Hi, We had a first round offer from Dartford Grammar Boys which we accepted. Yesterday we got a call with offer from Skinners as we kept it above Dartford Grammar. We recently moved to Dartford for Grammar school and settling down. We are also open to relocate to Tonbridge or Tonbridge Wells if Skinners school and the place gives good options for my DS and for the family for comming years. We also have one more DS who will have to write 11 plus in 2 years. We are unable to decide based on information I am finding in google and forums. Please could some one give some inputs of what will be best based on school and place.
Note: though we kept Skinners above Dartford, we dint have clear points to support at this stage. Looking for some inputs.

Hi
I think what you'll need to decide is whether you'd like the IB or A levels. Also, do you like living where you are in Dartford? How about work? Is it easier for you to get to from Dartford or Tonbridge? As you have recently moved to Dartford, are you happy to move again so soon?

Another thing you may consider is that at Dartford children must do either Japanese or Mandarin up to GCSE. There is no opting out. In addition, they must do one of Latin, Spanish, French or German, also to GCSE level.

Dartford is very multi cultural. I don't know about Skinners.

My children are at Dartford and I can highly recommend the school, however, I don't know about Skinners first hand, but I understand that people there are very happy.

What are the things that your son liked about both schools?

Salsa

Forgive me for saying this, but if you were keeping your DS on the waiting list for Skinner's, wasn't it a bit precipitate to move to Dartford so soon? Has your DS had to move primary schools once already, as well, or is his school commute to in the short term?

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The other thing to consider is the ease of access to the school for your younger son.

If you are living within area for either school (in Dartford for Dartford or in most of Kent for Skinners ) then your younger son will not need such a high score to get in.

Skinners are going the Judd route from next year and allocating most places in score to those in catchment - if this score ends up being similar to Judd’s it’ll be around the 360 mark. I think the in area score required for Dartford tends to be slightly lower.

Can you visit Skinners to see how you find the feel of the school and ascertain if you can see both your boys fitting in there?

Skinners will have a slightly different system to Judd, but similarly giving preference to an inner area. Out of the group of boys in that area who have scored 360 or over, allocation will be on siblings/staff children/ distance (dropping down to under 360, with similar criteria, if there aren't enough 360+), whereas Judd is on score within its inner area.

Skinners is by no means monochrome but it's definitely less multicultural than Dartford, which draws a lot of pupils from SE London. They're both excellent schools so I'd agree you need to go with the area which is most convenient for your whole family in the circs.