help and advice re; secondary school choice

[Purplerainbow1]

My DD has been offered a place at a very reputable independent girls school and also at Sale Grammar School. Obviously we are very proud of her and she says she wants to go to the independent girls school. However, we are also thinking about the cost and I have heard that Sale Grammar is also a really good school. Does anyone else have any experience of sending their kids to Sale Grammar? Any advice much appreciated!

No direct experience but never heard anything bad. What a dilema! For me having 2DC cost would be an issue and I prefer coed but it's a big achievement getting in (assume WGS or MHSG)

Tricky choice. No direct knowledge of the schools but we had the grammar / inde choice esp with dd1 who got a scholarship.

Depends on money to an extent doesn't it - how tight would you be to afford it? If she has a good state choice then you'd be bonkers to run the rest of the family short eg re holidays etc to pay the fees.... Do you have other DC? Could you pay for them too?

Are there reasons why this child would do better at inde? Specifically how is her self esteem / self confidence? IMHO grammars at tough for the lower ability kids ( who are actually still v bright but not as bright as their peers) and could easily crush a delicate flower who us " always last" ....my feeling would be if self confidence is an issue the inde would probably be better - smaller classes etc but also that academically a child who gets into a grammar is going to be nearer the top at the inde ( because the super bright kids are at the grammar on the whole).

Hope that makes sense and is of some help.... Sounds like a good choice to have anyway!

(We chose the grammar as was pretty clear the child was v able aND the tie in to 6th form was too much too, as well as the cost).

If it's one of the two top Manchester girls schools, I assume she must be very bright and academic to get a place. Would she prefer local friends or not bothered?

Thanks for the advice cartoonsaveme and Theas18. She is very bright and is top of her class in primary, is taking the higher level sats, and confident but as with most kids is a little nervous about the step to high school, understandably. The inde girls school she has been offered a place at is WGS. Still not sure yet, its definitely a dilemma but I think I agree with the fact that sending her to the grammar will save us a lot of money in the long run, we are already paying for DS who attends inde, and eldest is hoping to go off to uni next Sept! I think one of the big issues for DD is that none of her friends are going to the grammar, but I have explained to her that in the majority of cases kids end up making new friends when they go to high school and don't hang out with their primary school friends as much. Unfortunately she can't see this as all her friends and DD are very aware this is their last year together so are closer than ever.

Are any going to WGS.? It's so true about children making new friends. Would she prefer to be closer to her new friends in high school e.g walk to school. Does she prefer the idea of all girls? Very tough one