First grammar in 50 yrs: campus in Sevenoaks proposed

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doodles
Posts: 8300
Joined: Tue Oct 27, 2009 9:19 pm

Re: First grammar in 50 yrs: campus in Sevenoaks proposed

Post by doodles »

As one who signed the petition I'll stick my toe in the pond :shock: Please don't shoot!

My reasons for supporting a full debate on this were:

1. Let's get this discussed properly once and for all.
2. If you live on the outskirts of Sevenoaks / in one of the villages and if you pass the 11+ but don't score highly enough for the superselectives you are scuppered. You are out of catchment for TWGSB, Maidstone etc etc and many would not qualify for other non selective schools either because they are not near enough or because they don't have the "faith" option.
3. I get fed up with this "Sevenoaks think they are so special attitude" - not all of us do (honest)! What people sometimes forget is a lot of children from outlying villages such as Westerham, Knockholt etc etc travel THROUGH Sevenoaks to get to school, surely a non-ss grammar would mean that some of this would stop.

Ok I'll go now and find a tin hat!
SSM
Posts: 646
Joined: Sun Feb 08, 2009 12:09 pm

Re: First grammar in 50 yrs: campus in Sevenoaks proposed

Post by SSM »

I agree that there should be more choice for children in Sevenoaks (and surrounding villages), just like there is for children in Tonbridge and Wrotham. But I think the way to go would be a good comprehensive rather than another GS. That is why I won't sign the petition.

Both of my boys are already in Secondary, so this won't affect me one way or another, but I do remember the sick feeling in the pit of stomach whilst waiting for 11+ results. We were in the position that if they passed it would be great as they would get a place at a GS, but if they failed the only school they would be able to get a place at was the local failing comp. They would not have had a hope in ****'s chance of getting into a decent comp due to distance.
Just1-2go
Posts: 523
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Location: Twells

Re: First grammar in 50 yrs: campus in Sevenoaks proposed

Post by Just1-2go »

mystery wrote:Hi Villagedad, so how big is the bulge that is passing through - what's the percentage difference between the projected peak and trough years? If the grammars are going to experience a squeeze on spaces, then so will the non-selectives as they take 75% of the Kent population.

If it's just to stop TWGSB having a problem with an extra class now and then it's a bit of sledgehammer to crack a nut cost-wise isn't it? Or is it an enormous bulge coming through? Has KCC published the data?
Many of the Tunbridge Wells primary schools have had to add extra reception classes for the passed 2 years and will again this coming September, so that means quite a big "bulge" in years to come!
doodles
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Re: First grammar in 50 yrs: campus in Sevenoaks proposed

Post by doodles »

SSM, that sinking feeling is awful, and this really won't affect me either unless DS2 has a complete melt in September :( but I do feel strongly that this whole subject needs a proper discussion and not a half hearted glance. Whether the option is for a new gs or a proper comp I don't mind but let's just have a proper debate and a proper decision that will improve the education for children in this area.
JLT
Posts: 76
Joined: Sat Jun 25, 2011 7:50 pm

Re: First grammar in 50 yrs: campus in Sevenoaks proposed

Post by JLT »

Reading this thread with interest, we live in Herne Bay and quite regularly children who have passed the Kent Test are unable to get in the nearest GS in Canterbury - 7/8 miles away and instead have to travel to Thanet. The only train which will get them there on time is just after 7.30, so if they have to get a bus/lift/walk to the station, many have to leave home just after 7 to start school at 08.45. How shocking than an 11 year old can have nearly a two hour commute to school, yet no talk of a new school this end of the county. :(
SSM
Posts: 646
Joined: Sun Feb 08, 2009 12:09 pm

Re: First grammar in 50 yrs: campus in Sevenoaks proposed

Post by SSM »

doodles wrote:SSM, that sinking feeling is awful, and this really won't affect me either unless DS2 has a complete melt in September :( but I do feel strongly that this whole subject needs a proper discussion and not a half hearted glance. Whether the option is for a new gs or a proper comp I don't mind but let's just have a proper debate and a proper decision that will improve the education for children in this area.

