Advice needed, please

Eleven Plus (11+) in Kent

Moderators: Section Moderators, Forum Moderators

11 Plus Platform - Online Practice Makes Perfect - Try Now
doodles
Posts: 8300
Joined: Tue Oct 27, 2009 9:19 pm

Re: Advice needed, please

Post by doodles »

OP, though the distance into Kent may seem very "doable" the actual practicalities of getting across the Thames may not prove to be so easy, and will almost definitely be very expensive.

A lot of the girls' gs do have "catchment" areas, for example Newstead usually only take within a 9 mile radius and many of the others have a requirement to live within certain parishes. Rather than just preparing your dd for a test that may come to nothing would it not be better to identify the schools that you like and then investigate their admission policies (these are all readily available online).

Is there any possibility of you moving nearer?
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit, wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad !
The Lamp Post
Posts: 70
Joined: Tue Oct 03, 2017 10:16 am

Re: Advice needed, please

Post by The Lamp Post »

If you travelled on the DLR to Woolwich Aresenal, then trains run from there into Kent, Or London Stratford to Ebbsfleet is a fast train. I think 1 hour a day should be enough as long as it focussed and you are going through their corrections.
grgygirl
Posts: 382
Joined: Fri Jan 25, 2013 11:09 am

Re: Advice needed, please

Post by grgygirl »

DLR to Woolwich, then on to Dartford is still a long and potentially difficult journey for an 11 year old, particularly in the cold, dark winter months. Also 4 hours per night is way too much preparation. One hour is enough with a couple at the weekends if she is taking the test in September. Are you able to move?
liceo_classico
Posts: 47
Joined: Wed Oct 25, 2017 6:45 pm

Re: Advice needed, please

Post by liceo_classico »

Hello OP,
my first suggestion would be to check the list of schools that admit girls, and what score you need for her to be admitted where distance from school is not considered. Then do the trip yourself to see if it's viable. Only then I would commit to sit the Kent exam (or any for that matters). Even if you have a very bright kid, they need to learn certain skills besides Maths and English. They need to know how to face an exam and work on speed. They will also have to cover certain topics not seen yet in school (unless she already attends an independent school). Takes time and lots of energy from both you and your kid. Passing the test is not enough, and can create huge disappointment if after the effort she cannot attend the school she was hoping for because of the admission criteria.
Kent has a lot of grammar schools, but only a bunch are "accessible" for kids living outside designated parishes or borders.

Good luck with the decision and preparation! it's quite a journey!.

PS: I also think that 4 hours is too much. 1 hour per day would be enough. Is this coming September the exam or you are already planning for 2019?
First time
Posts: 5
Joined: Mon May 14, 2018 1:40 pm

Re: Advice needed, please

Post by First time »

Hi,
Thank you very much everybody for advice given.
I appreciate all replies.
I was writing in a rush and didn't mention that 4 hours a day it is on a weekend only and with breaks of course.
I work in Kent and DD will only have to travel initially as we are planning to move.
I drive but go to work only 3 days a week and I know that the journey is long.
We are not going to apply to local schools because we are planning to move but this will only happen next year around October due to family circumstances.
Potentially, I can drive DD to Woolwich ferry and she can then cross the river and take a train from Woolwich Arsenal station.
There is a girl from a family I knew who was travelling to Townley for years from Canning Town- taking tube to North Greenwich and then a bus to Bexleyheath.
But the journey was too long and she changed schools for Sixth Form.
Anyway like I said my daughter is only going to travel for couple of months, then we will move.
The issue we have is getting an admission from a far place, so we need to target the schools who accept on score rather then local address. And I am not sure what schools we can visit to choose from for our application if she does pass well.
Thanks.
1971
Posts: 45
Joined: Thu Oct 05, 2017 12:32 pm

Re: Advice needed, please

Post by 1971 »

I live on the Bexley/kent border, so only know the schools closer to London. None of the Bexley schools such as townley allocate on score, but if you are in the top 180 passers on Bexley test, it doesn't matter where you live, you have your pick of school. The distance calculation at Townley is on safe road route, so not crow flying across the thames, unfortunately for you.

Dartford Grammar School for girls has a criteria for living in named parishes, but after that is used up the rest are then on score rather than distance. You might want to have a look at their admissions criteria, and then prospectus to see whether you like it.

Willmingon Grammar for girls has some for named parishes, but then rest is on distance/not score.

Some of these schools have coach/bus arrangements from north of the thames to bring girls to school.

I think i've read on here that for Newstead Wood, you have to be within 9 miles.
The Lamp Post
Posts: 70
Joined: Tue Oct 03, 2017 10:16 am

Re: Advice needed, please

Post by The Lamp Post »

[deleted]

A gentle reminder that forum rules do not permit unauthorised links.

Moderator
mystery
Posts: 8927
Joined: Tue Jul 21, 2009 10:56 pm

Re: Advice needed, please

Post by mystery »

Not being rude, but if you thought about what you want to know and need to ask in the first place you would get some really helpful answers on here. As it is, you've just got people guessing. Kent is massive in temrs of where you might travel to and I have not a clue where East Ham is and I shouldn't have to look it up to answer your question helpfully.

If your DD needs more than a pass, and you're keen to do your best to "guarantee" this - Best thing you can do between now and September is all 32 GL assessment papers in English, NVR, VR and maths and get some spatial reasoning material from elsewhere. Practise and Pass series books 1 and 2 is a good build up to the papers. Also GL produce some good "how to" books for the different question types.

Do what she can tolerate over the summer holidays but no more than maybe 2.5 hours on any one day as otherwise it's no longer a summer holiday and if she doesn't pass she will be even more miserable. It's still possible to do maybe 2.5 hours and have a fun trip out or lots of time with friends.


If it's Bexley test, slgihtly different prep but the above would stand you in very good stead for a high score in both.

And find out more about the schools you are interested in, their admission policies and the journeys.
ToadMum
Posts: 11907
Joined: Wed Jan 18, 2012 12:41 pm
Location: Essex

Re: Advice needed, please

Post by ToadMum »

Mystery, some of us are only too aware of where East Ham is - I'm just about to pass through there on the train, actually, on my way from very near one of the schools I suggested to an exhibition at the Guildhall :lol: . But I agree that we might have spared the OP some of our (less, in the light of further information) helpful answers had we been given a bit more background in the first place :) .
Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.Groucho Marx
Sparklecat
Posts: 281
Joined: Fri May 02, 2014 6:16 pm

Re: Advice needed, please

Post by Sparklecat »

Just did a Rightmove search for East Ham and four of the first ten secondary schools are rated as outstanding. I would be trying to secure one of those places first. If you subsequently move, there are processes to secure grammar school places. Or, just move now and take your chances like everyone else.
Post Reply