Kent grammar schools

[Jellybeanz]

My son has passed the 11 plus so now we need to choose which schools to apply for.

Do any locals send their child to a grammar?

I'm new to this so considering whether he commutes or we move and would also love personal feedback on any recommended grammar schools in kent or any to avoid.

Much appreciated

P.S. yes I liked ED charter and Kingsdale so planning to put them on my application form also, as plan B.

[Pugwash]

I do not think Southwark has grammar schools as such. There are independent schools like Alleyns, Dulwich College which are fee paying. St. Joseph's Beulah Hill (not sure if they are fee paying)

11 plus - I thought this went out years ago? Many schools have entrance exams.

There are a couple of schools in Kent - Orpington/Sidcup/Bexley area - cannot remember their names. They are heavily oversubscribed and the children need to sit entrance exams.

My granddaughter sat the exam for one school - she got a high pass mark in the mid 90s and was in the top 120 pupils. However the school only took 100 intake that year. Several hundreds of pupils took the exam . She went onto the local comprahensive, got 10 or 11 GCSEs, the majority being A and A star. A levels were also 2 As and a B. She is now in her 3rd year at Uni studying medical Sciences. A good secondary school can produce as good results as grammar schools - depends on whether child is academically minded or more creative,

[ctovey]

My granddaughter is in her 2nd year at a grammar school in Kent. Her parents had to provide proof that they had lived in their house (in Kent) for at least 2 years prior to application, so I don't think you stand much chance of acceptance even if you move now.

[Pugwash]

yes - grand daughter lived in the area since the age of 2 so was able to produce full confirmation,

[Monkey]

I have an ED friend with a child at Bexley Grammar, which she rates very highly. I?ve also heard of children going to St Olave?s Grammar in Orpington. We didn?t try because I thought they were all too far but it?s do-able.

[ctovey]

My granddaughter is at Wilmington Girls Grammar. After passing the 11 plus for her area, there was no entrance exam, the main criteria for entry was distance. Parents also had to provide proof that they lived in the school catchment area. She lives about 1/4 mile from the school and only just got in.

[Tashmed]

May be worth looking at St Olave's Grammar in Orpington as our very own MP- Harriett Harman- sent one of her sons there. I'm not sure if they have distance criteria though

[Ossito]

As of their open day in 2019, there is no distance criteria, it is simply the highest scores in the entrance test. The Head in 2019 said they had pupils coming from as far away as Wimbledon. It is worth bearing in mind that it is a bit of a walk from the station in Orpington, and, depending on the timings, some of the early trains need a change, so it would be an early start from ED.

[Soylent Green]

Sutton Grammar is also doable by train.

[Jellybeanz]

Thanks all, have decided to put 3 grammars and 3 local state schools down and see what happens... He got a high score so we have a chance but letting fate decide now! (won't move until we have an offer as would be pointless as people point out, it's where you live when you apply, albeit they can bend the rules if you can prove you have exchanged contracts or have a 12 month property rental agreement when you apply).

[Bellenden Belle]

I?m afraid you should be aware you can?t just put grammar schools down. They have their own application process - they don?t just take the result of an 11 plus. For example St Olaves has a two stage process including a creative writing second stage not featured in a traditional eleven plus exam.

I would hate you to waste your child?s places by not following the correct procedures.

[Pugwash]

Not sure where you are living at the moment but kingsdale and Charter are both very popular choices and last year had a 'catchment area. Not sure if the new Charter school has a different one.

Not sure about the rules re exchanging contracts or yearly rental offering more chances. There was a big investigation last year/year before which exposed parents getting yearly rentals in the catchment areas of their choice to enable children to get into popular schools.

[Jellybeanz]

Bellenden Belle Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I?m afraid you should be aware you can?t just put

> grammar schools down. They have their own

> application process - they don?t just take the

> result of an 11 plus. For example St Olaves has a

> two stage process including a creative writing

> second stage not featured in a traditional eleven

> plus exam.

> I would hate you to waste your child?s places by

> not following the correct procedures.

Don't worry I am following procedures and he passed the Kent test so can apply to Kent grammars (St Olaves has a different test as do those in Bexley, you're correct).

Thanks

[Jellybeanz]

Pugwash Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Not sure where you are living at the moment but

> kingsdale and Charter are both very popular

> choices and last year had a 'catchment area. Not

> sure if the new Charter school has a different

> one.

>

> Not sure about the rules re exchanging contracts

> or yearly rental offering more chances. There was

> a big investigation last year/year before which

> exposed parents getting yearly rentals in the

> catchment areas of their choice to enable children

> to get into popular schools.

Kingsdale doesn't have a catchment area, it's a lottery system. We are in catchment for ED charter so that is still a choice for us if no Kent offers forthcoming.

Thanks for the advice

[Townleygreen]

Bromley's "super-selective" grammar schools are St Olave's (boys) and Newstead Wood (girls), both in Orpington.

Both are a long walk from the station.

Sutton has three - Nonsuch (g), Sutton (b), and Wallington (b) and Wallington (g)

[Growlybear]

My daughter went to Newstead Wood in Orpington, and the journey really wasn't a problem. The PTAs of Newstead Wood and St Olave's organised coaches to and from Crystal Palace, which my daughter used for the first couple of years. After that, she travelled by train from either West Dulwich or Penge East to Orpington, which was a straightforward journey. St Olave's is quite a walk from the station, but I'm fairly sure there are regular bus services from the station. Although there is catchment area of, I think, 9 miles for Newstead Wood, I don't think there is a distance restriction for St Olave's. A couple of boys from my daughter's primary school class went to Wallington Grammar, and again, it was a fairly straightforward train journey.

The journey took about an hour each way to Newstead, and my daughter always enjoyed the travel - the students tend to make a different set of bus and train friends, and the journey also gives them a chance to get some homework done.