11 Plus Exams Forum

Hi all, firstly thanks to everyone who posts on this forum - it has been a great help these last few months.

We live in Medway but my dd was a few marks away from the passmark. However, she did pass the Kent test. Our first choice would have been FP, but now after receiving the results I am now considering either MGGS or Invicta.

I don't know anyone at either school and was hoping that someone on here might have a dd at either MGGS or Invicta. I just wanted to get a feel for both schools from a parent's point of view. Any feedback is much appreciated, thanks!

I can't recommend MGGS enough. My DD is Year 7 and thoroughly loving it.

We did look at Invicta and I am sure it is very comparable, but, for us, MGGS won every time. There is something traditional about it and the pastoral care is excellent.

hi teamd
i am very please your dd passed the kent test, great news for you both.

A big difference between the 2 schoosl is invicta do accelarated learning(there is a thread about the pros and cons of this in medway sction) an MGSG does not.

One of my dd1's best friend goes to MGSG(in yr 11) and the family have been very happy with the school. I have heard the pastoral care is excellent.

I dont agree with AL so that would swing it for me but if you are in the medway then you will need to think about travel too. Have you and dd visited yet? See what she feels - good luck

Thanks guys!

I'm not sure about AL - I want my dd to do well but I also want her to enjoy school. My gut instinct was MGGS and after reading your posts I think I am a little more confident about sending her to Maidstone. Both schools are not far from us - a 15min bus ride. We live on the border of Rochester/Maidstone, so travelling not too difficult - but just a little worried about dd catching a bus on her own first few times then she'll be fine.

We haven't visited the schools yet but will need to asap!!!

I would definitely recommend you visit both schools with your daughter before making a decision. They are both quite different and I think you will instantly know which suits best.

For us it was MGGS, it just felt right and we liked the 'traditional' feel about it. The school works the girls hard but in a very caring environment. It is hot on discipline and respect for all, and expects high standards of personal responsibility.

A lot of the girls travel a fair distance to the school on buses and trains so I don't think your daughter would find that too much of an issue.

Good Luck

Another vote here for MGGS. I didnt like the AL at Invicta and felt there was more league chasing there than trying to do whats best for the girls. Also loads of changes and movement has happened there in the leadership. New Head took her position in sept but she was deputy head. She seems like a lovely Head but that wasnt enough to sway me.

My DD prefered Invicta, MGGS is rather old but really its what goes inside that matters. Invicta is also more techy and everything done on the computer while MGGS is a bit more old fashioned so it depends on what your DD prefers.

TeamD wrote:Thanks guys!

We live on the border of Rochester/Maidstone, so travelling not too difficult - but just a little worried about dd catching a bus on her own first few times then she'll be fine.

!

She`ll be fine, my DD catches the bus, 25 minutes each way, gets off at the bus station in the centre of town, and catches the link bus to school.
I worried myself sick about her, she was fine, and she loves the independence she gets too.
We still walk her to the bus stop in the morning as its a dangerous road.
Her dad even put her on the wrong bus into town one morning and she managed to get there with no trauma.
The bigger girls on the bus look out for her too......

Good luck with the schools

Thanks everyone.

U400JB9 - I didn't know that there was a link bus. Feeling a lot better now. Our bus stop is also on a very busy road but it goes straight into Maidstone town centre. So, travelling definitely won't be a problem. I'm going to try to get a visit for both schools for this week.

My vote goes to Invicta. I have two daughters there and the pastoral care has been wonderful. The AL means that the girls have 3 years to complete AS and A levels whereas other schools will have AS exams at the end of year 12 and A levels at the end of year 13. Many teachers have said that the jump from gcse to A level is a steep one and the extra year at year 11 is much more useful than an extra year doing gcse's. The fact that MGGS did not offer this when even non-grammars such as Cornwallis do was very offputting for me. There are different learning pathways available and at the end of year 8 the school identifies the students who will be better suited to completing their gcse's in the core subjects of maths, english or science over 3 years and not 2. Although most of the students will take triple science, there is the option of a combined science gcse for those who struggle.

You will get a feel for the schools when you visit, I found MGGS very old fashioned and Invicta much more forward looking but it is all a matter of personal choice.

Fogot to add that both schools take from a particluar kent scheme of eduaction then distance and in recent years MGGS has been more oversubscribed while Invicta had a few spaces. When you visit you may find out how far they went out this year.