What is happening with kent test 2014?

[fatbananas]

Frangipani, do you have a DC this year that took the test? It's almost like twins ... the stress must be awful!

[frangipani]

Frangipani, do you have a DC this year that took the test? It's almost like twins ... the stress must be awful!

No. It's been two years since the last dc took it. But I have family and friends who have sat the test this year/last year and my final dc sits the guinea pig year - ahem i mean next year!
So I've been following things closely, almost obsessively for a few years now

[fatbananas]

My mistake! I've been on this site obsessively for years and none of my DC have taken it yet! Guinea pig year for us too

[PurpleDog]

Another guinea pig here!

We are out of catchment so our only real option is Tonbridge Grammar which requires pretty much maximum scores.

Not holding out much hope but we'll give it a go!

[LouLouD]

Bump.
Hi, I have a DS who is taking in 2014. I did speak to KCC briefly, a guy answered and said that they were very close to making an announcement then I emailed the person whose name was on the KCC business portal asking for an update but have heard nothing back. Guess is was a bit naive to expect an answer but would just like to know, it's not fair on our Year 5s.

[mystery]

Very close to making an announcement. Did you get a chance to ask how close is close? Or what the announcement would tell us?

[fatbananas]

I've emailed the person on the KCC business portal and, similarly, not a dickie bird....

This might be a bit off topic, but am I right in understanding that Judd school get KCC funding? If so, how can they justify having no catchment area? If they had local authority funding, shouldn't they make sure they were funding purely for local DC?

[LouLouD]

Just spoken to lady whose name is mentioned on the portal and she said they are just tying up the contract details and an announcement will be made as to who it's awarded to within the next week (maybe two weeks) but more likely one week. I said, "so it's not going to be GL then", and she said, and I quote "That's not the case, it's just that we are tying up the loose ends on the contract, I can't say who it is awarded to"

Read what you will into that. Probably all tosh!

[mystery]

They have to sign up to a new contract whether it's GL or not. There is no contract at the moment. The last one ended. This new one is going to be for one year, renewable for one more year at the most before going out to tender again. So even when we know what the answer is for the September 2014 test we do not know what it will be the following year.

They have gone over the expected dates again then ---- as the final tender details on the Business Portal give today as the expected start date with the expected award date a week ago.

At least if what they told you is true they are not going out to tender for a third time for September 2014 --- that might have hinted at a problem.

I wonder if they have been waiting to get some decent statistical details from Bexley and Bucks who have just done the C E M tests for the first time before deciding. That would make a good deal of sense.

[mystery]

I've emailed the person on the KCC business portal and, similarly, not a dickie bird....

This might be a bit off topic, but am I right in understanding that Judd school get KCC funding? If so, how can they justify having no catchment area? If they had local authority funding, shouldn't they make sure they were funding purely for local DC?

No schools have catchment areas. All schools have to treat children from over the borders the same as children from within the borders. Most of the funding for all schools comes from central government, not from Council Tax. Council Tax does not go very far.