any info on schools in Tenterden please?

[firestorm]

we are hoping to move areas soon, mainly for better schools for the children. ive mainly been focusing on the east sussex towns & villages (wadhurst, etchingham & heathfield) which all seem to have excellent schools. however my husband really likes tenterden. we had previously dismissed it because prices seemed so high, but after checking out rightmove i discovered it may be a possibility for us after all.
ive checked out the ofsted reports for the local schools & none of them seem terrible. also as kent is a grammar school area i may consider sending them privately at some point to get them through the 11+
can anyone give me any advice (preferably based on personal experience) as to what the schools in the tenterden area are like? (state & private)
thanks

[marbeth]

friends children have been to school in Tenterden.Really happy with the primary schools.Tenterden infants and juniors which are in the same road.Also near by there is a primary school in St micheals.Tenterden infants and juniors are just of Tenterden high street.For secondary school there is a large comprehensive which selects 20 percent of children on ability.Friends children have all done well there and went on to higher education.There are grammers in Ashford and cranbrook.Very good girls and boys grammer in Ashford.Tenterden would be in catchment area.Really like Tenterden.

[turquoise]

I would second everything Marbeth says, esp about the the local grammar schools (Highworth for girls is excellent).
In the private sector, Ashford Girls is about to merge with Friars, finally giving the area a very good quality boys private secondary school. Other private schools in the area are Dulwich Prep (juniors) and Sutton Valence (seniors) but I have heard a fair bit of negative feedback on both of them. St Ronan's is a junior school in the Cranbrook/Hawkurst direction that is apparently lovely.

[tallulah]

Kent is indeed a grammar school area but Tenterden has the big comprehensive. They are very anti the grammars, & if you take the 11+ they will not let you have a place... If they are your "local" school you would not get a place there if you didn't pass & would have to travel a long way to a high school.

[FrenchGirl]

dh used to live in tenterden and went to St Michaels I think. But he did go to a few other school as his dear dad kept moving. He loved it there though. sorry not much help!

[firestorm]

thanks all for your info. based on what youve said, if we do end up going to tenterden, we will probably send the girls private for years 7 & 8 then have them sit the 13+ for cranbrook, which seems to be the closest grammar anyway.
just got to get the house finished first so we can sell it, then its a case of where properties to suit us are available at the time. its good to have another area to consider though.
thanks