Nottingham High School or Manchester Grammar School or Royal Grammar School Newcastle or King Edward's School Birmingham

[Lalagu]

My kid has received offers from these four schools for Year 7 in the upcoming year. I am wondering which school he should choose. Do you have any insightful ideas? Thanks!

i have talked with education expert, it seems if taking IB, my kid need to take French/Spain in exam which he never learn and may make him hard to take higher score and affect his chance to get medicine school

for AL, it is more easier to choose subjects for exam

Many children transfer at 11 with little or no mfl knowledge , so him not having learnt a European language yet is not a disadvantage as they will be taught from the beginning. Presumably he has mandarin or other language

This isn’t the case at all. Have a look at the grades at Nottingham High School. It’s very much academically selective and those that can’t keep up tend to leave.

It’s a very good school. I have had two children there from reception right through to sixth form. Most parents are doctors but there are lots of business people, lawyers etc too.

I would however say that if the property budget is £300-£400k you will struggle to find a house in a nice area. Nottingham is a smallish city and doesn’t have a China Town. However the school has a very good ethnic mix. The catchment area is very wide for the school which can mean you are forever operating a taxi service for your children.

Your son will study French at KES if he goes there; they start from scratch so it really doesn't matter if he hasn't studied it before. He'll have 5 years of teaching before IB, just like everyone else.

If it turns out he wants A Levels further down the line, several boys do leave KES to go to one of the KE grammar schools for A Levels, so that will be another option (and the grammar schools are free!).

As others have said, I don't think you'll find huge differences between these schools. A member of my family works at MGS and she isn't keen on the leadership there now, so she'd advise against. But I'm sure there are many families who are happy there and the results are good. You need to focus on where you want to live, because your son will get an excellent education at any of these schools.

Your education expert is misleading. Every child starting Year 7 in UK will start learning 1 to 3 foreign languages (Latin is mandatory for some grammar schools and I think KES/KEHS, plus 1 selected MFL from German, French, Spanish) . KES take GCSE (sames as all other schools) in Y11, therefore, no difference at all in MFL policy.

I've had family at Nottingham high. One person did extremely well and works in a global financial position. The other is floating around temporary admin jobs earning not much above minimum wage. That pretty much sums up the schooling system in the u.k. you get what you want out of it. i don't know much about the others exceptbRGS in Newcastle is a good rugby school as they always beat my child's school.

KES is restricted to take french/spain in IB and no mandarin is allowed

But does he already speak it? If so he could study then take it as an external candidate at gcse or beyond. But even with French and Spanish he can get up to the relevant IB level starting at 11.

Do the others offer Mandarin?

Nottingham doesn’t offer mandarin. Latin used to be compulsory from years 7-9 but no longer.

From KES website:

Whether taking a language as a beginner (at ab initio), at SL or exploring another culture and building towards fluency at HL, the IB courses have a level for all students.
We offer French, German, and Spanish to all levels, and the classical languages of Greek and Latin are available at both HL and SL.

Again, most of the UK kids (or HK kids in ESF Hong Kong) start learning Spanish/ French/ German/ Latin from year 7. So, there is no disadvantage for your children. Of course, if you think your son does not have any interest/ potential in MFL, or may have negative impact to the IB score, then it will be up to your decision.

yes my kid starts learning french in hk but not compulsory (even esf, just cca program, not mandatory to everyone, just one hr class per week)

in light of education expert, for AL, take 4 subjects to achieve A/A. If under IB, take 6 subjects to achieve 6/7, otherwise impossible to get medicine offer, if can get 6/7 in 6 subjects then it is more easier to take A/A* in AL as AL can choose your best subjects.

I am not defensive to french/spain, but if try to get A/A*, it sounds hard and per KES past record, most students got 4/5 marks also, so why KES IB average mark is 36-38. Many chinese take mandarin in IB and got higher marks.

I’m surprised you have offers from all 4. Are you sure? I know at least one of those schools is still in the middle of its admissions process and offers won’t be made for Y 7 for a little while yet. A family friend is applying there for her son for Y7.

I'm guessing op has applied as an overseas candidate, although obviously won't be by entry, which may lead to earlier offers and many independents will have released offers in past week or so, You do seem to be tying yourself up in knots unnecessarily over the language issue. Uni offers are made on predicted grades and for medicine you need relevant work experience and demonstrable interest as well. Not sure how reliable your expert really is. Your ds may change his mind on career anyway once he experiences life in UK.

I know that RGS Newcastle is much more diverse than the city or region as a whole. It also sends a lot of students to medical school each year, but that is probably true of the other schools on your list too!

Your expert doesn't sound well advised about A-levels. For medicine, it's definitely not "choose your best four" but "do STEM subjects."

Happy New Year @Lalagu

Newcastle and Manchester have colder weather.

Personally I love Newcastle as a city, but of Nottingham and Birmingham I much prefer Nottingham. Attractive city centre, historical areas, the benefit of the river etc.

恭喜發財

Manchester one has around 20+ pupils got medicine offer and KES is around the same numbers.
Nottingham is 10+ and no data for RGS.

So both MGS and KES are the best for medicine offer

Is that not relative to the size of intake though, and joiners into sixth form? There is often movement after gcse. It feels as if you are trying to use limited information to make the decision for you. What if he changes his mind and decides to pursue engineering, for example, or architecture, would it be equally good? You really need to look at the wider picture for your family unit over next seven years and balance every member's needs.

I have DC who went through RGS, so I know that you can find the Leavers' List in their annual report. Latest is here (page 54):
https://issuu.com/rgsnewcastle/docs/rgs_review_2023_webversion_aw

Looks like around 30 medics. You can see the other subjects too.

I agree with @LIZS that you really do need to look at the bigger picture.You will have a lot of new things to deal with so you really do need to think about where you think the whole family will find it easiest to settle. Obviously you want to make the right choice but you have already narrowed down excellent schools.

You can't be certain that a 10/11 year old ' wants to be a doctor'. That sounds like your ambition as much as his. Any of the 4 independent schools you're toying with will offer much more than a narrow focus on exams and careers. They're dealing with very very bright boys who often excel in many areas from sport to music, art, debating etc etc etc. KES are off timetable every Friday afternoon to pursue an unbelievably wide range of other activities. A top school is also about enriching the experience of pupils and showing them, and making them active participants in, a wider world. Opening their minds.

Comparing A Levels with IB isn't going to matter if your son is academically inclined. You may find that British independent education is different in style compared with your son's experience so far.