrandRussell I think the distance tie breaker comes into play as the scores go down the scale with bigger clusters around the mid range.

For a SS It is highly unlikely that the entire intake would consist of children who had scored 100%.

In short, if the OPs DC scores 100% it is quite possible that they could get a place at a SS whilst living abroad.

Colyton's catchment is 35 miles side to side
and the buses cost a fortune
catchment are not just on distance

FWIW DDs 6th form college the bus is over £600 a year : non selective has its limits

talkin DD's is £830

Ouch.

Skegness grammar and horncastle are sometimes undersubscribed. I know when we were trying to find dd a school space skegness and horncastle both had spaces after the national offers day.

Skegness : how many ex pats locate to there

OP said she could move anywhere.

I would have a look at Trafford. You do not need to be in catchment for the test but distance will come into it when places are allocated in the spring. In the autumn you sit the test and are told whether you've passed of not then wait for allocation in the spring.

It's also a fantastic place to live although some areas are very expensive. Everything you could want in your doorstep. We lived in Wilmslow until recently. Not quite in Trafford but same general area. We've lived all over the UK with kids and it was def one of the best in terms of what it offered families. We're now down south in the sticks and it's not a patch on Cheshire or Edinburgh where we lived before Cheshire.

The way to ensure good schooling is to pick an area where there is a cluster of good schools.

So if you are going for grammar areas, surely you must also check that the related secondary moderns are also good?

I agree with those above who have suggested moving to an area with a collection of good comps. Then whatever the academic capability your DCs turn out to have, they will be properly catered for. (And without the unnecessary stress of 11+).

CrazyMaizie, I have pm'd you.

"it is quite possible that they could get a place at a SS whilst living abroad"

Only if they can persuade a council to accept the application in the first place. And I don't think that's likely from overseas.