Moving from independent to grammar in Y8.

[schoolfloosie]

My DD is in Y8 at a decent independent school (one of the best in our county). She has a music scholarship and an academic scholarship which together total 40% of the fees. Academically she is doing well but musically she is coasting - she barely does any instrument practice and because it's not cool to look like you're enjoying chapel choir she hardly opens her mouth to sing during services.

She had a place at a super selective grammar which we declined in favour of her current school mainly because of the quality of the music provision. I'm starting to think that we made a mistake. Is it too late to change things? We are not loaded so even 60% of the fees means we have to extend the amount of our mortgage regularly. I have called the grammar school and they have a waiting list for places should they arise.

Should I go ahead and apply? She doesn't have any really good friends although she is happy at school and enjoys school work and sports. Both schools are equidistant from our home (20 miles away).

Another alternative is our local 'good' comp (starts at y9) but I have worked there and there are some downsides mainly to do with a percentage of the cohort not being interested in school. At her previous state school DD underachieved (although not massively) mainly due to lack of motivation. She now likes doing homework!

All advice greatly received, thanks .

I have called the grammar school and they have a waiting list for places should they arise.

You should check, very carefully, whether the offer of a place in Y7, which you turned down, translates to being able to make an in-year application in Y8 without taking an additional exam. It's up to the school, because their criteria for in-year admission can different to Y7, but if (for example) three places came up, and six people took the in-year test, and your daughter was awarded one of the places without taking the in-year test, I can imagine that would be ripe for appeal by the parents of the child that scored third in the in-year test.

Friday, you are right, she would have to take a test but in theory she could get a place if one came up and she was successful.

No harm in looking at the grammar, but realistically how often do year 8 places come up? It is very rare at our local grammar schools.

My dd is at a grammar school and places regularly come up, only 2 or 3 a year but they have each year. She's yr 10 now which is a bit blummin late to change!
Girls have moved counties, countries, gone boarding and one went into care

Any thoughts on whether or not to go for the comp?

Depends

They're not true comps on my grammar area so, I don't know.

If the comp starts at yr 9, where do they go first?

Middle school for years 5-8. Comp is in an area where there are no grammars but is not outstanding.

DH thinks it's a bit too late to change our minds now. DD's 'problem' is that she can get by in lessons on doing little practice but I'm pretty sure she won't be able to ace any exams that she might take. DH reckons it'll do her good to fail - seems like a bit of an expensive and time consuming (for us) experiment to me.