Help - what are my options for a pretty average child.

[JuneMyNameIsJune]

I'm in SE London. DS has had a rough ride at primary school with poor teaching and horrendous discipline problems throughout the whole of his primary years. IMO this has had a very negative impact on him personally and educationally.

His older siblings have attended highly selective independents and one is at a SS grammar school. However, I don't really think that he will pass for the indie his siblings attended and he is absolutely not cut out for grammar.

He's good at maths, not so great at english/writing (dyslexic), is really interested in science and very knowledgeable, plays piano for fun, not sporty.

So what are my options? I'm starting to despair.

Could you get to Sidcup? farringtons is a not hugely academic indie, as is Bishop Challenor in Bromley. Both excellent pastoral care, lots of clubs. Bishop challenor is less sporty.

Thanks for the reply. I think Farringtons would be an option but it is too far. I had considered Bishop Challoner and have looked at it previously a number of years ago. I don't really know anything about it.

His maths ability is sufficiently good to consider Whitgift, Trinity, St. Dunstans. It's the english/writing I'm concerned about plus the introduction of verbal reasoning which he will struggle with as he's dyslexic.

Any questions about Bishop Challoner I maybe able to answer. I have a dc starting in Sept and a niece there already. Pastoral care seems great.

Hi if he is dyslexic there may well be some accommodation in the entrance exams. It’s worth talking to the head of learning support at the schools you are interested in.
I believe Colfe’s and St Dunstans are a bit easier to get into than the Whitgift schools.
A different proposition would be Thames Christian College which is crested approved. Royal Russell may also be worth looking at.
Where abouts in SE London are you?

I'm close to Sydenham and Beckenham so St Dunstan's would be good, but I'm concerned about the changes to the entrance process. I understand everything is online and time pressured.

A good friend mentioned Royal Russell but I have no real experience of it. Also, Colfe's but the journeys to those schools are much longer. Any information on those schools would be great.

Although he's dyslexic it mainly affects his speed of processing and his spelling. Now he's older his reading is excellent and reads challenging and very much age-appropriate books. His maths is good/very good.

london1971 what made you choose Bishop Challoner? There are many things about the school that I like the sound of but IIRC it is much smaller than the other indies in the area.

Thanks all - I really want him to be in an environment where he will thrive as primary has been so awful.

I have a friend with dc at Bishop challenor and she likes it a lot. Catholic school, but they take children of all religious denominations and children don’t have to eg go to church service. Less academically selective apparently than Farmingtons, but their results are comparable, so probably score well on value add. But the number of clubs they run is high, they are very inclusive and pastoral care is a priority.

I like st Dunstan’s a lot. I worry whether DS would get in as ther3 is very high demand for places, and demand is rising. 100 places for year 7, 30-35 of which go to their own junior school children. So that leaves 65-70, split equally between boys and girls. So only 30odd places to external boys.

I also like colfes very much.

I was warned off royal Russell due to apparent high levels of bullying. It’s just what I was told, I cannot verify it.

I was coming on to suggest Colfe's and see someone else has done so too.

Sorry, only back online now and have seen your question. I chose mainly because I've had nieces and nephews go there in past years and always liked the pastoral care and that it is small. My daughter has settled well and yes there are many clubs to join. It's very local to us and also it was the one my daughter preferred and could see herself at.

@JuneMyNameIsJune Hi! Where did you decide to send your ds in the end?