u/mach_apri

Hi all, just curious and requesting guidance or information or suggestions - parents whose children are not going to grammar school, what are you doing to help them achieve higher grades or to provide them an environment that is similar or better than grammar school?

I am aware that just going to grammar school in itself is not the guarantee of success for a child, this is me just trying to make sure what is the best way to support a child do best academically and also on other levels...such as engaging in a bit stretched curriculum via online platform such as atom, ixl etc or some activities outside school time but how do you put them in an environment that naturally encourages or inspire them to do better... particularly when school are not encouraging them enough or the kids around are not motivated.

I would appreciate any information that could be helpful...son has appeared for the 11+ last month for Hertfordshire and positive about good score but since we live outside of it's catchments(Bedfordshire) for those schools, and not really in position to move there, I am looking to see what are the alternatives that can be done to provide him opportunities to do better for GCSE and further.

Thank you all in advance for your suggestions 👍

Hello all, as per the title, torn between deciding to move to another area where there are grammar schools ( as where I live there are none) Vs the financial situation and expenses.

Child has sat the 11+ for Herts (Watford)this September, described it as he was confident to get a nice score and I think he probably would as he is generally quite good at studying and have been preparing well...and big dilemma is if it's worth moving. I am aware we may be a bit late as September is deadline for most areas in case someone is moving, but Herts allows genuine moves until late October and we have been in double minds on what to do...

Full picture -

Me and wife earn around 50k combined from employment, we also have some rental income on top form a property(we are still both on basic income tax rates)and have own house where we live which is mortgage free. I am also saving for uni costs in future for him, since last year £300 a month. On the face, it looks nice while we live at current place. Where we live though I won't describe it as a very good area, education wise schools are so so and the pupils come from mostly deprived families who are on benefits, council houses and not much family values... This is absolutely not to say all those are bad, but at least we have come across in the last few years of school are not so good

....so dealing with some bad behaviour and worried about the child being in contact with such children. So we would potentially like to move to Watford on rent initially at least.

The issue we are getting is when we put down the numbers on a paper for the expenses Vs our income, if we move,it doesnt really leave us with any spare money mostly due to high taxes and the diff in rent amount - renting out current home and get a rental house in Watford which worries me. We also don't know like how long we live on rent as schools etc will be for a few years, at least until uni. With the global situations changing at the blink of an eye, you don't know when you might start to struggle.

Financially, if we do t move, we are very safe and sound but am I blocking my child's future by not moving?

I take the risk and move but if I struggle it's not good either as then I would be worried about the family and wont necessarily be able to focus on child.

Want to get some suggestions if there is a way where we don't need to move but still get him good education he deserves.

I am sure there would be many families in same situation and would like to know what they opted for ( although I know this is very personal situation dependent so won't really be one answer for all, but any idea could be potentially worth it)

Any suggestions appreciated and thanks in advance for help.