Choosing A State Grammar School

Entry to top performing state grammar schools is more competitive than ever and forward planning is essential.

You will need to think about revision, tuition, a back-up plan, even moving house....

Results are good; grammar schools regularly top state school league tables with results not too far adrift of those in the independent sector... but considering their selectiveness and middle class bias, some do not perform as well as many, less selective, independent schools.

Why are Grammar Schools more popular than ever?

It's not just parents from the state sector who are flexing their muscles, much of the increase is attributed to the credit-crunch and escalating fees at independent schools. For those hitting on hard times, grammar schools are an ideal and free alternative to expensive independent fee-paying schools.

With this in mind, not only do you need to start your search for the ideal school as early as possible but you need to add a tutor to your shopping basket too. 'A little extra-help' is now de rigueur even for the brightest spark; not just in the 3R's but in VR and NVR too. Don't however, expect friends to share tuition secrets; it's their child they want to pass the 11+ not yours!

What's in a name?

A cautionary note: state grammar schools are free to those who pass muster at selection but some former state grammar schools are now independent. They have retained 'grammar' in their school name but they are fee-paying and academically selective just like other high-flying independents. Examples are Bristol Grammar School and Manchester Grammar School. So do check that any 'grammar' of interest is indeed a state grammar school, else there may be more than the gas bill landing on your mat. Equally there are a number of grammar schools such as Dr Challoners High School where the name gives no hint that the school is indeed a gramma school.

When selection isn't the whole picture - Partially selective and bilateral schools

Partially selective secondary schools select a percentage of their intake based on published criteria such as general ability, music, languages or sport. There are only a handful of such schools but, if you live within commuting distance and, your 11 year old has a talent it may be worth applying for a selective place rather than under general admission rules. In addition, a number of bilateral schools exist. These are partially selective schools with both a 'grammar school' level intake and a comprehensive stream (and tend to be found in the less densely populated areas within authorities where grammar schools still exist). Unlike wholly selective grammar schools, if too few pupils meet the selection criteria the places must be offerred to other youngsters. Partial seection usually operates in one of two ways, either pupils are ranked and those who achieve the highest grades (order of merit) are selected or a pre-determined 'pass-mark' is allocated and published selection criteria applied to all those who pass.

A borderline child who might not make the grade?

Even if you live in a wholly selective area it can be difficult to decide whether to put your child through the stress of an examination and set them up to potentially fail at such a young age but, if you don't try you don't get. However, a borderline child may struggle if all others flew through the test - so do consider your child's personality and esteem. Tutoring can help but think before investing heavily in tutors or cramming your child to push them through, if they really aren't up to it - they may hate being bottom of the pile. On the otherhand, if your child has missed out on education because of eg illness (theirs or their teacher's) it may be worth the push.

You shouldn't waste a place if your child isn't cut out for a selective school as The Schools Admissions Code of Practice states schools should take all reasonable steps to inform parents of the outcome of any tests prior to the admissions deadline (usually the last day in October for the year prior to entry) . This removeshe anxiety of wasting a valuable preference if your child doesn't make the cut but does not guarantee then a place if they do.

Missing the test deadline

A state grammar or state slective school cannot refuse to admit a chlld just because they missed the entrance test for selective places but admissions rules do apply so it is not a route we recommend.

Why choose a state grammar school education?

Reasons to be cheerful:

Full of eager (mainly middle-class), bright young things whose parents will push, in extremis, to ensure they prosper.
Foster a good work ethic, in and out of the classroom.
Crowd control and police presence are unusual; except perhaps on entrance exam days.
Bed and board may be on offer (for a small additional fee).
Results are good; grammar schools regularly top state school league tables and they're not usually too far adrift of independent sector rivals.
Orchestras, choirs, sports, chess... Expect to find a profusion of extra-curricular activities and events.
No school on Saturdays.
Discussion, debate and work beyond the curriculum is encouraged and expected.
Experienced at securing Oxbridge and Russell Group university places. But don't expect university bias...that's reserved for their under-performing, under-privileged brethren.
Increasingly popular and socially acceptable - expect an approbatory nod at dinner parties
Their very existence gets politicians hot under the collar and provides broadsheets with copious column inches on slow news days!

