post 11 plus thoughts in Tonbridge

Eleven Plus (11+) in Kent

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rabbit123
Posts: 4
Joined: Tue Oct 23, 2012 2:57 pm

post 11 plus thoughts in Tonbridge

Post by rabbit123 »

Hi,
This is the first time I have written, the 11 plus has been such an emotional experience for all of us that I really feel the need to share. My daughter did not make it. Her scores were NV 125, V 128 and then maths 113. She was gutted . The head teacher put in for an appeal but it was rejected . Apparently her work did not reflect grammar school standard. This i find confusing as her levels in year 5 were : writing 5c, reading 5c and maths 4a/5c. She had been doing level 5 maths work in her classes. So now we are in limbo, should we appeal again or not. We are in Tonbridge, where I hear from so many forums on this site that there are hundreds of children who have got the eleven plus , without GS.
I would really appreciate opinions from people. My daughter is keen to even appeal to Invicta in maidstone (which would be a very long journey) Does anyone have an opinion on Hill view school ? It seems like a lovely school but will it challenge and push. Our daughter def has a hunger and thirst for knowledge, she wants to learn. Throughout school her levels have geered us to believe she would make gammar school......... :(
Can anyone advise from experience
tonbridgemum
Posts: 421
Joined: Tue Jan 29, 2008 12:46 pm

Re: post 11 plus thoughts in Tonbridge

Post by tonbridgemum »

Hi rabbit. welcome to the forum and really pleased you have posted.
This is such a stressful,emotional time for you - especially as clearly her levels are high and clearly she could cope at Grammar. An appeal is time consuming and you will need to gather lots of evidence, however there is loads of advice here and I assume you have checked out the appeal section on this forum? Finding the right school is the key - that may not be a Grammar so you are right to go over all the options.
As far a Hillview is concerned I know of many girls who have chosen it over grammar because of the facillities and subjects it offers. I am sure its last Ofsted was Outstanding. You are fortuntate that being in Tonbridge you are very likely to get a place so its a good non- Grammar option.
If your child wants to work, they are pushed - there will be many others like her who are Grammar school material who just missed out and didnt get the result on the day.
I would definitely urge you to visit - or go again and ask the same questions you have here.
tigger2
Posts: 755
Joined: Thu Sep 24, 2009 11:35 am

Re: post 11 plus thoughts in Tonbridge

Post by tigger2 »

Hi Rabbit123,

My dd is possibly going to Hillview. The feedback has been exceptionally positive and all girls I have talked to have had nothing but good things to say. There are more girls than you would think that 'pass' and opt for Hillview and they all appear to be challenged to do that bit more. There are also a lot of girls with 11+ 'near misses' Dd has a friend who has scored over 420 and made Hillview their first choice -one girl promised her mum she would take the kent test if the mum would let her go to hillview with her sister. The mum agreed thinking that once she passed she would change her mind :lol: :lol:

I don't have personal experience of the school though as dd is my only dd!
rabbit123
Posts: 4
Joined: Tue Oct 23, 2012 2:57 pm

Re: post 11 plus thoughts in Tonbridge

Post by rabbit123 »

:D Thank you so much for your replies. My mind has been going round in circles since I wrote my post and I have to say, my instinct says the same. Hill View is a good school, it is local so her life and friends will be local where she can learn to develop an independent life. Would she be able to do this if she appealed to Invicta, got in but then was having to rush back straight after school because of the distance.
We also met a couple of girls who chose it over GS . So I will go back and ask them my main worry about her being pushed. Thank you for your replies. What a wonderful site! :D
tonbridgemum
Posts: 421
Joined: Tue Jan 29, 2008 12:46 pm

Re: post 11 plus thoughts in Tonbridge

Post by tonbridgemum »

I have to agree rabbit - a local school certainly has its advantages. When they are young its handy for travelling purposes that they dont have a long trek in those early days and as they get older great that they can be more independant by getting themselves around and not having to rely on you as a taxi service! I speak from experience - I am lucky my sons have been and are at local schools and I have been able to watch them become independant and not worry about them meeting local friends from school on school days and weekends. :) Most of the girls at Hillview will come from Tonbridge/southborough/Tunbridge wells/Hildenborough and surrounding villages so certainly considered 'local'.
Good luck - let us know what you decide!
mystery
Posts: 8927
Joined: Tue Jul 21, 2009 10:56 pm

Re: post 11 plus thoughts in Tonbridge

Post by mystery »

Have a look at Hillview GCSE results to see if they are what you are looking for or not. Their website should show results grade by grade, subject by subject.

