Tiffin girls / GHS

[Kpscher]

Hi. My husband and I are both full time working. I recently got a new job offer which has less flexibility than current job (more office days, less flexible working hours).

We have a DD in primary school and wound like to give our DD some choices of secondary school such as selected academic private or high achieved grammer school in the future.
Currently we’ve been sitting with her and letting her do some workbooks for 30 hours every day. But If take a new job, I will have far less time to do with her, and even jf she might start go to after school class like tutoring, I still need to sit with her, I think. Considering above, I can’t take an offer but I would definitely take it if I don’t have any children.

Now I’d like to know if here is any mum who’s being working full time with less flexible working hours (and partner/husband too) and their children got in the high achieved secondary school.

We are thinking GHS or Tiffin girls.

Thank you very much!

Why do you need to sit with her if you have a private tutor? I know quite a few young people who go to those schools. Some of their parents tutored them themselves but quite a few were paying for tutors 3 x weekly.

Im thinking about sending her the group lesson focusing on exams from year 3, which is not a tutor, so she will bring back homeworks. Then I think I need to sit with her when she’s doing homework. She’s year 1 at this moment.

How old is she? Does she want to study as that is a lot of extra hours? Let her enjoy other activities and become more self motivated. Do you need the job to pay fees?

She's 5/6?

She is year 1 at this moment and currently only 30 min workbook with us (she’s used to do now) and also doing a lot of sports/art activities. In a few years time she will start going to external school for exams, and if I take this job I won’t have much time to look after her hw etc compared to the current job.

@Kpscher , by the time your dd is in year 6 and ready to take her entrance exams private schools will be so incredibly expensive the cost will be the issue not passing the exam! The private sector is going to change massively in the next 5 years, let her enjoy her childhood.

Why not put her in a private school like GHS now if academics are so important to you? She should not need extra everyday yet, for an exam 5 years away.

Good point. Our preferences are grammar schools and we moved to the catchment area which is commutable to GHS by train from secondary but we have to drive during primary which is unrealistic as we both are working full time, so gave up though she got an offer.

Assuming you are in SW London that would be a crazy commute even at 11, but there are other private prep/through schools which might suit you while in a different job and remove your sense of need to do extra work with your dd yet. Do you have other children to consider?

You can live anywhere on the SW train line and easily access GHS at 11, eg Surbiton.
OP, you may be able to afford private fees in 5 years time but a lot of other people won't be able to, the competition for places will drop. If your dc got a place at 4+ she is doing fine and will be fine for 11+, as @LIZS says, if you are that concerned move her to a prep school at 7 (the prep schools in SW London are aways keen to admit pupils at any stage).

You don't need to start preparing for 11+ entrance in Y1. Not even for Tiffin or similar. Give it a few years and see if she seems like the sort of girl who would enjoy a school like that, and then think about a bit of tutoring to prepare for the exams. Starting in Y5 is absolutely fine.

We live in KT, and are not thinking about sending DD to private from 7+ as she really likes the current school.

Is there any mum who’s working full time with less flexibility whose DD or DS passed the exam of grammar schools or selected private schools ?

But you clearly think the current school is not challenging her.

What will you do if she doesn't want to go to GHS or Tiffin, or if all her friends go to non-grammar. Or she doesn't pass the entrance exam? It's good to have ambitions for your child but as she's currently in Yr1 you have no idea what she'll be doing in Yr6.

We always have a backup plan and moved the area which has good states as well. I’m not forcing her but always want to give her choices :)

Thank for your all your comments which helped me a lot!!

I never tutored my DD's at all, or did extra work with them, and certainly not in year 1. They were at a Prep, so the school did extra stuff with them, and advised whick schools to apply for. Both had offers from GHS, Tormead, St Cats etc

Which prep did she go?

It is possible to work full time and get your child to work on 11+ so long as you are wfh some days but I'd say the first year is difficult as you have to focus on a new job and be more present in office than you would otherwise. If you were to change jobs now or in the next 2-3 years you'll be ok. But when she's in year 4/5 it will be tricky to start a full on job.

Currently I go to the office twice a week I and if I take a new one I have to go 3 days a week. Plus I now have flexibility such as I can finish early, and do the rest after my DD goes to sleep etc. I don’t think the new one gives me that flexibility which makes me indecisive at this moment..