Restriction of catchment area

[vasu]

My ds is in year 5. He is up for 11+ exam next year. As we r in Harrow the choice of Grammar school is limited. Kent has some wonderful school. We would be willing to shift to Kent if my ds makes it one of the school. I wonder if I can apply in any school in spite of not being in Kent. I can apply in QE boys because it does not have the catchment requirements. Are there any grammar schools like that in Kent?

[SSM]

You can sit the Kent test without living in Kent, and if your DS passes you can the put a Kent GS on your CAF. At the moment there are 2 boys GS which allocate places on score (Judd and Skinners') so it wouldn't matter where you live at the time.

However, there have been complaints about the fact that these schools (and one of the girls GSs) allocate places on score and not on distance from the school, and this is with the ajudicator at the moment. A decision is due in the next week or two and things might actually change.

So watch this space.

[Billie]

Bromley has St Olaves grammar school which is in Orpington. It sets its own test - Maths and English which is taken in November in Year 6. Places are entirely on scores. Whereas currently with Judd and Skinners if scores are tied distance comes into play, for St Olave's the Maths score is the decider so you can live anywhere!

[dani*]

Which is the girls one please.

[Billie]

Tonbridge Grammar School is the Kent girls school . It is slightly different to Judd and Skinners. They allocate places on score although if scores are tied proximity comes into it. For Tonbridge Grammar (TOGS) they have 35 places set aside for girls outside of West Kent - seems to usually be about 20 places go out of county there.

[blessedmum]

I think the girls one may be Newstead woods.

[SSM]

Just to clarify,
Kent GSs for boys which currently allocate on score - Judd and Skinners'
Kent GSs for girls which currently allocate some places on score - Tonbridge Girls Grammar
For these three you sit the Kent 11+

Orpington has a girls GS -Newstead Woods, and a boys GS - St Olaves. These set their own tests and again allocate places on score not distance.

[2childmum]

Just to add that you have to live withing 9 miles of Newstead Woods to be able to sit the selection test. If they don't fill their places from girls withing 9 miles they then invite those from further away to take the test, but this has never happened.

I think Dartford Grammar for girls may offer a few places on score.

Dartford Grammar for boys offers to boys who live in Dartford and then it goes on score. I read somewhere (could have been on this forum) that about 56 places went to Dartford boys and the rest on score.

[mystery]

But just to reiterate what someone said higher up - the Schools' Adjudicator may change the Tonbridge Grammar School for Girls Admissions policy in a week or two; if he supports the objectors in his decision, it will probably not be possible to get a place from outside Kent, and certainly not at the kind of distance you live at. His decision would come into force from September 2011, but could change again in future years!

So watch this space!