Kent OCC and Distance Cut Off

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lefol
Posts: 382
Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2010 11:13 pm
Location: Bexleyheath

Kent OCC and Distance Cut Off

Post by lefol »

Most of the Kent schools have recently changed their admission crieteria to favour Kent residents and to cut down the number of OOC applicants . What hope do those of us on the borders of Kent have to apply to Kent Schools? Those who live around the BexleyHeath, Abbeywood and Shooters hill area ? I am only referring to schools that go on distances such as Wilmington, Gravesend, Mayfield? Is it even worth listing these schools which are roughly 5 to 10 miles out ?? Help ?!
Sennockianmum
Posts: 40
Joined: Sun Oct 16, 2016 2:35 pm

Re: Kent OCC and Distance Cut Off

Post by Sennockianmum »

Can you apply to your local schools? Schools in your own borough/county?
Sennockianmum
Posts: 40
Joined: Sun Oct 16, 2016 2:35 pm

Re: Kent OCC and Distance Cut Off

Post by Sennockianmum »

As a Kent resident I would like to see all the grammars introduce a catchment system - state schools should be available to local residents first and foremost.
lefol
Posts: 382
Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2010 11:13 pm
Location: Bexleyheath

Re: Kent OCC and Distance Cut Off

Post by lefol »

Yes - but Kent residents apply to Bexley schools too and those on the borders get into Kent without any problems . In an ideal world, catchments would be good, but I cannot understand why Kent made the process more stricter last year when Bexley grammar schools still have the same policy on admissions ! If you live in Dartford, Crayford, Petts wood, you can get into a grammar up to
8 miles away i.e Beth's, but for Kent grammars if a Bexley resident lived in the same area 8 miles away, they may struggle to get a Kent place if they have a score of less than 370 ? Anyway, would appreciate an answer to the questions posed without getting into the politics as it is another different topic. When Theresa May gets her way and we have two or three grammars in every borough, we will all be one happy family .
amfnc
Posts: 124
Joined: Sat Sep 21, 2013 2:56 pm

Re: Kent OCC and Distance Cut Off

Post by amfnc »

I'm not sure whether you're looking at boys or girls schools, but there's no question that the Kent schools are much harder to get into now if you're OOC. I'm pretty certain that from Bexley you'll have probably (I could be wrong!) a zero chance with Gravesend and Mayfield. In the past Wilmington boys may not have been a problem, however their catchment halved last year, only going out 2.5 miles OOC as the crow flies (from over 5 miles the year before). This means that Crayford, Barnhurst, top end of Bexleyheath and Bexley village will have got places but that is all. I'm aware of someone in Bexley Village who just missed out last year.

I'm not sure how far Wilmington girls went last year (I know it went out to Danson) but I think they took an extra class. I don't know what their PAN is for this year, but I'd guess that given the Ofsted Outstanding it was awarded a year or so ago, demand will be even higher than last year, I have many friends whose children have passed Bexley and Kent and yet, despite having Chis & Sid, Townley etc. on their doorsteps, still want one of the Wilmington Grammars. I think that there's a chance that Wilmington Boys catchment will shrink even further than the meagre 2.5 miles it was last year.

It was the same for my DS, he chose Wilmington over Beths, despite living less than a mile from Beths, but it was his choice (we're only 2 miles from WGSB, so there wasn't really much in the commute). Likewise we know plenty of parents who children attend Beths or Townley yet they live the other side of the Bexley border and come under Kent ...

Lefol, I know it's not necessarily what you want to hear, all I would suggest is that you visit the schools, put them on the CAF in your order or preference and hope for the best.

Good luck!
lefol
Posts: 382
Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2010 11:13 pm
Location: Bexleyheath

Re: Kent OCC and Distance Cut Off

Post by lefol »

Thanks . I will wait and see what the cut Giff for Dartford is and as you say list all the preferred schools on the form and hope for the very best . It appears more children passed this year but I guess most of those offered places would have also applied to other schools in london, Essex and possibly some private schools so although it appears bleak now, it could get better for all the children that have worked so hard to pass the test .
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