Hi, for Bexley 11+ exam my daughter scored 240 and top 180 cutoff is 246. We live in Newham council. Is it worth applying for Bexley Grammar school for girls (6.6 miles straight line) or Townley Grammar school (10 miles straight line) ?

First question to ask yourselves is how easy is the journey (at peak times) or would you move if your DS were to get a place. Some years one or other of the grammars offers to all selective candidates.

It is a long shot but if you have enough preferences on your CAF you could put it down knowing it is uncertain but not impossible.

Congrats on passing the exam!

Ultimately it is down to personal preference and with 6 positions available on the CAF there's no harm in placing your favourites on top of the list, even if they may appear to be a long shot. Followed by more realistic (in theory) yet acceptable choices somewhere at the bottom.

If you look at the catchment areas for Bexley grammars - they can vary quite a lot and top 180 may after all choose other grammars or indies.

As Fiona mentioned - very important to check whether the daily commute won't be too much of a nuisance, unless you're planning to move.

Hi Poonam Chowdhary, just to say that there is not a Bexley Grammar School for Girls, the only girls school in Bexley is Townley. Bexley Grammar is mixed and historically offers places about 2 or 3 miles.

Dear All, many thanks for such a prompt reply. If she gets place we will 100% move closer

I would say going by previous years that it's worth putting Townley down as they have sometimes offered to everyone who has passed then gone to 1 or 2 points below the pass mark. Apparently, Chis and Sid did that this year too so worth looking there as well. Bexley Grammar has a very small catchment area so you are very unlikely to get a place there without a top 180 score. You will need to put a very local school that you are pretty certain to get in to as well as a safety net, then you can hope a waiting list place comes up over the summer. Good luck.

OP I'm not sure any Bexley Grammar has gone out as far as that? Townley has become increasingly popular and in some recent years its waiting list has barely moved.

C&S definitely offered one very late place to someone slightly under the qualifying score - so they are potentially a better bet - but even so it's a pretty slim chance.

Hey All

If the score is just below the top 180 and one cannot move in catchment by 31st October, the council say they will "accept responsibility
for administering the application" if move to Bexley by 9th December.

How does that work? We fill in CAF in our existing LA listing desired Bexley schools ? Will Bexley council then anull this and ask for applications to be resubmitted ? Can we change preferences then ? Will the previous LA application be revoked? Just a bit worried because two application will cause confusion.

Anyone with previous experience? or is it best to just move by 31st October which is a huge nightmare !

I haven't experience of it myself but what I think you should do is make your application in the normal way from where you are - be sure not to miss the deadline - and then contact Bexley with proof of the change of address when you move. You shouldn't have to make a second application.

Thanks