TWGSB, Knole grammar stream or Trinity for Sevenoaks boys?

[chimera-ma]

I agree with you about the uncertain reliability of parental reports where there are no formal results to consider alongside, but it would still help to have some feedback, so thanks for your offer of help, Mystery.

[hempsteadlad]

[quote="mystery"]Ah - I'm not against a grammar school in any particular town but my own personal preference would be for it to work well alongside whatever already exists in the relevant area (not just that particular town) and be the best use of limited public funding at the time. Without clearer information I am not sure whether or not a Sevenoaks grammar school fits that - and I certainly don't think that a council should be spending £16m or so constructing a school building when there is no approval for a school to operate from inside it. It seemed at one time as though that was what was going to happen and I found that shocking. Also, again at a personal level, it would not be local for me nor many others who live in the Sevenoaks District so I have at times pointed out that I am not sure that the demand for it is as portrayed in the headline figures which assume that it would be the most local option for children who live in Sevenoaks District. Maybe from this you have assumed I am completely against it but that's not actually the case. If there's a good case for public money to be spent on it rather than something else and it's not to the major detriment of other schools, then fine.

I wish people would get their facts right. Sevenoaks District Council has never been responsible for Education, so you cannot criticise Sevenoaks District Council when education is zero to do with them! They may have used their voice to lobby Government, but it would not include the cost of building a school. Weald of Kent Grammar School is an Academy, funded directly by the Secretary of State - therefore any money for a new Campus will come from the Education Funding Agency and not Sevenoaks District Council.

[mystery]

I did not say anything about sevenoaks district council being responsible for education did I?

Yes, Weald is an academy but for some reason I think that there is kcc documentation, or newspaper reports suggesting that 16m or sonething was set aside by kcc, not EFA, for the building of the annex. Wracking my brains to think which document or article it was - but like you I thought it was odd. I could not even see why kcc would be involved at all with an annex for an academy in any way - even the "promotion" side of it.

I don't think EFA would fund the building before it's occupation had been approved and yet chimera - ma dug out a document a while ago where two councillors were proposing it would be low risk to go ahead and build the annex before central givernment approval of the annex.

[chimera-ma]

Yes, there has been consistent reporting of KCC funding the grammar annexe.

This position is confirmed in some of the planning documents on the KCC website, including most recently, the application mid-July to allow for a two phase development of the former Wildernesse site: Trinity first; grammar annexe second. (NB. The application still reads 'awaiting decision' despite the Trinity build being up and running.)

[Jonnyzap]

Hi,

I haven/t logged in in a while because my son went to secondary last year. Knew that the results were out today and wondered how it was going. I sent him to Knole and we couldn't be happier. He passed the 11plus, but we didn't want the travel and we like co-ed. He has a guarenteed place in the Grammar stream (incidently, no one in year 12 can have been in the grammar stream at Knole - the current year 10s were the first cohort - prior to that is was a straight high school with no children who passed the test.) We looked at the 6th form provision before we made our choice - they can do all 3 sciences at A level, as well as history, geography, maths, sociology, French, pyschology , English so no lack of academic choices.
So far we have been in for show and tell - we saw all his exercise books and his classrooms and it was great to see that he knew his away around and meet a few of his friends. Last night we were there for 'the big sing'. He got to play a duet in front of 240 people, which was great for his confidence.

We certainly have no regrets.

[chimera-ma]

Thank you for sharing that and how lovely that you were able to see your DS perform with confidence in front of so many people.

I'm taking DH along to a grammar stream open morning at Knole next week. (I went on my own last year and was impressed; DS had a taster day at the school before the summer and was enthusiastic.)

We're so relieved that our DS has passed the 11 plus. He got a moderately high score, but probably not super-selective. He's guaranteed a grammar stream place at Knole...It's just so difficult to decide on school preference order!

[mystery]

Oh well done and good luck with your choices. Someone has told me that French is not on offer in the current year 12 at Knole because there were insufficient pupils wishing to do it. But I don't think one should base choices in Year 7 on the 6th form provision as so much can change over time at any of these schools around here.

Did the cost of school transport change school preferences? From where I live it's quite costly to travel to the grammar schools and transport to Knole is free as it's the closest Kent school.

[chimera-ma]

Thanks, it's a great feeling this evening.

I'll investigate what's happening with French at Knole next week. I would hope that once the grammar stream reaches the Sixth Form, the take-up of French will increase.

Having only the one DC, transport costs are not so prohibitive for us; we are concerned, though, about the frequency and reliability of buses and trains. We have a 431x to the Tonbridge schools from the end of our road, but I suspect traffic delays are common; Trinity and Knole are short walking distance.

[mystery]

Yes, I can see that the local options would be fabulous for you. I am also wondering, in Knole's favour, if it now attracts a "brighter" (hate that word) cohort because of the free travel policy changes. From where I live transport to Knole would be completely free but to get to the grammars on the train is about £600 per annum.

I've just looked at the 2014 KS4 results on the DfE performance tables. The progress of the "higher achievers" (the 14% that were level 5 on entry) is not good at all. Do they have an explanation for this? That alone would really put me off the school unless they came up with a convincing explanation as to why that happened.

[chimera-ma]

Free v £600 for transport is an absurd contrast, isn't it!

I hear what you're saying about KS4 results at Knole. If there is supposed to be an enhanced and effective academic focus suited to progressing the grammar stream through to the Sixth Form, the quality of teaching available should be reflected in improved KS4 results more generally within the school. Or are their best teachers reserved for the grammar stream?

Yes, it needs exploring.