Hi everyone,
My daughters are curently in state school and we want to move them independent school because we want to avoid 11+ stress. DD1 is 9 years old and DD2 is 6 years old at the moment. We applied few independent schools; Dt Dunstans, Blackheath High, Eltham College and Colfes. They didnt sit on Colfes exam yet as addmisison team told us that they will let us know if there will be space around end of March. I searched a lot from online, read reviews and attended all open days of these schools but its hard for us to decide because I need to find right school for my 2 daughters in the same time.
School 1 St Dunstans :
My 2 daughters got an offer from this school. School is about 40-45 mins drive away from our house. We liked the facilities and new junior building but I feel like it will be headage to drive there twice in a day. So not sure if it is worth it. But they can both travel with school bus with addtional cost. The advantage of this school for us is the juniors and seniors building is the same ground so when our DD1 moves to senior they will still be in the same building. This advantages of this school is becaus of the long journey I will need to pay school bus for both of them at least for 5 years.
GCSE 2022 results: A* 23%, 49% 9/8
School 2 Blackheath High:
Both of my daughters also got offer from this school. Its about 8-10 mins drive from our house. We always wanted single sex school for our daughters in secondary stage, also our daughters liked the armoshere of the school when they did taster day. But not sure as they are still in primary. This advantages of this school is there is no swimming pool and their field is not on site. But one of the staff in the school told me that girls still have swimming lessons and clubs. My daughters already attends private swimming lesson in the weekends and they are good swimmers so thats not a big deal, maybe?
The advantage of this school is I work in the city so when I travel back home I can pick up my daughters easily as Blackheath Station is 5 mins away from the school. And there are so many buses that we can use to get home or even we can walk (18-20mins).
GCSE results: A*%34, %70 9/8
School 3 Eltham College:
my DD2 got an offer for year 3 from this school but DD1 didnt have chance to sit on assesment. This school recently became coed in 2020, it eas boys only school before that time. The school is 20 mins drive from our house and no alternative bus or train route. If I sent my DD2 to this school I need to arrange school bus for one of my girls which is a extra cost for us. Because this school is in different direction then other 2 schools. Also fees are little bit higher than School 1 and 2 but we can still afford if it is worth to go. This school is more selective as entry point is 7+ and so they are slighly better in league tables.
However it is a bit risky for us because I dont know if my DD1 will be able to get an offer in 11+ also if she is happy where she is I dont want to change her school even if she has an offer.
GCSE results 2022: %37 A*, %66 9/8
I would like to know what is the first thing I need to consider, distance, journey, academic results, single sex school/mixed school? And also what is your opnions/feedback about the school bus for primary school students?
WWYD?
Many thanks!!