Grammar schools - best value added

Related articles

• State boarding schools

  If you think your child would benefit from a boarding school education, but are put off by the high fees and consequent limited social mix of a typical independent boarding school, you may find that a state boarding school is the answer

• Finding a state grammar school

  Counties such as Kent or Buckinghamshire are ‘selective authorities’ and most families will have at least one grammar school close to where they live. Elsewhere, for example in Reading or Kingston-on-Thames, there are just one or two grammar schools and competition for places at these is ferocious. How to find a state grammar school Grammar schools are located in 36 English local authorities. Almost half of these are considered 'selective authorities' (eg Kent and Buckinghamshire), where around one in five local children are selected for grammar school entry based on ability. The others are areas such as Barnet or Kingston,…

• Sussing out boarding

  To board or not to board – is that the question? Traditionally, heartless British parents sent their little darlings off to school at 7 or 8 and didn’t give them another thought until it was time for university. Tom Brown’s schooldays? Go to the bottom of the class. Cold showers, initiation ceremonies and enforced runs are more or less a thing of the past.

• What type of boarding - full, weekly or flexi?

  If you’re reading this you’ve probably already decided that boarding might suit your son or daughter. If so the next step is to consider the arrangement that best suits your family. Unlike the old days, when youngsters were packed off to school at the age of 7 or 8 and didn’t see home again until the end of term, today’s boarding schools offer parents a choice of full boarding, weekly boarding, flexi boarding or even a combination of these. For instance, flexi boarders may wish to weekly board during exam times or become full boarders in the sixth form.  

• School interviews

  While state schools are prohibited from interviewing any but potential sixth form students, the interview is an integral part of nearly every private school admissions process, and tends to send the applicant’s parents, rather than the actual applicant, into a spin. Parents feel considerably more responsible for their child’s social presentation than for his or her ability to do long division or conjugate French verbs.

Subscribe for instant access to in-depth reviews, data and catchment:

☑ 30000 Independent, state and special schools in our parent friendly interactive directory.
☑ School exam results by subject and performance GCSE, Alevel or equivalent.
☑ Which schools pupils come from and go onto.
☑ Honest, opinionated and fearless independent reviews of more than 1200+ schools.
☑ Comprehensive catchment maps for English state schools inc. year of entry.
☑ School data comparison by A/B weighted, relative success and popularity.
☑ Compare schools by qualities and results.
☑ Independent tutor company reviews.

Try before you buy - The Charter School Southwark

For a limited time get one month's Good Schools Guide subscription free with any purchase of The Good Schools Guide to North or South London.

Your subscription will activate on checkout

 GSG Blog >    In the news >

Newsletter

Educational insight in your inbox. Sign up for our popular newsletters.

Perfect partners: Netmums and The Good Schools Guide

 

 

Email address

Sign up »