Moving to Kent - or trying

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rosered100

Moving to Kent - or trying

Post by rosered100 »

Since January we've been trying to move, but the housing market has not been our friend.

DS1 is in yr5 & so will be sitting the test this September. If we still haven't managed to move, can anyone tell me what would be the cut off date for having our permanent address sorted out? Is it when the CAF goes in, in October or later?

I know we could try for Judds or Skinners if we were still out of county, but I'm not sure how DS will fare (VR not his strong point) though I am fairly confident he will pass the test, just not sure of the level.

Also, we are reasonably flexible as to where we live but DS2 will be yr 2 in Sept so we need a school for him as well. We were heading for Tonbridge/Tunbridge Wells area for work reasons but can move further out. DS2 is probably not GS material though it's early days yet, so we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

So if say, we applied to TWGSB, ideally when would we need to be living there? And if DS1 fails the test, is there a good comprehensive nearby?

So many questions, but it would be a very long post.

rosered
A Mum
Posts: 53
Joined: Sat Apr 21, 2007 10:15 pm
Location: Kent

Post by A Mum »

If you go to the Kent County Council website (www.kent.gov.uk), then follow links to school admissions, you will be able to download the booklet given out to parents for this years transfer to school. It gives all the information you need regarding the completion of the CAF forms including information about addresses. It also gives information on all schools in the Kent area, you will have to bear in mind that some of the oversubscription criteria may have changed for the coming year but you can find this on the Kent Trust website (there will be links to this from the KCC website). The dates for registering for the Kent test and the dates it will actually happen are also on the KCC website.
katel
Posts: 960
Joined: Thu Jan 11, 2007 11:30 pm

Post by katel »

And remember that on the Canterbury side of Kent the system is slightly different - so far there has been a grammar school place available for everyone who passes the Kent Test. Much less scary than the Tunbridge Wells Super Selectives Twilight Zone!!!!!!!
yoyo123
Posts: 8099
Joined: Mon Jun 18, 2007 3:32 pm
Location: East Kent

Post by yoyo123 »

If you have any questions e-mail KCC, they are really helpful (and reply promptly)
perplexed
Posts: 490
Joined: Wed Jan 02, 2008 1:18 pm
Location: kent

Post by perplexed »

If you live in Tunbridge Wells or Tonbridge and your son passes there will b e no problem getting into Tunbridge Wells Grammar School for boys. Bennet Memorial in Tunbridge Wells is a good non-selective. But its admission policy (look it up in the booklet someone else has directed you to online) requires you to lead an active church life to stand any chance of getting place there.

In Tonbridge for the non-selectives there is Hugh Christie Technology College (mixed) and Hayesbrooke for boys (sports specialist). Everyone has their own views on these schools, but they are generally considered good. My impression is that if you have a bright child they may be likely to do best in the top sets at Hugh Christie although the overall results for the school do not look that great. You probably need to live quite near Hayesbrooke these days to get in, not so sure about Hugh Christie. You need to pester the schools themselves to get some meaningful admissions data.

So you may end up having to rent a second home in either Tunbridge Wells or Tonbridge depending on which you want as your fall-back school. General opinion would seem to say to avoid Wildernesse boys in Sevenoaks, but this could be unfair. I'm sure as a specialist maths school it must serve some of its pupils very well.

Good luck.
Villagedad
Posts: 526
Joined: Tue Dec 23, 2008 5:22 pm
Location: Tonbridge & Tunbridge Wells

Post by Villagedad »

perplexed wrote:If you live in Tunbridge Wells or Tonbridge and your son passes there will b e no problem getting into Tunbridge Wells Grammar School for boys.
Not according to the other posts on the Kent forum titled "Waiting list outcomes?".

It sounds like there are 60 boys on the waiting list for TWGSB who have all passed...
perplexed
Posts: 490
Joined: Wed Jan 02, 2008 1:18 pm
Location: kent

Post by perplexed »

Worth checking with the school, but I am sure that these boys are most likely from Sevenoaks, and the further reaches of Sevenoaks at that. I don'[t think there could ever be a problem getting into TWGSB from Tunbridge Wells (just how many boys would there have to be living there for the top 25% of the appropriate age to be greater than the Year 7 intake) and I can't imagine Tonbridge being a problem either.

There is probably a problem getting in from some bits of 7oaks and further away in some years, but it may be exaggerated in the press by the ongoing (but doomed to fail) sort of campaign for a grammar school in 7oaks.

So other than a good commute into London, 7oaks may be a dodgey option to pick, as also the fallback position for a boy (Wildernesse) is not held in great esteem by many.

TWGSB should be able to give crow fly distances of boys admitted in the first round of allocations each year.
Kent99

Post by Kent99 »

As regards comprehensives, B.M. in Tunbridge Wells has a very good reputation (as mentioned above) but gives priority to practising Anglican families for most of its places. I'm not sure about RC comps. The nearest non-church comprehensive on the Kent side of the border is Mascalls in Paddock Wood. This has a good reputation locally, especially for pastoral care, but is therefore pretty oversubscribed. Their catchment area extends out to various nearby villages such as Brenchley, Matfield, Horsemonden, Yalding etc. but probably won't reach T.W. or Tonbridge town. If, however, you put yourself in the main Mascalls catchment area, you will be out of catchment for TWGSB.
Just1-2go
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Location: Twells

Post by Just1-2go »

Many children who live on the southern side of Tunbridge Wells go to the East Sussex comprehensives in Wadhurst and Crowborough.
peterpeter1
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu May 21, 2009 4:39 pm

Post by peterpeter1 »

perplexed wrote:the ongoing (but doomed to fail) sort of campaign for a grammar school in 7oaks
Where are you getting your information? There is no such 'campaign' that I or anybody else that I know who lives in Sevenoaks has ever heard of.

The 325+ boys at Judd and Skinners from out of the area is causing horrible problems for boys in Sevenoaks but that is not the same as a campaign to have a grammar in Sevenoaks.
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