11 Plus Exams Forum

Damn Folkestone to Judd is this a really serious?.

That will just be an awful journey for an 11year old to do. An hour on the train and then you have to add time from your house to the station etc. If your child is tired at the end of the day how is he going to perform to his maximum with the additional homework and where will he get any time to do and extras. If you really think Judd is the school for your son, perhaps moving somewhere a tad bit closer.

I can only agree, the bus journey my DD takes into Canterbury takes 40 minutes all in, she`s bushed when she gets home. Some nights she does her homework and goes straight to bed.
We have had to take a raincheck on lots of her afterschool activities this term whilst she adjusts and I think all the afterschool stuff is important for a well rounded child.

When I look at the GCSE tables in the Guardian for 2010, The Harvey in Folkestone does really well, above Skinners in fact. Does Maidstone, Ashford or Canterbury not appeal?

Having not considered the Harvey before DS failed to get a place with his siblings at the Knatchbull, that is exactly where DS3 now is. Very early days as he has only just started but first impressions are excellent. DS is very happy and they certainly do perform very well. So I would say if you aren't planning on moving it is a very good school and not one to be overlooked.

While Judd is very fantastic school its results should be rightly high because of the bright intake. If I remember right half their intake scores 420 so it should be where it is. Others grammars schools are less selective and their results more in propotion to where they should be and I can not see why a bright boy cant be stretched at a less selective grammar, such a long commute can stiffle a bright boy's ability. The only exception I have seen is TWGGS despite taking ordinary passes from its very small catchment the girls outperform most superselectives and do amazingly well but I think thats down to the well heeled parents.

also Dover Grammar..but it seems such a pity to make a child have a long commute when we have so many grammars on our doorstep..There is also the fact that his school friends are unlikely to live anywhere near him

spooky69 wrote:Thanks for the response. That is unfortunately as I feared. I live in Sevenoaks and have no idea what other school(s) would be suitable alternatives.

Have you thought about Dartford boys? Not sure about transport tho'.

I would be surprised if you didn't get TWGSB off the waiting list if you didn't get it on first allocation.

Dartford would be quite a journey for him - I think it would be too far away.

spooky69, the chances are that your DS will get a place at TWGSB, maybe not on 1st March, but from waiting list or appeal.

What about Wilmington, not much further than the TW GSs and there is a coach that goes from Otford pond, not sure where it starts from.

There's also Wilmington and Gravesend which, I understand, are not always heavily over-subscribed. If you do want a GS, and don't qualify for TW, I think you have to resign yourself to a quite long journey. Where you are, want transport is available, and no. of changes, is probably a more important consideration than outright distance.

A few trips out over half-term?

I agree also with the social aspect. You do need to consider where the broad intake will live. If you are in Shepway there is not really likely to be very many off to Judd or North WK GS's and if your DC doesn't click with them it's a long journey alone.....

Good luck with your decision and well done to DS for scoring such brilliant marks