Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Original poster

Invicta vs MGGS vs RGS vs TOGS

7 replies

JustCallMeFrank · 05/10/2026 16:29

Opinion on these schools? DD really wants an all girls school so these are our target schools, if all goes well, next week Wednesday & Thursday. We're in West Malling and map apps usually have them all at 30 mins or less by car. But TOGS & RGS will be the hardest for us to find other parents to carpool with. We've also been warned about traffic on the A228 down to TOGS at rush hours.

OP posts:
ScepticalWithoutProof · 09/10/2026 10:05

Medway results are the Wed (14th) and Kent the Thurs (15th) so you'll know loads more by next Friday, but worth knowing these four don't all work the same way. Invicta and MGGS just need a Kent pass and then it's mostly distance, and they're both in Maidstone so probably the easiest for lift shares. RGS is Medway Test only and then distance, Medway's school page says the furthest offer last year was about 18km in a straight line so measure yours.

TOGS is the odd one out. West Malling counts as their area but area places go on Kent Test score first, not distance, and they put the cut-off on their website (it was 378 this year). So her score on the Thursday will pretty much tell you if TOGS is realistic. I'd also do the actual drive at 8am once before deciding, a 30 min map time can look very different at rush hour, and check the school bus routes not just carpools as it makes a big difference to how tired she is by Friday. You put them in your real order of preference, it doesn't hurt your chances, and the deadline's 31 Oct so there's time after results to visit.

Original poster
JustCallMeFrank · 09/10/2026 16:35

@ScepticalWithoutProof Thanks that's loads of really helpful info, I haven't read all the oversubscription info yet and I was a little bit worried about the order of preference thing, so it's good to know it won't hurt our chances with the others if we don't get our 1st choice.

DD had a good result in the Bexley Test and she felt that was the hardest one. She also said that she felt good about the Kent test, but now we've read that the Kent test scores went up this year... So I'm optimistic that she's passed but I'm not overly confident that she'll meet the TOGS mark, especially if it goes up this year.

I'll put the drive down to TOGS to the test next Tuesday for the open morning!

What do you think of the culture/communities at the respective schools? That may end up being the deciding factor for us.

OP posts:
Original poster
JustCallMeFrank · 14/10/2026 19:00

We've visited all of the schools now, and the decision should probably be easy as we all seem to agree (for now) that Invicta is the best fit.

Parents' preference

  1. Invicta
  2. TOGS
  3. MGGS
  4. RGS

DD's preference

  1. Invicta
  2. RGS
  3. MGGS
  4. TOGS

But I'm starting to have some serious FOMO about TOGS.

OP posts:
WatieKatie · 16/10/2026 12:30

@JustCallMeFrank my DD is at Invicta and really thrives there. She didn’t know anyone before she started but soon made friends. I know a lot of girls from West Malling and Kings Hill travel there via the bus.

Original poster
JustCallMeFrank · 16/10/2026 21:34

Thanks @WatieKatie It’s looking very likely that it’ll be Invicta for us too. I was the most keen in the family on TOGS but I’ve been firmly outvoted and dd would have had the final say anyway.

OP posts:
Silverbirchleaf · 16/10/2026 21:38

Have you considered the train to Tonbridge and then walk (I know boys who have done this to Judd, not sure how far TOGs is to the station)?

Invicta is considered the more academic of the two Maidstone gurus grammars, and MGGS slightly less pressurised.

Good luck in your results.

Original poster
JustCallMeFrank · 17/10/2026 11:11

Silverbirchleaf · 16/10/2026 21:38

Have you considered the train to Tonbridge and then walk (I know boys who have done this to Judd, not sure how far TOGs is to the station)?

Invicta is considered the more academic of the two Maidstone gurus grammars, and MGGS slightly less pressurised.

Good luck in your results.

It’s a 20 minute walk from what I can see, but there is also a school bus 772 with a stop close by that would take her all the way there.

I agree, Invicta is academic and probably just as good as TOGS given that it’s not a super selective intake.

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page