11 Plus Exams Forum

Does anyone know where I can find a list of the furthest distances that schools have offered in previous years? I can't seem to find one for Kent. I am specifically interested in Wilmington girls, as in previous years it came out to me but last year they really cut the catchment area.
Thank you!

I've never seen a neat list like some other regions or authorities do. As you say Wilmington had a bulge class for its 2015 intake so came out quite a distance. For September 2016 they didn't reach Petts Wood but Weald of Kent which put on two extra classes did come as far as Petts Wood but not on offer day. I only know this either by having emailed admissions at the school or knowing children who did or didn't get places plus the odd note on this forum. For Tonbridge and Dartford girls for OOC distance is irrelevant except as a tie breaker. The Admissions officers are usually quite helpful.

Thanks PWFiona! The Weald is our first choice anyway if she passes and maybe only our only choice unless she scores highly! I have also checked the Bexley distances and Chis & Sid had a much smaller catchment area last year even though we would normally be well within their catchment! So it seems even if she does pass, we may only have a choice of two non-superselective grammars!

Mayfair321 wrote: Chis & Sid had a much smaller catchment area last year even though we would normally be well within their catchment! So it seems even if she does pass, we may only have a choice of two non-superselective grammars!

Chis n Sid actually came out further for Sept 2016 entry than Sept 2015 entry. Townley went to all selective applicants who applied and no distance criteria last year. Townley have some good coach services too.

Good luck. I remember the tension I felt last year. Once all the results came in we held a family meeting about how to rank the choices on the CAF and we were fortunate they were all grammars which DD had a very good chance of getting into any of them either on score or distance so we let her have the final choice over which she liked the most. She is happy in her school which has made the journey priceless.

Thanks. Yes we liked Townley but the hour long coach journey puts me off a bit. Glad your DD is very happy at Newstead, especially as it is lovely and close! My DD is hard working at school but needed a lot of encouragement to do any extra 11+ work at home and complained hugely. So I worry whether Newstead would be too purely academic for her? She is very active and sporty so needs somewhere that would nurture that side of things too.

Newstead is big enough to cater for lots of different interests. DD isn't hugely sporty but does do fencing outside of school. In Y7 they do two hour long sessions of sport a week. Some of the girls have joined sports teams and clubs at the school so there are lots of other sport opportunities if you want them. Outside of the academic side DD is loving DT, tolerating Art (which is a major achievement for her, the art teacher seems to have 'reached' her), loving Drama. There is bee keeping club, history club and tons more. They really do look at developing all sides of the girls.

That's good to know. It is hard filtering out all the stories people tell you when choosing a school!! Just have to wait for the results now!