Grammar school Year 8 - please help!

[cupandhandle]

Hi All

Looking for some advice and help. My DD is 12, would be going into Year 8 in September but hasn't had the best starts. We were living abroad as a family when she was in Year 7 and when we came back to the UK, she started at a terrible local state school (think one of the worst in the county, if not country!) as no other good schools in the area (the only decent one was full). I felt I had no option but to pull her out as things were so bad with bullying and everything else. The local authority didn't care less.

I'm completely at a loss now. My mum has been home schooling her since May as I have had to work (single parent) but I can tell she's getting fed up and bad tension is already rising. Ironically, considering there are bad state schools where I live, there are plenty of independent schools here - which unfortunately I can't afford. I have found an excellent grammar school -not too far away. I know DD would need to sit an entrance exam - the school is highly regarded and selective of course.

As most take the entrance exam for a Year 7 entry - does anyone have any experience of making a transfer to a grammar school after Year 7? Can these entrance exams be taken at any time? - For example, can DD just sit the exam and wait for a place at this grammar school, or another one?

I'm willing to move if I have to...probably my only option at this point if all else fails...

TIA x

There are waiting lists for selective grammar schools. People are waiting for years with futile results as hardly anybody resigns...

Maybe in some counties that there are grammars that are not so competitive there is no waiting list but is that your local grammar?

You really are down to what you have around you unless you move. Then it is also about the space, if there is a space for your child.

You can always consider private school

Do any of the private schools offer bursaries? That may be a possibility if your daughter is clever. However, it is going to be harder as there will be fewer available (and fewer spaces) going into Y8.

Otherwise, your best bet is probably to identify an area with plenty of good schools and move as close to the one you like best as you can. I say plenty of schools, because if the one you like has no spaces, at least you stand a chance of being placed in a decent school albeit further away.

The grammar school (like all state schools) must have the details of its in-year admissions policy on its website.

However, as others have pointed out, in many grammar schools, places only become available very rarely.

However, there is nothing to stop you applying, and going through the appeal process, should your DD be assessed as qualified for a place, but no place available. But the success rate for grammar school appeals, unfortunately, tends to be very low.

But you can also apply for and appeal if necessary, a place at any school - have you remained on the Continuing Interest list for the more acceptable school, if it holds one? (And ?appealed?). Tbh if you all feel that your DD really needs to be in school rather than home educated, especially with the GCSE years looming, you may have to reconsider the 'not so acceptable' options (applying and appealing if necessary).as well.

Sorry to hear about all your bad experiences.

As other PP have said check the in-year admissions info for the schools you are targeting. In my area places at grammar schools come up very rarely and the competition for that place is often worse than the Y7 entry in that there is one place and many are trying for it. Yes a test is required, usually those who have expressed interest are invited to sit the test when a place comes up.. At DD’s grammar only one place came up in her year group in three years and they only do entrance at the start of an academic year for Y8 and Y9, after that GCSE syllabus has started so they don’t accept new joiners after then. Other grammars may do it differently.

Moving may not guarantee a better school place as you may find yourself in the same position, near good schools but no places. Check the oversubscription criteria for any school you are keen on, often it is distance to the school in which case being next door can massively help. I have known some who live half a mile from a school go down the waiting list as others move closer to the school.

Other options are online schools, with meeting up with other local home educated families for friendship opportunities. Also is there a UTC near you? They often start Y9 or Y10 so may be an option, some UTCs are great, others dire. A friend’s DD didn’t get on with regular school but thrived at a UTC. Sixth form entry to schools is then mostly less about distance but about results and more options may open up including sixth form at the grammar school.

Just as an FYI, wherever you move, the good schools will likely be full- one option is to appeal for a place in a school that you think may be suitable. There's lots of advice on here. You could also do that in your local area if home schooling is no longer working.

I'm sure if you contact the grammar school, someone will be able to advise about the admissions process and chances of a place. It may have a waiting list, but waiting lists are run according to criteria, not time, so you could end up near the top- and again, it could be possible to appeal for a place.