Newstead vs Dartford Grammar Girls

[mbapai]

Hi All,

We are consolidating our final choice of schools for our daughter. She has done quite well in Kent and Newstead wood 11 plus tests. We are considering Dartford Grammar school and Newstead wood school for her. We however live in the Hithergreen area.
We have seen both schools and the commute from our house to Newsetad and DGGS are the same. However infrastructure and clubs wise we find DGGS much better than Newstead. Also, I hear Newstead has a lot of funding issues these days and kids seem to be even struggling with basic things like lockers and the frequency of teacher attrition seems quite high in Newstead, may times leaving the kids to learn on their own while they have a replacement.

Anyone on here that has had to choose between NW and Dartford and has got some quick bites regarding the 2 schools? Any quick replies will really help, as the CAF deadline is approaching soon, and we need to really make up our minds for our first choice.

Thank you and Kindest Regards.

[PettswoodFiona]

I don't know what funding issues you are referring to about Newstead. Yes they have an ambitious plan for some rebuilding works and are asking for support for it. They have recently re-done the music block. Yes they spend more on teacher salaries than most schools but I personally felt my daughter benefited from that in her 7 years and parents going in and sprucing up the classrooms instead of paying for contractors was a good move. It depends how you interpret it. Newstead seems to be a school people love to hate so be careful who you get the information from. It is a bit tatty in places and could do with investment and did have an issue with plumbing many years ago, the catering is always a bit hit and miss and hall is crowded at lunchtime, it is certainly far from perfect. I know lots of parents who entered their children for Newstead, their daughter didn't get in and then spent years justifying that outcome by spreading inaccurate information as it made them feel better. My daughter had a number of friends from the Hither Green / St John's area, it was an easy journey on the train to Orpington (when there were no strikes).