Grammar or Local State School

[Beachmummy23]

DD has always been academic and finds school work fairly easy (boring). We need to shortly start thinking about secondary schools as we will have to move. There are two options, one is the local secondary school which her current school feeds into but we live out of catchment for. The other option is to try for the local grammar school which might stretch her further academically. In our area very few children try for the grammar and none of her close friends will be trying.

We are torn between trying her for the grammar and seeing if she gets in. We would then move closer to that school, or alternatively moving sooner and trying to get into the catchment for the local school where her friends will be? Has anyone got any experience of this? I just want her to be happy wherever she goes.

Thank you

Go to their open days, see what your DD thinks (assuming she's a reasonably sensible child!).

Don't put much weight on what her friends are doing - even if they end up at the same school chances are they'll be dispersed among the classes and they'll form new friendships.

Fwiw we're not in a grammar school area but DD did the test for the girls' GS in the next town and did well enough to get a 'residual place' - she really wanted to go and so was happy to put up with the early start and bus ride. She absolutely thrived there, it suited her very well. That's one child and one school - they're all different.

>DD has always been academic and finds school work fairly easy (boring).

What is her final year report like? Which year is she in?

What is the name of the local grammar? Not all grammars are great s

We are in Devon so few options for Grammar schools. She has just finished year 3 and has always achieved greater standard. This year her end of year cat scores were 133 for English and 130 for maths.

It is a bit early to make a firm decision as it is only end of year 3 and a lot can change.

Please check if the grammar have catchment and what catchment you are for state schools.

Just good scores don't mean that a particular school would be good for her.

Is that Plymouth, torbay or colyton grammar. But as other have said quite early to start thinking about it for now