Grammar schools

[zookeeper]

I have realised that I know nothing about education or our education system.

what's so great about grammar schools? Does everyone have to pass the 11 plus to get in? Or can you just live near to one. does the schools itself organise the 11 plus and hopeful applicants just turn up? Should I be thinking about moving nearer to one?
Ds is only 5 but his school seems so mediocre and the teachers so cynical I would hate him to end up in a similar secondary school, which has got me thinking about the future.

Honestly, I'm so ignorant I'm embarrassed to ask in RL.

Very few parts of the country still have an 11+ system. The ones that do exist are very competitive. You have to pass an exam, and in some cases also live as close as possible to the school. The preparations/applications start in year 5 so you've got plenty of time to find out about the local options.

The 11plus still exists where I live (Kent) and children have to pass 11+ early in Year 6 (so as mentioned preparations have to start in Year 5) and then also live near to the Grammar school that they are hoping to get into.
Our primary school organises the 11+ and advises parents as to whether child should take the exam.

thank you both

Also be aware that some grammar schools are private schools, not state schools - so your child would have to sit an exam to get into a selective grammar school AND you would have to pay school fees - don't assume that a school near you with 'grammar' in the title is a state school, iyswim.

I had assumed that - thanks

List of grammar schools here.

zookeeper - if you want to learn about schools, go to Open Days - even of schools that you are not particularly considering. I do this here in Paris, and I have also been to the Open Day of my old grammar school in Kent.

You get lots of well-presented information and can start building a picture of what's available based on much more reliable data than word-of-mouth - though WOM can be a useful supplement.