Indie or Grammar for secondary?

[tyrofoible]

Can someone give their inputs based on experience regarding choosing the secondary school between top independent and top grammar school in the country for our DC. While we have considered all the factors like distance, academic results etc. that seems the same, we are confused to choose between the two in regards with their value in building them as a character for their career and life

Our DC have got offers from top indie and grammar school. We are totally confused which one to choose. While of course finance is a factor, we are happy to stretch to send DC to an indie if it is going to be worth for their life/career. Comparing both schools' league table clearly they both seem to be the same academically. Our DC is not sporty, although plays sports outside of the current school. Is it a right choice to choose sending our DC to a grammar over indie from a Prep?

DC did spend KS1 at a state school and then moved to Prep for KS2. However, seeing both state and Preps getting tutored for 11+ and 13+ entry, we were feeling there is not much difference at the end (although Preps were giving the edge over state in many ways, at the end for 11+ and 13+ entrance tutoring was needed as like any state school children prepared and got entry into these schools).

Our dilemma is what are the reasons we should consider in sending DC to a indie at 11+/13+ over the grammar? OR are we safe to assume that irrespective of these at GCSE and A levels they will be looking out for tutors irrespective of the top school sector they are in?

One of these top grammar schools' parent mentioned :
1) Their DC and their friends got tutored at GCSE and A level to get the top grades to enter their choice of Uni (with Oxbridge only considering academic results and other related activities but not on extra curriculars).
2) Extra curriculars - like sports are also very good at these grammar and they even compete with these top indies in sports competitions etc. every year and so sending them indie is entirely financially unjustifiable and is better invested elsewhere for DC's future
3) If-at-all there is anything extra that would be missing for the DC, it can be served through case by case basis, like sending them for Lamda sessions,trips etc.
4) There is no any difference when they again end up together at Uni/career.
5) A top Indie schooler not ending up in Oxbridge/Russel group feels inferior among their non-indie peers due to their higher number of peers in their cohort admissions come from non-indie sector.

Whilst we can't verify their points mentioned, we took the information with a pinch of salt. But, something makes us feel that indie might provide much better than a grammar - cultural diversity?, networking?, holistic all-roundedness?, but how much would it be of use at school level? Are we wrong in considering most of these factors such as networking are builtup at Uni level and later part of career?

Seems the comparison of Prep vs State Primary is not the same as Indie vs Grammar. Can someone help us with information on their experience in sending their DC to indie over grammar outlining the benefits over the other and if they have done with their schools then, how sending them to that sector (indie/grammar) of school made a difference in their Uni/career? Or with the recent Oxbridge admission changes (indie's Oxbridge admissions percentage getting lower year on year) is the high fees payable to indie is not much justifiable with a top grammar school which could get the same academic outcome with slightly less miscellaneous facilities compensat'able from outside resources?

I can’t really help as we’re at the beginning of secondary but had similar choice.

Also we moved from state sector and felt that state primary had been fine. Yes different to prep, which we had used for other dc, but in terms of outcome state dc still did well. Plus we didn’t load with tutoring just past papers and online practise for a month.

It was a hard decision but in the end it was harder to turn down the independent.

Interested to see what others say who are further on in journey.

I think you can only compare specific individual schools - and children.

What may be a good choice for one child with one school, may be completely wrong for another child.

I think you need to think about the experience your child may have over the next 5-7 years - it's not all down to academics. As you say, there is little difference there.

What is the ethos of the school? How do they approach learning? What extras are there? Are there specialist facilities/clubs etc that would be of particular interest to your child? Are there particular subjects on offer that your child would be interested in? What are the main sports - which are compulsory and what others are offered? What are the choices at GSCE - how many are compulsory and what is left to choose? If you are considering staying for A level, what choices are available? How does the 6th form operate. What are the entrance requirements for the indy - most do not have automatic progression?

I think you can only compare specific individual schools - and children.

I agree with this too. Sometimes people ask about specific schools and describe their dc, but you may not feel comfortable saying which schools they are.

To me you’ve answered most of these questions already yourself! Save yourself the cash and use it to help DC onto to the property market. As an ex v expensive Private school pupil (admittedly yonks ago), the much mooted ‘networking’ and ‘added benefits’ are a load of hogwash really - my accent doesn’t always do me any favours at a professional level in my sector, no ex school chum does me professional favours and I’ve forgotten all my Latin. At best, I’ve stayed in some nice houses and been to some great parties. You’ll probably find the parents at the Indie are in the same demographic well off bracket as the Grammar kids - they certainly are around here.

I agree with the above. Based on similar threads I have seen, you are likely to get a lot of responses focused on Indie vs Grammar - mainly people saying what they chose and that they are happy they did - which may not be very relevant or helpful.

@tyrofoible

Can someone give their inputs based on experience regarding choosing the secondary school between top independent and top grammar school in the country for our DC. While we have considered all the factors like distance, academic results etc. that seems the same, we are confused to choose between the two in regards with their value in building them as a character for their career and life

Our DC have got offers from top indie and grammar school. We are totally confused which one to choose. While of course finance is a factor, we are happy to stretch to send DC to an indie if it is going to be worth for their life/career. Comparing both schools' league table clearly they both seem to be the same academically. Our DC is not sporty, although plays sports outside of the current school. Is it a right choice to choose sending our DC to a grammar over indie from a Prep?

DC did spend KS1 at a state school and then moved to Prep for KS2. However, seeing both state and Preps getting tutored for 11+ and 13+ entry, we were feeling there is not much difference at the end (although Preps were giving the edge over state in many ways, at the end for 11+ and 13+ entrance tutoring was needed as like any state school children prepared and got entry into these schools).

Our dilemma is what are the reasons we should consider in sending DC to a indie at 11+/13+ over the grammar? OR are we safe to assume that irrespective of these at GCSE and A levels they will be looking out for tutors irrespective of the top school sector they are in?

One of these top grammar schools' parent mentioned :
1) Their DC and their friends got tutored at GCSE and A level to get the top grades to enter their choice of Uni (with Oxbridge only considering academic results and other related activities but not on extra curriculars).
2) Extra curriculars - like sports are also very good at these grammar and they even compete with these top indies in sports competitions etc. every year and so sending them indie is entirely financially unjustifiable and is better invested elsewhere for DC's future
3) If-at-all there is anything extra that would be missing for the DC, it can be served through case by case basis, like sending them for Lamda sessions,trips etc.
4) There is no any difference when they again end up together at Uni/career.
5) A top Indie schooler not ending up in Oxbridge/Russel group feels inferior among their non-indie peers due to their higher number of peers in their cohort admissions come from non-indie sector.

Whilst we can't verify their points mentioned, we took the information with a pinch of salt. But, something makes us feel that indie might provide much better than a grammar - cultural diversity?, networking?, holistic all-roundedness?, but how much would it be of use at school level? Are we wrong in considering most of these factors such as networking are builtup at Uni level and later part of career?

Seems the comparison of Prep vs State Primary is not the same as Indie vs Grammar. Can someone help us with information on their experience in sending their DC to indie over grammar outlining the benefits over the other and if they have done with their schools then, how sending them to that sector (indie/grammar) of school made a difference in their Uni/career? Or with the recent Oxbridge admission changes (indie's Oxbridge admissions percentage getting lower year on year) is the high fees payable to indie is not much justifiable with a top grammar school which could get the same academic outcome with slightly less miscellaneous facilities compensat'able from outside resources?

Hi which one you end up choosing as we are also in same dilemma and what you mentioned are all our concerns as well. Our choice is between QE vs West.