DD is in Y5 and we live in a grammar area. She wants to take the 11+ in September so we are working with her to help her, and ensure she has the same opportunities as her elder brother. She isn't as "academic" as her brother, she finds learning new things a challenge, especially maths, and her spelling is not good. She is however, good at literacy and off the scale good at NVR. She's fairly quiet and values her female friendships greatly. She's also quite musical, plays three instruments and is in two bands.
I'm not sure grammar is right for her, even if she did manage to pass the test. I'm not sure she'd keep up. I do think a girls only environment would suit her much better, she has a strong preference for girls only environments and always has. Grammars are all single sex.
The non selective options are tricky. The closest academy is mixed and recently reviewed by OFSTED as RI. I've visited it three times and dislike it intensely. Her primary friends who don't pass will mostly go here.
The other academy I'd have to drive her to each day, which I don't really want to do as I want to work longer hours once she's at secondary. It's mixed and its OFSTED is good, as are its exam results, for a non selective.
My favoured option is a girls only non selective. Good Ofsted, good exam results, nice feeling, can see DD fitting in there. Problems are that its not close - it's either a 50 minute bus ride or two trains and a long walk - and she wouldn't know anyone else going there. For this reason she's very, very anti it.
Private not an option.
WWYD?