10+ - stick or twist?

[mumintheeast]

DS has been offered a 10+ place at a school in south London. It looks lovely but is a good hour from our house. It's not a journey I'd enjoy myself so I'm not sure about inflicting it on a child.

He's desperate to go (partly to avoid doing 11+). Do I send him, or wait and put him in for a bunch of 11+ exams there's no guarantee he'll pass? Options for selective schools are fairly limited as we're not near that many. Moving isn't impossible but we're all very settled/happy where we live. What would you do?

It's a longish journey......................... but could it potentially be better next year if you apply to a wider range of schools? If so, perhaps wait, if not, then I'd take the place now.

Really difficult decision, but you seem to indicate that even if you wait for 11+ You don’t have many selective local schools options as they are still a distance away.

If it were me, I’d grab the place and not put child through the process again. Enjoy settling down with choice and forget about 11+

Think about why you applied. The journey time has not changed. Can he do it independently, what about matches, parents' evenings, concerts? Will it feel ok in the dark? If not you need to look at other options.

Thanks, this is really helpful. The school is Emanuel, btw, which I don't have that much knowledge of (applied on a bit of a whim because a friend's kid is happy there). I know it's not in the super-league of private schools (which I worry about slightly as the fees will be a massive stretch for us), but results seem to be improving.

I suppose one option is to send him there and then apply for 11+ anyway?

Could you move?

It's not impossible, but awkward as DS2 is autistic and it's taken forever to sort his provision, which we'd be upending by moving boroughs.

What would be your options for 11+ and how do they compare from a travel perspective and academically. Emanuel is rising academically. It is well thought of. I think there are quite a lot of local pupils but definitely attracting from further afield now. It is likely to be a good all round school but journey needs to be considered.

Emanuel is Clapham, so even though an hour away, public transport options will be good.

OP
I don't know if you made your choice yet as most schools have already had their acceptance deadlines.

Emmanuel is a great school. There is no longer a 'back up' school in London nowadays. 11+ is particularly hard with lots of competition. And it gets harder as the years go by. Clapham seems to particularly have a lot of DC going private school at senior school, so your DS did well.

One of my DC is currently at a South London school, where hundreds of DC connect at Clapham J. I was also afraid that at 10+ he was too young, and he travelled by school bus, but he quickly learned how to get to school on his own via public transport, especially in the summer and weekends.

Is your DS spending an hour on the train or school bus? If he is, could he read, catch up on work or with friends etc. as he travels? Is it possible that you can move him to quicker transport later on in the years when his workload gets heavier?