WOK annexe, how will it work?

[mystery]

Well I don't live in tn13 but have similar thoughts at times. Uncle Bob is happy though and Mr s Shillng. It is valiant though to be a guinea pig so I should be pleased.

[chimera-ma]

There were certainly sounds of jubilation and promises of lubrication in parts of Sevenoaks late afternoon, but I understand your concerns, JJ123 and Mystery, and I'm sure reactions are polarised.

Thanks for your good wishes for my DC's school allocation, JJ123, and good luck with your 2nd DD's path to 2017 entry. Fingers crossed that she will be able to secure a place at the main campus.

Mystery: I'll keep an eye on KCC agenda items re: build costs and let you know if I come across anything.

[mystery]

Yes, good luck with it all. If an annex being built is affecting your decision I have a new factor to add to your list of points to take into account when selecting - that that kent will pay for it and build it but Weald will never occupy it.


Don't get me wrong - everyone wants a range of ideal schools on the doorstep from which to choose the right one for each of their children and I would wish for that as much as anyone. But I am not sure how practical it all is.

Kent Online is reporting that a condition of approval is that all children have to be on the main site once a week. Maybe in the first year 120 children from each site can swap bus and rail passes once a week!

[JJ123]

Yes i saw that too, it was reported on the local news. Attendance of "Sevenoaks" girls at Tonbridge site once a week. So all the fuss about children travelling a long distance (it isn't my kids love their bus journey) and they still have to do it every week.

Stranger and stranger. Am at the open morning for Weald today, hopefully we'll get some information on application for each site.

[chimera-ma]

I imagine there will be movement between sites by minibus for sports activities one afternoon per week.

[mystery]

Sevenoaks versus tonbridge matches perhaps?

[NellHunter]

We went to the open day this morning. The Head mentioned the annex very briefly in her talk. She said that 2016 entry would be 8 forms and 2017 would be 9 forms, 3 based at the annex (I think that was what was said, anyway). That was about it, other than to say more information would be given to parents applying for 2017 at the relevant open evenings. There was no information about how teachers etc would be split or move between sites.

I also had a quick chat with one of the admissions people afterwards, as we are quite a long way outside of Tonbridge and wouldn't have considered a school in Sevenoaks. She told me we were in a good position applying for 2016 as there would be no teaching of any year groups below the 2017 entry at the annex, so 2016 entry children would be permanently based in Tonbridge for the whole of their schooling, as now, and the annex would have no impact. So it wouldn't be a case of suddenly finding that, eg all music lessons took place at the annex from Year 8 and they waste time being transported between the two. That said, she did say there may be some activities that would take place at the Sevenoaks site if, for example, they had new facilities there that made this sensible. I took this to mean sports, possibly drama etc. But definitely no teaching.

So I guess that is kind of reassuring. That said, the 2016 intake will be the last that isn't split across two sites, so I do wonder how that would translate as they move up the school and eventually they will be in the minority of years not operating in that way. It does make me nervous - the school my daughter has seen and liked could have a very different feel to it in a couple of years.

[JJ123]

Attended the Weald open morning today ( excellent as usual). The head was able to confirm that form intake for Sept 2016 will temporarily increase to 8 on the Tonbridge site. In Sept 2017 with the Sevenoaks site there will be 9 forms for girls. 3 in Sevenoaks, back down to 6 in Tonbridge.

Specifics on applications, applying to tonbridve v sevenoaks were not available at this stage.

[chimneys]

Attended the Weald open morning today ( excellent as usual). The head was able to confirm that form intake for Sept 2016 will temporarily increase to 8 on the Tonbridge site. In Sept 2017 with the Sevenoaks site there will be 9 forms for girls. 3 in Sevenoaks, back down to 6 in Tonbridge.

Specifics on applications, applying to tonbridve v sevenoaks were not available at this stage.

3 Form Entry means only Years 7-11 with no 6th Form if the 450 places banded around the press yesterday is correct.

No 6th Form?

And what of the 6 Form Entry the school was supposed to be designed to? Or is this where TWBGS at last comes to the party? I really hope so.

[JJ123]

Today was an open morning for years 5/6 so intake was regarding year 7's over the next few years.

6th form just wasn't discussed. Most of the teachers i spoke too seemed pretty surprised the New grammar has even been agreed and they seemed in the dark themselves. Am guessing that finer details have not been agreed at all yet.

Weald is such a lovely school i think its a shame they've been dragged into this mess.

Rather than looking so pleased with themselves for giving sevenoaks a half baked solution Mr Fallon and co should be explaining why they haven't overturned a 1998 Labour decision despite two terms and just provide a stand alone Grammar if required.