Secondary school dilemma! Really need help/opinions please!

[Spicenflavour]

Hi,
I have been reading past threads on this forum and doing my own research and thinking but I feel I could use some experienced opinions and advice. Please help with whatever you all may feel is relevant.
We live in Woking. DS is in year 4 at a state primary school. He is very bright and very sporty too. Our situation is like this - we are a middle class family so can either send DS to an independent school OR spend the money on a house and move for a state secondary school. Hubby travels to East croydon for work so that is one consideration too. My main questions are as follows -

1. Our preferred independent schools are Reeds and RGS Guildford. Realistically how easy or difficult is it to get into them? Are there any specific things that I should be aware of with regards to admission into these schools?
2. Based on the commute to East croydon which are the state secondary schools that are very good and offer good sports activities?
3. I believe the independent school exams are usually taken in the January after the start of year 6 so does that mean that if DS does not get offered a place in the independent schools then our only option will be a local secondary and nothing else?

Any advice or opinions are welcome. Am finding this whole process quite overwhelming and going a bit bonkers

@Spicenflavour private tutor and lots of work at home is how I have done it for my three kids from state school. I do not have experience with groups but maybe it works if kids are at the same level, have similar gaps, etc

We tried some group 11+ tuition for DS (also at a state primary) and were under-impressed. It was poorly targeted to students' needs and parents had to do a lot of the marking and monitoring progress.

We also had a little private tuition for his weaker subject in the run-up to the exams, which was much more effective and DS found it more enjoyable. I'd say it probably worked out as better value for money than the group tuition.

Hoe Bridge has just said that it's going to open a secondary school (to 16) from the year after next so that might be worth a look? I'm not trying to market it in case anyone wonders, I just saw it on a local group.

@gogohm

Unless Croydon has done a 180 in term of quality of education, I wouldn't touch there state schools with a barge pole - I had a terrible education as did my family at various schools, my cousins still live there and none of their kid's completed sixth form, 2 didn't take GCSEs even

Christ,

Why is it ex-locals or whatever bash Croydon the loudest? We moved to South Croydon, both of us are from Hertfordshire born and bred. True we send our daughter to the excellent private girls school Old Palace Whitgift, Croydon has now at least some excellent state schools. Coloma Convent Girls is in the top 100 of the country, I would have gladly sent DD there but we didn't know the area and listened to idiots who said Croydon only had the Whitgift schools (Which is simply not true- as it turns out) There's also Riddlesdown, which is outstanding and the brand new Coombe wood , just up the road from my DD's prep school looks amazing, and our neighbour sings it praises. That's not even to mention the Harris Academies all over the borough that all rate highly and achieve great results.

How someone can dismiss a massive borough that covers such a huge range of neighbourhoods is beyond me....

@musicathome76 thanks for that input. I somehow had the impression that the tuition classes was the best way forward but will also consider private tutors now. I would gladly buy books and do it myself but DS is too distracted when doing studies with me and I think he will listen more and do it seriously with a tutor!

@NeverEnoughCake2 thank you. DS is quite comfortable in Maths and English but will need a lot of help with verbal and NV reasoning for sure so I think I need to start hunting for a good private tutor and get him started in year 5

@GU24Mum Thank you for that info. Although I don't know if I can put my faith in a brand new school?!

Coming back late to this.

I’d say the privates are even more set on achieving good grades than the grammars, or equally as bad. Not unusually for those in private who are dragging down the grades will be “asked” to leave with very little regard for a well rounded child/their mental health. Private schools are very competitive businesses!

I have one son at RGS and one at Reeds. Both went from state primaries. Live in a similar area to you. Feel free to send me a message. Happy to fill you in!

@Goingoutout123 have sent you a message

@Boombastic22 I really did not know so thanks for pointing that out! I will have a long, hard think about it all.

@Spicenflavour it was like that at my very competitive private school in the 90s and if even worse now. Is your child bright and robust? Pick the school carefully.

If you're seriously considering state schools around East Croydon you should also take a look at that side of Bromley as it's not very far. Some excellent comprehensive options there which offer a well rounded education and lots of sports.

@Boombastic22 he is definitely bright. Don't know yet about robust as primary is quite a protected environment anyway! But yes, I do realise now that I will have to pick very carefully.

@ebino546 Thank you for that input. I have no idea of that area! Please could you recommend any schools and I can check them out?

@Spicenflavour based on your description of your son I’d say Langley Boys would probably be the best fit as it’s close to the Croydon border, has a longstanding reputation for high academic standards and a fantastic sports offering. Other nearby options include Hayes, Harris Beckenham and Eden Park High. Most Bromley comps are pretty decent as it’s not a mainstream grammar area like Kent or Bexley. The super-selective grammars and out of borough grammar places are still (just about) accessible by bus/coach and there are also a fair few independents nearby, but what I mean is that its the minority rather than the majority using them. If you look online (gov.uk or a website like Rightmove or locrating you can see the local state secondary options). Catchments are pretty tight though so you just need to be a bit careful with house location if you’re set on a particular school. Bromley Council’s website is a good source too.

@ebino546 thank you for recommending those options. I will have a look at them too.

Nothing to add to the OP’s question I’m afraid but just wanted to defend schools in Croydon. As others have said, there are many highly rated and great schools in the borough and don’t think they can be blamed for the previous poster (and everyone in his/her family) not getting a decent education.

If you are looking to apply to RGS, then your child is academic enough for Grammar schools and I'll be looking at that too. If you let Mumsnetters tell it, then all Academic Grammar schools are hothouses whilst Academic Privates are all rounders which we all know could not be further away from the truth. There are plenty of sports and other activities available at Grammar schools too you only have to take a quick look yourself. Now this might not match what is available at many Private schools but that is to be expected as whilst one is free, the other cost £20,000+ yearly.

[quote Spicenflavour]@ebino546 thank you for recommending those options. I will have a look at them too.[/quote]
You're welcome. I hope you manage to figure things out.

@Spicenflavour my DS went to the same primary as @Lonestar123 (he's 2nd Form now). V happy to share tips if you'd like to DM me. For me, it was important to understand if the schools we were looking at were the right ones for DS, so I took him to do CAT tests with a tutor.

Reed's intake was 60 (the year DS did his entrance exams), 600 did the exams. RGS have 6 tutor groups of 20-25, 400 did the exam in the hall, that year, with more doing it in global locations (Hong Kong, Bermuda amongst other places)

That is a hideous statistic about Reeds @Pyrfwondering...sounds even more competitive than RGS!!! :)

@Elij00 I appreciate your input and thank you. I do realise that grammar could be an option but I think I am trying to weigh the options for us as a family not just the school aspect. We don't have any grammar schools in the vicinity which means for applying to a grammar school we would have to be prepared to move (more likely at short notice) and totally uproot ourselves. I am not too sure I want to do that hence the thought into independent schools.

@Pyrfwondering goodness me! what a statistic for Reeds!! Thank you for offering to help and I will definitely send you a message