halsea wrote:
Thanks all, my issue is out catchment school is Haybridge so she has a great state school which she can get to easily. I'm trying to get my head around what the grammars can offer that Haybridge can't?
Possibly not a lot if you're comparing Five Ways to Haybridge as both are co-ed. Some people are after single sex - we weren't particularly, but both our children are now in single sex schools and I can really see the benefits. From your area though, the single sex grammars are quite a trek so I'm assuming you wouldn't consider them?
Haybridge will always have a large number of high achievers so your daughter would have a good peer group there. Do they set/stream from day 1? I haven't visited Haybridge but I know their results are very good. I guess you need to look at GCSE results in detail and check numbers of A*s/8/9s.
I think in your case, you definitely need to visit both and ask lots of questions. Your daughter may prefer the feel/location of one over the other, or one may offer extra/different subjects. Do Five Ways still offer Latin? Our daughter at KEHS is enjoying Latin and has chosen it for GCSE but it's not everyone's cup of tea!
I had a colleague that chose Five Ways for her children despite being in Hagley and being RC so having a choice of two outstanding schools! So people must think it offers something different. It's just not as clear cut as it is for those of us with less impressive local schools!