Why not?

Reasons to steer clear:

The extra tuition, to sally through eleven plus exams, can prove an expensive gamble; though educationally and financially worthwhile if you hit the jackpot.
Expect to find a plethora of pushy, middle class parents, rather than a true representation of society.
Large classes, 30+ the norm, especially in younger years.
Frayed fixtures and fittings - they often have much less money spent on them, by local authorities, than other state schools.
Constrained by The National Curriculum; but watch this space...
Some perform less well than less-selective, independent schools.
No Saturday school (though some have optional weekend activities).
Complaints (from some) that extra-curricular activities are aimed only at those who excel. Teams for the elite expected but run-outs for the eager, elusive.
Demoralising, for those who just scrape through, to be constantly bottom of the pile or constantly spoon-fed and forced through a battery of exams..
Soul destroying for those who don’t get a foot in the door. Unless the process is very carefully handled, they can spend future years riddled with guilt and foreboding.
Separates families; less able siblings can’t share the spoils.
Universities do not grant grammar schools ‘state-school bias’ when deciding which candidate, with straight A*s, to admit.
Only one in five education authorities have them.
Limited availability can make for an exceptionally long commute.
House price premiums may make fee-paying schools a surprisingly more attractive, less expensive proposition.

Selective Grammar Schools Reviewed In The Good Schools Guide

Grammar School data

We review a number of state grammar and selective schools in The Good Schools Guide. Reviews, together with indepth data and statistics including the ability to compare English state grammar schools (whether or not they are reviewed by us), are available to subscribers*. The data includes information on value added, examination results at GCSE and A-level, subjects that are popular and done well; university courses and destinations; the primary schools that pupils attended; Ofsted performance; pupil-teacher ratio; trends and more.

* An introductory subscription costs just £9.99 for one-month's full access. An annual subscription costs the equivalent of £3.25 a month when purchased as an annual subscription for £39

Revision and tuition - top tips

A little tuition, to understand the type and nature of the questions, can go a long way.

Grammar school education Don't over-do it, but do encourage and applaud.

If your child needs a gentle nudge, or even an almighty shove, consider either hiring a tutor or opting for a bit of DIY.

Don't force-feed your child every last scrap of information, it isn't going to work. Even if they make it through the exam they are likely to struggle and will gain little from a system, designed to educate high-achievers.

Do check-out the Tutors & Tutoring section of The Good Schools Guide, before you track down a tutor. We review a number of tutor companies, tell you what to expect and importantly, warn against the pit-falls.

Take a look at our on-line bookstore, we sell a range of excellent revision guides and have a great selection of verbal and non-verbal reasoning study books - perfect for the 11+ and ideal, whether you decide you want to 'go it alone' or bring in a professional tutor.

The Good Schools Guide - Can you afford not to read it?

Authoritative, sought-after, truthful...

Try before you buy

The Good Schools Guide 2012

Click on the links below to read the FULL Good Schools Guide review or buy now from our on-line store.

Ripon Grammar School, Ripon Grammar is a state school for boys and girls. Takes boarders.

Demand for boarding places (14 available a year) outstrips supply, especially post-GCSE. An unashamedly academic school, expemplifying much of the traditional English grammar school tradition, though certainly not an exam factory; even so, those with an IQ of lower than 120 could eventually find the pace too hot.

Discover all the inside information including:

What the head is really like.
How to get in - and where pupils go on to when they leave.
What's really on offer; both in and out of the classroom.
The facilities, frippery and finery to be found - or not!
The atmosphere - who will the school REALLY suit?
The funding you'll need and the financial health of the school.
Our opinion - what parents think, what we've uncovered...

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Subscribers to The Good Schools guide can examine:

School performance data* for KS2, GCSE and A-level
Value-added data* .Does the school make a difference to all pupils or just some?
University information*. Details of which universities pupils go on to and what they study.
And, for English state schools, make sure you make the right move by examining catchment area data and seeing which schools pupils come from and which schools they move on to.

*We indicate on a school's page here data is available. We do not have data for schools outside of England.