Where do pupils go after completing GCSEs at Huddersfield Grammar School

[Aimhigherstill]

Hi everyone

can someone please help. I’m looking into my LO education/path and wanting to make the right decisions about investing in private education which is a huge commitment.

can anyone advise where pupils who have completed their gcses at Huddersfield Grammar go to study A levels? Is there a preferred sixth form such as Crossley Heath or perhaps Greenhead College?

any advice or guidance would be really helpful.

thanks ever so much.

There are lots of college and sixth form options. Greenhead is known as the best currently but things can change in an instant. How old is your child?

As I said in the other thread it’s usually Greenhead or New College

My child is due to start reception but we are toing and froing about private school and whether it is worth the investment as it’s a commitment until 16. Also whether it will affect sixth form / college places. A-level results / private education could hinder university options especially as oxbridge are preferring state schools at the moment..

You have a long time to worry about all of that.
6th form places have never been an issue and all of my DDs friends from HGS have got reasonable offers from good Universities
If your child is due to start Reception in September then I would say unless you are very lucky or have a very un popular State Primary near you you won’t find an alternative at this stage.
I think that in a lot of cases Private Primary is unecessary, we considered it but got places for both of my 2 at a good local State Primary. They joined Private in Y7 and there was no knowledge gap and they fitted in well. In a lot of ways going to a large mixed Primary gave them an advantage over their peers who had been at the school since age 3 in some cases.
However, at this late stage I doubt you have a State alternative and HGS is an excellent school

The independent sector is still hugely over represented in Oxbridge admissions. I wouldn't worry about that.
Alison Pearson's recent story in the Telegraph was nonsense as the student mentioned didn't have the right A levels for the course mentioned

Did you come across The Times article - “The new Oxbridge trick — go private then switch to stateIt boosts your chances of getting in, so no wonder the wealthy are at it, says Helen Kirwan-Taylor”
here are a few excerpts-

“Yesterday it was reported that private school pupils are a third more likely to get into Cambridge if they move to a state sixth form.”

“full accounting of how many top private school children (with the best marks) were rejected for interviews at Oxford over the past eight years. Four times more it turns out. About 70 per cent of privately educated children we know were rejected by Oxbridge the first time. However, wait an academic year and those numbers seem to change. After a gap year or two many seem to be accepted on a second try.”

“One teenager she knows who got into Oxford, having been moved into the sixth form of a grammar school, was by no means a brilliant student. However, in his new state school he only had to worry about academics and extension work — favoured by Oxford dons when interviewing — rather than extracurricular.”

Quoting an oxford university student who studied in a state school - “Yet I’ve had conversations with those at sixth-form state schools who acquired extracurricular skills from their former private school. Within the JCR committee, public speaking came naturally to those who could fearlessly debate. My first “hust” in front of an audience was a wreck. Any kind of stand-up speech would have been seen as embarrassing at my old school, so I never took part. Those who went private before attending a selective or non-selective state-school sixth form still have this ingrained confidence. And they will probably always be able to write their essays a hundred times faster than me.”

I think it just can’t be denied that a private education propels you further..

@Hoppinggreen this is something I’m considering in particular. So LO would attend private from Year 7 onwards. But the fear is they just don’t fit in or feel overwhelmed not just in terms of educational ability but confidence. That time’s article reinstates what is so widely obvious- state schools rob our kids of confidence and that’s extremely tough to get back.

Some State schools do but it’s not a given - it certainly wasn’t the case for my 2.
Plenty of DC join HGS in Y7, in my DS friendship group of 7 only 2 were at the Prep
If you have a good State option available then why not use it - although as I said if they are due to start in September that’s very unlikely nowv

Highly unlikely anyone would get into a grammar school for A Level and not be brilliant. Universities use a range of information and aren't fooled by the 'trick' of moving. People who reapply from all backgrounds usually have much stronger applications and the advantage of knowing entrance exams and interview. Independent students are NOT at a disadvantage. Trying to game by moving school won't work. If they get the place after doing so that isn't why they got the place! That's not how this works.

I thought everyone knew about this 'trick' yrs ago and hence why Oxbridge look at where you did your GCSEs and not A'levels.

If there is a labour govt that puts 20% vat on school fees which is possible 7 years from now you might find a lot of private schools close so I wouldn't over think it.

Your child hasn't even started school yet and your thinking about Oxbridge. What if your child is decidedly average and not Up to Oxbridge. Or any university at all? That's on awful lot of pressure on a child trying to meet his parents expectations.

It’s my job to give him the option, then he can decide as and when. But why would i limit his chances..

I understand that and we all want our child to do the best they can but you can throw as many resources at a child as possible and they may still not be “oxbridge material” and who cares anyway?
DS has had exactly the same opportunities as DD and I very much doubt it’s an option for him

You’re worrying about something that will happen in 2037. Honestly, you’ve got a million bridges to cross before you get to that point.

Why do you say that (DS) is it because of his academic ability or is he just not interested? And absolutely that’s fine it’s his choice but imagine what DD is on her way to achieve and all the wonderful things she is capable of. Do you think she would accomplish those had she not had the same opportunities?

DS is probably as smart as DD but he doesnt like exams as much and is probably a bit too chilled out for his own good. We could have pushed him more but being happy and well balanced is more important to us than all A grades
DD is very academic and very different, she has chosen not to apply to Oxbridge despite encouragement from college because they don’t offer the course she wants. In some ways I wish she were more like her brother as with her ability has come other not so positive things.
They are at/went to Private school because the State Secondary option is not suitable for them and they are very fortunate we could make that choice but Private school isn’t the only route to achievement and Oxbridge isn’t the only measure either.
If your reason for choosing Private at 4 is to aim for Oxbridge then I think you should reconsider BUT as I said you are unlikely to have a State option at this stage.

@Hoppinggreen you say state school isn’t or wasnt suitable for them but apart from it not being good enough (in your opinion) because…you wanted them to achieve more/have a better school experience?…what other reason could there be for you to send them to a private school then? which btw is the same thing i want for my child. Creating an environment whereby he COULD attend oxbridge if he so pleases because he has the opportunity is not pushy. But robbing him of the opportunity would be ludicrous and selfish. I think if more parents thought the same way, the country would be leaps and bounds ahead actually.

No, I said THE State school we had available wasn’t suitable for them and sending a child to State isn’t robbing them of anything.
You sound a bit over the top to be honest and if your child does go to HGS you might want to tone it down a bit. It’s an excellent school for many reasons but it’s not an Oxbridge hot house (especially in Reception!!!) and if you go in with the same attitude you are showing on here both you and your child might find it tricky.
I appreciate you have dreams and ambitions for your child, that great, but as they grow up they will have ones of their own and they may not align with yours.
Good luck with whatever you decide

FFS neither Oxford nor Cambridge give a flying fuck about whether their students went to state or private school. They want very very bright articulate students who have the ability and motivation to think very very deeply about their subject, and work very very hard and are intensively focussed while they're there. Regardless of school type.

Like I said, as a Parent with almost 10 years of experience at HGS you might want to tone it down a bit

i think you spend too much time on mumsnet.

Enough to know what’s a personal attack and get it deleted.
I have actually tried to help you but you have been very rude and thankfully my child is not at Prep so I won’t have to deal with you IRL.
As for “the whole child is the whole point” - you are actually missing the whole point of what that means
I am sure your 4 year old will get into Oxford one day

No need to swear to make your point.
Actually, they do mind whether their applicants are from Private or state as they are trying to widen access and therefore keep a close eye on it during the admissions prpcess as they should do. Have you been under a rock?