Agree wholeheartedly that we do need a proper discussion. I think it is such a tragedy that there are no decent schools in the Sevenoaks area for boys that do not pass the 11+. Saying that, this is based on a couple of years ago, as I am not aware of what the situation is now that Wildernesse and Bradbourne have merged.
pheasantchick
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Joined: Tue Jun 02, 2009 10:28 pm

Re: First grammar in 50 yrs: campus in Sevenoaks proposed

Post by pheasantchick »

So maybe what's needed is a comprehensive which can cater for grammar standard pupils.
tigger2
Posts: 755
Joined: Thu Sep 24, 2009 11:35 am

Re: First grammar in 50 yrs: campus in Sevenoaks proposed

Post by tigger2 »

I take your point completely PheasantChick and agree that in an ideal world that is what would be the perfect solution. Appreciate that I am stating the obvious :roll: but in a selective area you are never going to get a truly comprehensive school with a grammar stream. Most parents still want grammars for their children and even if a good secondary school like Bennett Memorial with its grammar stream appeared in Sevenoaks I suspect that there would still be as many entries for the Kent test. PC you are quite right......I am not hearing too many grumbles about bus journeys from ds' friends either now that they have settled into the routine.

Tigger
x
Villagedad
Posts: 526
Joined: Tue Dec 23, 2008 5:22 pm
Location: Tonbridge & Tunbridge Wells

Re: First grammar in 50 yrs: campus in Sevenoaks proposed

Post by Villagedad »

Just1-2go wrote:Many of the Tunbridge Wells primary schools have had to add extra reception classes for the passed 2 years and will again this coming September, so that means quite a big "bulge" in years to come!
Thanks Just1-2go for sharing this with us which gives background facts to the argument of what's happening on the ground in primary schools, and that we need extra capacity to ensure there are enough spaces for everyone who passes in the year's to come..

Let's face it, opening a grammar satellite campus in Sevenoaks will open up more places for all our DCs which surely is a good thing :)

The alternative is that some of our DCs will miss out on places in a few years time due to a cronic squeeze and under-capacity which I'm sure non of us want :(

http://democracy.kent.gov.uk/mgEPetitio ... ID=3914689" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
mystery
Posts: 8927
Joined: Tue Jul 21, 2009 10:56 pm

Re: First grammar in 50 yrs: campus in Sevenoaks proposed

Post by mystery »

I'm not sure that some extra reception classes at a few schools in TW proves that there is a need for 180 more grammar places per year in West Kent as a whole. Does anyone have some real statistics? Hopefully the LA does or there will be even more of a problem for the non-selectives if the population is really shooting up that much.

The TW reception class phenomenon maybe be proof of a bulge, but it might not be. Other schools either near or far from those schools might be admitting fewer. It's only by looking at the health authority birth data which should be passed on to whichever section of Kent LA does the demographic planning for schools that anyone can possibly know if these extra grammar places are needed or not. Otherwise it is just a shift of children from one school to another. Has anyone got any hard data? Also, if more places are needed, surely fair consideration needs to be given to expanding the current grammars rather than the rather weird notion of a satellite. To me a satellite is for areas of the country that don't have a county-wide grammar system and are not allowed to build a new grammar by law. So instead you build a new grammar in another town and call it a satellite.

I still haven't heard of a child who didn't get a grammar place in Kent after waiting lists and reallocations and appeals etc. Anyone know one?

Don't get me wrong, I'd love a grammar school in my garden if it was on offer, but I don't think it would a fair use of public money at the moment.

From where we live children have to travel to both non-selectives and selectives. The closest schools are across the county boundaries - horror of horrors - but they have written their oversubscription policies in cunning ways to exclude some cross-border children without breaking the law.

I wish the Sevenoaks campaigners luck, but on the other hand I hope it is seen as a bit of a weak argument so far. Maybe some convincing data will be added to it soon to give it some umph.
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