seeker, nickelbabe and anyone else in the Faversham area... I need school help please

[Ingles2]

A friend has just moved to ME13, just outside Faversham.. She's got 2 girls and is looking for secondary schools. They've moved from London, so will need In year admission from KCC and have come from high performing state comps in London.
Can you recommend a state school please, either comp or grammar. thanks a lot

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At Sittinbourne which if you live in ME13 would not be a million miles away there is a girls grammar called Highstead it was certainly well regarded when we lived not a million miles from ME13 and in Faversham theres a mixed grammar school Queen Elizabeths (I think) there are also grammars at Canterbury Barton Court (coed) and Simon langton Girls but so over subscribed are these that I think living in ME13 puts you out of the catchment area. The comp in Faversham is called The Abbey and used to be awful, there's a better one at Sittingbourne (can't remember what it called) and again when that area was my stamping ground a reaonable comp at Lenham again cant remember the name. "In year" admissions into Kent Grammars are notoriously difficult I've had quite a few friends in that area who tried and failed waiting lists etc as the comps (or whatever they call them) are often as I said above pretty awful and have had to go to independent schools instead but as they say if you dont ask you wont get.
Hope this helps.

You want seeker to recommend a grammar school? You must be new to MN if you don't know what seeker thinks of grammar schools.

There are two mixed secondary schools in Faversham itself, the Queen Elizabeth Grammar School (QES) and the Abbey School, technically a secondary modern (Kent is still selective) but functioning rather like a comprehensive. Both occupy modern premises, and both go on extending their buildings and facilities. Both work together when it benefits student welfare.
QES is in the heart of the town, with playing fields on site, and is an ancient endowed grammar school founded in 1527. It's good, or very good, academically and in other ways. A new 6th-form centre is about to be built.
The Abbey School is on the fringe of the town, alongside the A2, with playing fields on site. It's not anywhere near the site of Faversham Abbey, however. QES actually incorporates the site of the Abbey Church in its grounds (a bit confusing!)
The Abbey has a bigger roll that QES. It has a wide range of facilities. As happygardening says, its record used to be indifferent, but it has improved in recent years and has a 6th-form of its own. I don't know any parent who's unhappy with it.
Our daughter was rejected for QES but accepted by Barton Court (grammar) in Canterbury - a very good school - and she went to get a Fine Arts degree. Simon Langton (grammar) tends to be thought of as the most academic of the three grammar schools but I doubt whether this is still the case - they're all of equal standing.
Unless you are in Newnham or Doddington (which I think are in ME9 anyway) Lenham would be a long-ish drive each day. There are no buses and it's a secondary modern.
What happygardening says about Sittingbourne schools is correct, but for secondary education I think ME13 comes within the Canterbury rather than the Sittingbourne ambit.
Hope this helps, and best wishes for your daughters' future success!

Your probably right Duro re Sittingbourne although when I was in Fvaersham the other month I did see a a couple of girls in the Highstead Grammars rather distinctive uniform. The last thing I heard (about three years ago) was that it is becoming increasingly difficult to get into Simon Langton Boys and Girls and Barton Court if you live in ME13 and the surrounding area becasue they are so oversubscribed.

Fulston Manor School Sitingbourne (not a grammar) always was fairly well regarded and defintely seen as a better bet than Abbey School. If your applying "in year" cant you apply where ever you like you certainly can where I live now and if they have a vacancy you get a place. Sittingbourne is certainly easy on the train from Faversham.

Hiya..thanks so much for your replies... I actually already live in Kent but in Tenterden, and have boys at secondary.. I don't know much about the schools in the Faversham area though, but can help with in year admission.
She has to name 4 schools as we did and KCC organise testing if she lists grammar schools as first preference. It's then just waiting to see who has a place [if any] so I guess the issue os which secondary modern/comp to list as her fall back.
BTW Seeker isn't that anti grammar, she has at least 1 dd at a grammar in the area...now if we were discussing private schools

Hi INgles.
Fulston Manor- really popular
Highstead- very highly regarded locally
Westlands- gainly a much better rep lately- as far as schools go me10 are blessed really as there's a tip top boys grammar school too.

I have several friends in London who are looking to buy in Sbourne for the schools alone and because of all the improvements to the town.

Has your friend found places?