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Valley Park maidstone Scholarship

6 replies

2boys1girl1dog · 30/09/2017 19:57

Hi everyone,
I was wondering if anyone has any info about the application process for a scholarship at Valley Park school in Maidstone? We are awaiting 11+ results but looking at our other non grammar options. We are just out of catchement so would have to apply for a scholarship ( we are going to apply for a music scholarship) but I have heard that they demand that you put the school as your 1st choice if you are applying for a scholarship. Is this correct? I wouldn't want to gamble by putting it first ahead of grammars ( if he passes)
Does anyone know if this is true?
Thanks for your help!

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dungandbother · 02/10/2017 19:46

Eleven plus results come out before you send in your form. So if your child passes then you won't be putting it first anyway I assume?

If your child doesn't pass, then put it first with your nearest and most likely catchment school 2nd or 3rd.

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2boys1girl1dog · 02/10/2017 21:33

Thank you for you reply!
My son isn't sure now and may still want to go to valley Park first even if he passes.
But if he doesn't pass then we may want to appeal for the top grammar school in which case I think we have to put it first or they question why at the appeal?
I'm surprised that Valley Park say you have to put it first as I thought schools werent supposed to know which order of preference you've stated?

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dungandbother · 02/10/2017 22:01

By all means put Valley first with the grammar second.
Preference is often misunderstood.
If you have a pass and live close to the grammar you'd still get a place there with it at 2nd choice and Valley at 1st (that being should you live too far from Valley). The scholarship thing is a red herring. The deadline for applying is in November I believe. I'm sure preference is irrelevant as far as the scholarship goes and the school don't get told what preference you gave it.

They want to be able to publish their extraordinary percentage of 1st preference which as an oversubscribed school is purely part of the marketing ploy. Bottom line is they are oversubscribed because they isn't enough school provision in the immediate area.

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dungandbother · 02/10/2017 22:04

*there not they

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dungandbother · 02/10/2017 22:13

I realised I failed to (from my
Perspective) answer your question.

Put Valley 1st and enter the scholarship if that is your absolute top choice.
Put Grammar 2nd (assuming a Maidstone one and you are within a close distance)

If you pass the scholar then 1st will win.
If you fail the scholar, the 2nd won't fail as long as you absolutely are close enough. Even with Grammar as 2nd preference,
If you meet their admission criteria you will get a place.