11 Plus Exams Forum

Hi

I am new here. Working overseas at the moment but moving back in November. Coming to kent because of proximity to london and good schools option. My DD will go in year 5 and my DS year 2. Anyone knows anything about the following schools? Not sure if I can ask this question so if it's not appropriate please delete.

St Augustine Catholic Primary school (Tunbridge wells)
St Margaret Clitherow catholic school (Tonbridge)
St Thomas Catholic primary (Sevenoak)

We planning to move to Southborough or surrounding area so all three catholic schools are within easy drive/walk

My DD will be taking the 11+ as well so I guess as from now I will be an active member

Many thanks

Welcome to Kent and this forum.

Sorry, can't help you with the schools.

Hi Jini

Many primary schools in Kent are oversubscribed so I would suggest that you ring each of the schools to start with to see whether there are likely to be places for your children in November.

Also, Southborough to Sevenoaks would I suspect not be a quick easy drive to Sevenoaks each morning due to traffic. The schools that you mention in Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells would be much more accessible if you are going to live in Southborough. Your children are also more likely to make friends at school who live locally if they go to school in Tonbridge or Tunbridge Wells.

Twinkle

Thank you Twinkle for the info. looking at the map,we thought Sevenaok might be a bit tricky. we have contacted the schools and we have been told to fill in the supplementary forms, our parish priest here needs to fill one too and we need to do the KCC in year admission forms too. We are hoping to get a Catholic school or another church school as we are practising RC. We know that most of the schools are oversubcribed but keeping our fingers cross that we can get them into one. Stressful time but I know will get there eventually! Once again Thanks.

have the schools given you any indication that they have any places? most are quite full and you may end up with children in different schools ...

Hmm. one of the difficulties is that you will not be able to go on waiting lists for primary schools in this area (unless the catholic ones are differerent?) UNTIL you have a fixed address here. I am working with a family at the moment who are having this problem. This will be a problem for you if you dont know which area to settle for.
Sorry cant be more helpful

Have contacted the schools but awaiting thier replies. If they haven't got back to us by the end of the week we will call again. We are going to rent a self catering in southborough for a couple of weeks or so until we have a house sorted. Will that be a big problem? Will they accept this as a temporary address? probably not
So if we are in self catering accomodation for longer will the kids have to stay home until we get a house? Isn't it against the law to keep school age children at home?....OK now I am really panicking!!!!

If you are in self catering accommodation it would probably sound like a holiday and you wouldn't be expecting children to go to school when on holiday. Depends when the move becomes more permanent - have you got job offers locally?

- presumably if you are there for longer the LEA will allocate schools may not be where you want but at least legal!

It is also possible that one child will get a place and the other won't at the same school. Chances of getting two kids in at the same time if they schools are oversubscribed are also pretty low. I have a friend who moved in year and kids are in different schools and the saga has been going for nearly two years. Luckily for her one school finishes at 3:15 and the other at 3:30.

In year admission are also being delt by KCC which has been a bit of a nightmare. The school can say they have a space but KCC may have someone or just drag their time. It doesn't matter if school is Catholic, admissions is still handled by KCC.

Bottom line you need to be very open about where your children may end up. Tunbridge wells area in particular seem to be the area with the highest shortages of primary schools in Kent. Lots of families are moving into the area and that has had an effect on primary schools there. Most of the decent school take you if you literally live outside the school gate (about 0.2 miles) for normal admissions. I looked at primary schools in that area when I was considering moving closer to TW.

I think that voluntary aided schools should not have their in-year admissions slowed down by KCC ........ Etienne may know more about the legality of this, but it would sound very strange if they did.

Don't forget that you can also appeal, you do not just have to wait for a place off the waiting list