Possible to go to Kent grammar if we live outside Kent?

What doesn't make sense OP is you want to move to Bromley because it has good state schools. But does it have more than one so that if you don't get first choice , second will also be OK? If not then I would choose an area with a variety of school options you would be happy with.

Erm, also seconding Bromley! With apologies to Suttonites as I’ve only driven through it and I take your word that there are ‘naice’ bits that I’ve not seen, Bromley imo is the more attractive. Schools aside, it’s also got a heck of a lot of shops, restaurants etc and good train links both into London and out into Kent. I wouldn’t have thought many Bromley kids made the journey to Sutton grammars but I really don’t know!

As an alternative (and admittedly not a cheap one but very pretty, 30 mins to central London, easy access to a variety of Kent grammars) how about Sevenoaks? Or slightly cheaper (but with a bit of a longer commute) Tunbridge Wells?

Well we like Bromley! OP we live in the borough right now and went through state and private 11+ this year - feel free to pm me if you want any more local info!

And trains go into the City (Thameslink) and Victoria.

Sutton could be an alternative to Bromley though to look to live in too? The state secondary schools in Sutton are virtually the highest achieving in the land (even better than Bromley - think second or third in England on an annual basis) and there are some excellent primaries too). Very naice houses heading south from the station area towards Cheam Village - all detached and mostly five/six bedrooms. Much, much cheaper than being a few miles further into London.

Some of the grammar schools in our area have a catchment area but some of the super selective take those with the highest 11+ result and can be out of area.

I don't know where Ashton is...?!

You need to do quite a lot of research quite quickly. Bromley isn't especially ideal for Grammar schools tbh as it requires high out of county scores for Kent and Sutton (and long journeys), very high score for St Olaves, or proximity to Bexley for Bexley Grammars.

Why do you want to live in Bromley?

Chis and Sid went out about 4 miles this year I think we worked out for first round offers and is the closest Bexley school to Bromley.

I suspect that was supposed to type as Sutton @MarchingFrogs

It doesn't look entirely doable on public transport (although a direct route by car) - it would be over an hour each way: www.rome2rio.com/map/Bromley/Sutton

Although there are children who travel from Heathrow direction to the Sutton grammars so there are plenty undertaking journeys just as long (if not longer).

I don’t know how to travel to Ashton from bromley

Ashton?

The Sutton grammars tests are very Maths/English based now - it used to be different but we're talking nearly a good few years now.

Olaves is it’s own test, Sutton has its own test, Kent is GL, Bexley is CEM but this can all change. Lots of guidance about tests on the elevenplusexams forum area. DD sat multiple tests but she isn’t phased by them and we only limited it to those with a reasonable distance and also ruled out those that didn’t feel like a good fit for her. DD’s grammar for example would absolutely not suit the sort of girl who didn’t have a clear idea of who they are. Just like any other school grammars have different sports, different ethos, different subjects in offer etc.

Could you not consider Sutton (which has three boys grammars all local)?

If you move to Bromley just make sure you're in catchment for a good comprehensive school in case the Grammar option doesn't work out. Judd would be a long journey from Bromley. Bond not great - as a previous poster said, you need to be familiar with the material for each test. Go to elevenplusexams for more information.

I'd def relate commute to your choice. As someone else said up thread, trains and cancellations can be awful for them with homework etc also. I wasn't coached to score high enough to attend, I went to one of the top grammar schools in Kent

Yes Olaves is very competitive. Dartford Grammar boys has coaches from Bromley and Orpington and has a small number of places for out of county boys. The required scores are very high. The elevenplusforum will have more details. Most of the other boys grammars in Kent are mostly local places now but as others have said do check the admissions.

Chislehurst & Sidcup grammar is the one Bexley co-Ed within striking distance and Beths is the Bexley boys school but is perhaps a more awkward journey.

Beckenham has some great comprehensives with Eden High and Langley Park for example or Orpington has Darrick Wood.

We live in Kent & I’ve got a couple of friends with kids in Judd. As others have told you, it’s a Super Selective so a high score in the Kent test is essential. In Bromley you aren’t going to qualify as inner area, you would be outer area. If you are still in Oz when you apply, no chance.

‘ 23 places will be allocated to students resident in the Outer Area which is defined as being outside the Inner Area (above) and within the mainland of the United Kingdom’

Many of our kids do long journeys in Kent, mine has a 50 minute journey to her school in Tonbridge from where we live in Sevenoaks. Bromley South to Tonbridge (train stations) is just under an hour with a change in Orpington. It’s do-able (and lots of kids from outer London do commute down to our grammars and independents) but bear in mind, especially with a change in train there will be days when thanks to cancellations and missed connections he will be home late & still have to complete a fair bit of homework. One other option that won’t involve a train change as they are on the same line are the 2 boys grammars in Maidstone. Neither are Super Selective but both are good. I don’t know their location criteria but I do know both are under subscribed so your chances of getting DS in would I imagine be good.

I’ve seen numerous Mumsnetters on here say they didn’t coach & maybe that’s the case but honestly, I know a lot of people with kids in grammars and not a single one of them wasn’t coached. That might be by a professional tutor or at home using appropriate materials as you are doing now. If it’s working well then I’d probably stick with that!

The Judd is in Tonbridge, you will be in Bromley. That's a huge commute.

Dartford Grammar school has 90 out of county spaces, usually a slightly lower pass mark in the Kent Test required when compared to Judd.