Any pointers to help me get started

Eleven Plus (11+) in Kent

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Jammy
Posts: 2
Joined: Mon Oct 19, 2009 9:34 am

Any pointers to help me get started

Post by Jammy »

Hi all,

I'm new to this board and just found it while trying to research secondary schools in the TW / Tonbridge area.

I grew up in TW, moved out to London and am now looking to move back with family and two girls next year. I'm thinking about where to settle down, and (of course) schools is one of the factors. I have two quick questions. apologies if these have already been answered else where.

1) Is there a decent map anywhere showing which areas are in grammar school catchments areas? I've found a very top level one in a kent 2010 admissions criteria pdf.

Image

However this doesn't really define where any of the boudaries actually are. In fact I can't even find a decent map of the Kent Sussex border online at the moment?

2) What are the main choice for grammar schools for girls around TW / Tonbridge? What I have so far from this board (thank you) are

TWGGS - need to live close to get in (how close?) + pass 11p
Tonbridge - entry on high 11p scores, not geography
Weald - not sure on criteria, seems to be up and coming

So I guess my question is am I missing any and what is the 10 word entry criteria summary at 11p?


Thank you in advance

EDIT - I found a map in the sticky post but thats no better than the one above. Another question, can you tell what county you are in by using postcodes? are all TW postcode in Kent for example?
dadofkent
Posts: 515
Joined: Tue Jan 01, 2008 2:05 pm

Re: Any pointers to help me get started

Post by dadofkent »

Jammy wrote: So I guess my question is am I missing any and what is the 10 word entry criteria summary at 11p?

Go as far East as you can.
alexandra6
Posts: 37
Joined: Thu Sep 17, 2009 8:06 pm
Location: kent

Post by alexandra6 »

that's a great tip, dad of kent, I had never thought about it but you're right. Canterbury is good - we love it!
Also, don't rely on postcodes - the TN postcode covers parts of both Kent and East Sussex!
murtagh
Posts: 5
Joined: Sat Oct 10, 2009 11:24 pm

Post by murtagh »

Maidstone have two very good girls grammars, neither of which are super selective (at the moment!).
Samba
Posts: 31
Joined: Mon Mar 02, 2009 5:57 pm
Location: Kent

Post by Samba »

For 2009 entry I had the following stats for allocation on 04 Mar:
TWGGS - last place offered at 1.77 miles - this went out a bit further on waitlist but if you were moving to the area you'd probably want to be within 1.5 miles to be sure - and family houses that close are v. expensive!
Weald - last place offered 8.84 miles - went out to about 12 miles in the end I believe incl Sevenoaks, Westerham, Edenbridge but not to the far north of Sevenoaks. For this school I'd suggest you need to look at living within 6 miles to be fairly sure, probably nearer. Catchment for Weald is in bands, Band A Tonbridge & Malling (incl Hadlow, Hildenborough, Ightham, Plaxtol, Shipbourne, Tonbridge Town) probably certain to get in, Band B (Sevenoaks which includes many small villages and towns - See Kent Admissions for info) http://www.kent.gov.uk/publications/edu ... ooklet.htm

In first round Weald offered to about half way through Band B -through waitlist it eventually went almost to the furthest reaches of Band B but not quite.

TOGS first round in area cut off score 407, went slightly lower through w/l.

You are right that Weald is up and coming - I have heard that more parents in Band A and B put it as first choice for 2009 and more planning to for 2010 regardless of score, even if their DD could get into TOGS on score.

Also be careful re postcodes, Kent scheme of education is based on where you pay your council tax so on the extremities of Band B you have Kent postcodes who pay council tax to other authorities, eg Kent/Surrey Kent/Sussex and Kent/London borders.
These would tend to get into Weald only on appeal and only qualify to apply for the 35 OOC places at TOGS.

I'd suggest you look around Tonbridge/Hildenborough/Hadlow etc i.e. Band A for Weald or within 5 miles in Band B - that way you would have possibility of Weald or TOGS depending on your preference/score.
After all if you are going to the expense of moving for education you don't want to find you are on the fringes when allocation day comes around in March and have to go on waiting list/appeals list........
Or choose East Kent for a less stressful option as other posters have advised :lol:
Hope that helps!
Jammy
Posts: 2
Joined: Mon Oct 19, 2009 9:34 am

Post by Jammy »

Samba

Fantasic post - thank you very much. Loads of great information - just what I need.
Samba
Posts: 31
Joined: Mon Mar 02, 2009 5:57 pm
Location: Kent

Post by Samba »

You are welcome.
You might be interested in this article by Anne McElvoy in the Standard.

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/lifestyle ... my-boys.do
mystery
Posts: 8927
Joined: Tue Jul 21, 2009 10:56 pm

Post by mystery »

Mmm well given the choice I'd move to Tunbridge Wells. Then you have TWGSS to get into, which seems to get fantastic results despite not being superselective, and daughter(s) could still travel to TOGS if they made the grade and could be bothered.

Sorry don't know the exact boundaries - but always check with the council before purchasing. There are some people on this website who have been caught out - they assumed they were in the same area as the neighbour, but were not.

Or if you want them to board at 13, but still be able to walk home(!), go to Cranbrook
WesterhamMum
Posts: 134
Joined: Thu Jan 24, 2008 2:08 pm
Location: Westerham, Kent

Post by WesterhamMum »

I agree with checking the local authority carefully. I bought my house a few years ago in Westerham, Kent, with a TN postcode, only to discover that I am in the London Borough of Bromley and therefore out of area for all Kent schools (except the superselectives). This means that my neighbours (at the top of the hill) for example, are in band B for Weald, but we are in band E!!
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