Merchant Taylor's boys secondary , Crosby.

[mummytomum]

Hi, does anyone have experience of Merchant Taylors. My son is due to start secondary school in 2011 and we are considering it as an option. It seems impressive from what we've seen at open days, but it is quite a distance to travel, and I am wondering is it REALLY worth going so far (and spending so much money !!)

It's got a very good reputation. I used to live in the next road.

Also meant to say that it's common for a lot of people to travel a long way there, often from Southport or remote bits of Lancashire near Ormskirk. If it is an option for you then I would take it.

My mum used to go to the girls' school but that was a little while ago .

How far would you be travelling to get there?

What about St Marys up the road or the one out in Scarisbrick - think it is called Scarisbrick Hall or Kingswood.

I know people who have been there (say left 10 years ago) and it is good and they do get the high pass rate at all exam levels, but I am led to believe that they do select the pupils with a high level of ability and have been known to encourage pupils to leave if they are not going to get the highest grades.

I would question why travel so far - is your DS very bright and in need of this level of tuition that would not be got in a school near where you live? Also consider that if you do live so far away how will he get to school and back - including dark evenings when been doing after school activities. His mates will all be spread about the area and you will be continually ferrying him around and about (probably no change there!)

Not related to OP, but this thread is making me feel very homesick!

We live about 12 miles away in Liverpool. I know what you mean about the taxi service, but I am more bothered about ds being isolated from his friends, as the catchment area is very wide. I haven't heard a great deal about the school, but I know it has a good reputation.

In terms of being isolated from friends, I can talk from my own experience of going to the girls' school and living in Southport (I guess about 10ish miles away).

I didn't see my friends as much as perhaps I would have done if I had gone to a local school, but still managed plenty of socialising when I wanted to. I travelled on the train to school every day, and that meant I was not phased by having to travel some distance to meet up with friends.

I do think the distance is a contributory factor in the fact that I don't really see many of my school friends any more - I left before the 6th form to go to a local 6th form college, so was distanced from them before the natural separation of uni etc.

Don't know what the school is like now, but it (and the girls' school) was pretty much the only decent private school in the area at the time I was there (80's).

HTH

The boys' school outperformed the girls' school at GCSE level this year. That is pretty impressive to say the least.