Why an Invicta appeal? Why not Weald of Kent? Seems weird to travel all that way with Weald on your doorstep. I'd get yourself happy with Hillview and then have a really good go at appealing for Weald. Get the schoolwork up to standard this year in time for the appeal.

Put Weald first and you won't get it, put Hillview second and get it, then you are appealing to Weald safe in the knowledge that you already have your place at Hillview.

Consider also Bennett - if you are high up the admissions policy with church attendance etc.

What's Hugh Christie like these days?
mystery
Posts: 8927
Joined: Tue Jul 21, 2009 10:56 pm

Re: post 11 plus thoughts in Tonbridge

Post by mystery »

You need to look at the supplementary information part of the prospectus online to see the GCSE results in detail. It's the number of children getting A* and A at GCSE in maths and English that I think looks low considering people say that 11+ near misses and passers go there. Maybe this element of the intake has not yet reached year 11 and is in the lower year groups. This is what I would check as this would be my big question about Hillview.

Also it's a long time until lunchtime ...... look at the timetable online.
Mama2
Posts: 31
Joined: Mon May 14, 2012 9:27 am

Re: post 11 plus thoughts in Tonbridge

Post by Mama2 »

We would have been happy to settle for Hillview if my DD hadnt passed the 11+. She is into Music and performing and this school would have suited her.
I also think that Weald is worth an appeal. At least it's local. Weald, It's now our first choice and we actually preferred it and thought our Dd would be better suited to Weald than TOGS or TWGGS( I know I'm probably going to get some eyebrow raises on that one)
Im very new to the area and have had some fantastic advice from this forum. I read a post once where it said the school has to match/ be suitable for your child and each child is different with their abilities and capabilities. This is so true. We visited all of the Tonbridge/Tunbridge Wells schools. I think if you live in Tonbridge your very lucky to have the choice and Hillview is certainly a good NS. I would however appeal for Weald if I were in your shoes.
Good luck :D
rabbit123
Posts: 4
Joined: Tue Oct 23, 2012 2:57 pm

Re: post 11 plus thoughts in Tonbridge

Post by rabbit123 »

M :? mmmmmmmm Lots to think about. To be honest I was told that it would be impossible to get Weald with such a low math score of 113. But maybe you are right, Weald would have been our first choice, perhaps we should appeal there. I was also told that last year Invicta had vacancies and also apparently a lot of girls in the past have got in on appeal who did not make the mark for 11 plus.The GCSE results for maths and english does seem low at Hill View. I think I should look into that.
Does anyone know about Knole Academy, that claims to have a gammar school stream and the website sells the school very well. Also The skinners academy is quite close but I don t know much about that one.
Think my head is spinning with all these maybes :roll: Also should I not put Hil view first as a back up?
mystery
Posts: 8927
Joined: Tue Jul 21, 2009 10:56 pm

Re: post 11 plus thoughts in Tonbridge

Post by mystery »

No you should put the school you want first. How many spaces are there on the form?

Will explain more about the preferencing system if you like, but in summary, you get the school which is highest on your form which can take you - your chance of getting them is not lowered by not putting them first.

You will not get offered a grammar on 1 March as your daughter did not pass, but some would still recommend putting grammars on the SCAF as then you can appeal earlier than people who did not put them on their CAF. Apparently you could get asked at appeal hearings where you placed the school on your SCAF (I think it's a daft question) but apparently some appeal panels are impressed by someone putting that school high up the CAF otherwise you get some comment like "you put Hillview first and got it so why are you appealing?" Whether it is just social chit chat and a test of the parental interview skills I don't know, but some people would seem to say it is important to put the school you would want to appeal for high up.

Knole grammar stream - I don't know what it is like in reality. Did it start up this September? Best to talk to someone who has a child in it? Maybe similar questions here to Hillview. I think if you live in Tonbridge Hillview probably has the edge unless the grammar stream really does turn out to be able relative to a top set at Hillview. The other thing to ask about at Hillview is their setting system - they do something complicated where maths and english are linked - so being poor at one relative to the other means you can be a misfit in your stronger subject ....... better check that out as I might be wrong.
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