Is it worth to take risk and move happy child to more academic selective school?

[mayjune85]

Hi there,

Firstly we moved to UK/London 1 and half years ago. So we are still learning the UK education system.. My daughters are currently girls only school (GDST school) in South London. They are both in Junior school but my older one is currently year 4. We are so happy in our school and girls also receiving great feedbacks/reports from their teacher. In our school all kids are so settled and seemed happy but still majority of the parents will try 11+ for more academic schools like Putney- Wimbledon, High School, JAGS, City etc.. I really do not understand the reason because the kids will need to travel 1 hour twice a day if they get a offer and I checked those schools fees are more expensive than ours. When we moved here I wanted all-through school to avoid 11+ stress for my girls but at the moment all of the parents talks about which app, book, website or/and tutor they prefer for the 11+ assessments etc. Am I missing something? Is it really beneficial to be in more academic school for children here? For little bit better facilities or academic environment. Should I need to take risk and move happy and settled child? Also, I always wanted my daughters to be in same school, really want them to have memories together - my older daughter is so bright, self motivated kid so I believe she can have a offer from those schools but I am not sure if my younger one will be able to have an offer in the same school. Its sounds so stressful and nonsense to me but in the same time if my daughter will have better education of-course its worth to try.
Please share your ideas on this- especially those parents who changed schools only for academic reasons. I really want to know if it is beneficial.

Thank you

Meanwhile Putney and Wimbledon High is also GDST school too and as I know all GDST schools have same curriculum?

So when I think this I don’t see any reason to change school - Am I wrong?

I don't think all the GDST schools do have the same same curriculum (at least for the Senior schools) as they have different subjects on offer and sit different boards for some subjects at GCSE and A level.
Where are you in South London? I don't think I'd move a happy child.
Most girls at Wimbledon live on Wimbledon or SW London and not many at all will be travelling an hour to get there. Same with Putney.

Not London but we moved DS to a more academic school at 13+ entry as he was happy to try to get in. He had the option of staying where he was had he not gotten a place but it was a very successful move for him/us. He was always one that would conform to what others did so (for want of a better expression) would dumb himself down and not do homework in a more mixed ability environment. He then worked hard because they all did at the selective and did really well in gcses and A levels (and now at uni).

If your child is happy, self motivated and doing well I see no reason at all to move. Yes the schools you mention are good - but what is the school your child is currently at?
If it's a GDST school it is probably selective too. And really reputation is one thing, but it really is down to the student to put in the work.
My D applied to PHS for sixth form and didn't get in. She goes to FFSS (and commutes and hour to get there from Zone 3). She's on track to get A star A star B possibly A as she's very self motivated.

@mondaytosunday Yes it is selective but not like the other schools I mentioned above.

2022 GCSE results of our current school:
99% 9-4 (A-C), 71% 9-7(A-A), 43% 9-8 (A*).

Do you consider that mix-ability school?

That is definitely not mixed ability.

National rate is something like 73% 9-4, and twenty-something % 9-7.

We only looked at local state comprehensives (different area), and my test was "is there a whole set's-worth of students getting 8/9 in the core subjects?" If so, then the top set would be working towards the top grades, and what the rest were doing wasn't going to really affect DD, who was very able.

Stick with what you've got - it looks like they'll cater well for both daughters, without losing all that time travelling and the extra costs.

Some parents like the snob value of being able to say their DC go to x school.

In your case it sounds like moving for no better facilities, a long commute and to uproot a happy child would make no sense.

Basically you would be moving your child from a very academic school to an extremely academic school.

I would say don't do it if your dd would have to commute for an hour. If you are considering it, I would ask her first. She might not want to. We asked our dc if they wanted to do the 11+, as it takes a big commitment from them. Both wanted to. My dd just did it and my ds is now starting to prep for it. But they are in state school and their school going goes to year 6.

You don’t need to change school. Your current school is not mix-ability. All GDST schools are selective and they are all good schools.

Sara1984uk · Today 19:51
You don’t need to change school. Your current school is not mix-ability. All GDST schools are selective and they are all good schools

This is what I thought. If you are already in a GDST junior school, normally you would do their own 11+, then go to their own senior school.

Why not ask the Headteacher to be clear on this?

I’d be more put off by the hour commute, that’s ridiculous. If they’re happy leave them there, mental health and enjoyment of school is so important

I have read your post again and definitely think you should leave them as they are happy and getting on so well there.
They have already had the huge move of coming from abroad.

Just think of what they can do with two extra hours every day too!

Thank you all. We moved to UK recently so we don’t have enough experience about the UK schools - also we dont have local friends/family to get advice around us. So its more difficult for us to decide🤷🏻‍♀️

It sounds like she’s at Blackheath high school/ Colfes / St Dunstans.

I’d leave them if they are happy as they’ll likely to academically as well there as the other schools. If your elder daughter wants more stretch at some point she can decide to move for 6th form which is quite common.

OP What you are experiencing is the prep school bubble where some parents are hyper focused on “trading up” to a school higher in the league tables. Plus a few parents whose children haven’t had a wonderful time at the school and would like a change at 11.

If your girls are happy and you think the school is right for them, then I can’t see any reason to move them now. Maybe at 16, if they want a change or specific A levels the school doesn’t offer.

My DD attended Putney High Junior School. When the 11+ approached, the number of parents who were determined to get their DDs into ‘better’ schools was extraordinary. In fact there was really only one school they focussed on, which was St Paul’s Girls. You don’t have to get caught up in this frenzy.

@jeanne16 may I ask what you and your DD did amongst that frenzy? Did she not bother and stay?

I sent my dd to a more academically successful school rather than the local gdst and she has been really unhappy. The commute is an hour which I’m itself intent so bad but she has no local friends and I underestimated the need for that. She would have done as well academically at the gdst school.
however I would also say to you that if your gdst school has a separate juniors and seniors don’t assume they will be the same. My own gdst juniors was delightful but the seniors less so.
against that - if most of their friends are moving up that is a plus as well as avoiding the 11 plus madness!

Your children are both individuals, surely you send each child to the best school for them individually. This maybe different schools rather then the same school because they are different people with different needs.

I just ignored the frenzy and my DD stayed at Putney High Senior school, as in fact did most of the pupils in spite of the frenzy. It all worked out well and she was happy and did well. Not all the girls who moved did any better. One parent I knew felt the significantly higher fees plus long commute were definitely not it.

No idea how that Giphy got there

@jeanne16 I wonder if they did a lot prep for St Pauls? Because Putney High is great school but they don’t prepare kids for 11+?

They will have prepped for the 11+ as Putney don’t do any. However don’t expect everyone to be honest with you. Lots will say they are just giving it a go without doing any tutoring but I wouldn’t believe that in most cases. Some parents go a bit loopy in the process.

@jeanne16 ☺️👍🏻