Weald of Kent Grammar proposing to go co-ed

[JJ123]

Yes this is sadly true. I am a Weald year 7 Mum and feel pretty darn let down on this. We chose WOKGs over TOGs(where we also had a place) for many reasons and are incredibly pleased with every aspect of the school.
Until this. Had we known it might go co-ed we never would have chosen it. We put our trust in Weald and feel very let down.

Our letter of consultation merely stated the arguments (increase in population etc.) requiring another grammar - and the only way to get around the legislation is to make Weald co-ed. The governors are not suggesting that WOKGS will benefit from being co - ed, as we all know it wont. I cant really believe that a girls school since 1947 should be changed to accommodate the creation of another school.

All year 7 parents i know will be objecting but i fear apathy further up the school will not help us. does anyone know if we have any rights on this.

I have a younger girl who i'd hoped (subject to test) would join her sister but i would not knowingly send her to a co-ed. So chances are she will not now join her sister. If it happens there will no longer be an all girls grammar in the area ( TOGS being SSlective) surely thats not fair

Why cant they keep girls at Tunbridge and boys at Sevenoaks under the wokgs umbrella ??

Any advise on this forum very much appreciated ...... i really hope this nightmare just goes away !

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[tonbridgemum]

Gosh,it all sounds very complicated and I must admit to not knowing much about it.
I am surprised you are so against co-ed. Have you had a bad experience of it?
I have had 3 boys in a boys only school and now number 4 goes to a mixed school. I can honestly say I'm happiest with this arrangement by far.
Its so good for him and his peers to be in a co-ed environment - they really do learn excellent social skills and respect for the opposite sex from year 7 and since most of them have been with girls/boys in primary its easy to continue.
My older sons saw girls as something to be 'wary' of as they didn't mix with them much but I already see DS number 4 being confident, yet respectful of girls and he is only year 7.
I certainly have friends (interestingly some with daughters at weald!) who say that girls can be 'catty' and gang like in an all girl environment and they would jump at the chance to have some male influence to balance this out.
I certainly wouldn't rule out that Weald wouldn't benefit from being co-ed, like you suggest. Although not in this area, there are plenty of successful co-ed Grammar schools.

[JJ123]

thanks for your reply. Yes i appreciate there are pros and cons of course and different schools suit different children. I feel more that we made a decision when choosing a secondary school for our dd that we wanted all girls not thinking for a second that such a major change would happen at her school. They have boys in the 6th form which i understand works v well. She has a brother too so has plenty of male contact but in my experience from 11-16 yrs boys and girls perform and learn better separately.

Weald Grammar are not proposing this change as an enhancement to the school or the girls. It is being proposed soley so that legislation can be got around to build a new grammar in sevenoaks. i think thats pretty unfair on the hundreds of girls already at WOKgs.

[peter45]

We too have a daughter at WOK whose chose it over an offered place at TOGS. I am all for coed. But I think the children should be taught in single sex classes and the number of girls and boys entry places offered even. We have one a Judd and 2 still in the independent primary school sector one daughter tells us she will only go to coed. grammar school. Interesting times ahead, does anyone know what date the decision will be made?

[JJ123]

Good to hear from another Weald parent ( i too have ds at Judd) and that you are more positive about this change. I am pretty surprised that Weald havent tried to sell it to us more ... or explain how it would work. Pretty hard saying yes or no based objectively based on just what the governors letter said.

Unfortunately my knowledge/experience of co-ed is not good and that is a main reason why we considered weald and togs only but i guess if handled correctly ..... am hoping to be proved wrong

[mystery]

Can you put the text of the letter on here? Who was it sent to?

[JJ123]

Interesting that Gove is choosing to send his own daughter to an all go school. Believing this to be the best education for her.

The highly acclaimed Grey Coat school in Westminster obviously thinks "all girl" is the preferred choice. Weald of Kent take note please.

[bristols]

Fortunately for the children of Sevenoaks you appear to be pretty much a lone voice in this matter. Most of the Weald parents I have spoken to think that Weald going co-ed is a good thing and can see that it's what Sevenoaks desperately needs and the only way to get around Gove's ridiculous law. Existing girls will only be affected by a few little boys hanging around lower down the school.

The single sex girls grammar schools available to the girls of Sevenoaks will be Newstead Wood, Tunbridge Wells Girls Grammar and Tonbridge Grammar. That's three. Also accessible are Maidstone Girls and Invicta. So five in total. Number of co-ed schools available if Weald goes co-ed is the sum total of one, from zero currently. So you will still have five good schools to choose from and I haven't started on the numerous private options.

You also need to bear in mind that the others will become less "super-selective", when all the additional places are added.

[JJ123]

Fortunately for the children of Sevenoaks you appear to be pretty much a lone voice in this matter. Most of the Weald parents I have spoken to think that Weald going co-ed is a good thing and can see that it's what Sevenoaks desperately needs and the only way to get around Gove's ridiculous law. Existing girls will only be affected by a few little boys hanging around lower down the school.

The single sex girls grammar schools available to the girls of Sevenoaks will be Newstead Wood, Tunbridge Wells Girls Grammar and Tonbridge Grammar. That's three. Also accessible are Maidstone Girls and Invicta. So five in total. Number of co-ed schools available if Weald goes co-ed is the sum total of one, from zero currently. So you will still have five good schools to choose from and I haven't started on the numerous private options.

You also need to bear in mind that the others will become less "super-selective", when all the additional places are added.

Hello Bristols ...... All the fellow Weald parents i have spoken to are objecting but we can play ping pong on that one. Im sure some dont mind co-ed or are indifferent. I also think Weald will make up their own mind whatever the parents say.

Togs and Newstead are selective so would not count as options for most girs passing the 11 plus. To get into T Wells girls from Sevenoaks you need to get a governor place too - so also selective.

I find it ironic that you are suggesting fuure girls would need to travel to maidstone as this is the whole "Sevenoaks Grammar" argument that children shouldnt have to travel so far.

I have been advised that in 2013 Just 4 children couldnt get a grammar place from Sevenoaks after waitlist. What the heck is the urgent need for a grammar in Sevenoaks ?

[JJ123]

Fortunately for the children of Sevenoaks you appear to be pretty much a lone voice in this matter. Most of the Weald parents I have spoken to think that Weald going co-ed is a good thing and can see that it's what Sevenoaks desperately needs and the only way to get around Gove's ridiculous law. Existing girls will only be affected by a few little boys hanging around lower down the school.

The single sex girls grammar schools available to the girls of Sevenoaks will be Newstead Wood, Tunbridge Wells Girls Grammar and Tonbridge Grammar. That's three. Also accessible are Maidstone Girls and Invicta. So five in total. Number of co-ed schools available if Weald goes co-ed is the sum total of one, from zero currently. So you will still have five good schools to choose from and I haven't started on the numerous private options.

You also need to bear in mind that the others will become less "super-selective", when all the additional places are added.

Ps My children are the "Sevenoaks children" to whom you refer. We all moved to Sevenoaks knowing there was no Grammar school here, and that our children should have to travel 20mins to Tonbridge/twells if they were able to get into grammar. They love the journey and for secondary its not excessive at all.

I wish Trinity all the luck in the world getting onto the Wilderness site, it seems they have filled the void exceptionally well for the "Sevenoaks children" .