Hardest decision of our lives

Dd goes to secondary next year.

It's the most awful decision.

She passed her grammar test but she has a good shot at a music scholarship at the local comp.

The music scholarship means she will play music all of the time and be learning another instrument. The music department is exemplary.

It is a local comp though and its gcse rates are obviously lower than the grammar. The school is rated as good by ofsted. We will have to take and pick her up from the comp as the bus links are rubbish. The grammar is one bus.

I know we are lucky but do we go for academia where music will be a side project or for a more music focused yet balanced approach and the issues that come with a large comp.

Dd is academic but at the same time not a prolific learner. She is not a huge reader. She likes to be a ten year old and mess with her hair and watch Tracey beaker. She is not your archetypal grammar pupil. The comp described the music scholar they wanted and it was my daughter .

The grammar seems like such an amazing opportunity though. :/