Kent or Essex for better school?

[Islandgirl2]

Hiya,

I am in a difficult situation!

I am wanting to relocate to either Kent (Dartford/Gravesend) or Essex (witham) closer to mom but so many factors to consider. I have 2 kids and diversity and great schools are important ro me. I will just summarise what I have researched thus far. (I might be wrong?

Essex
2 grammar school for my girl which will be Chelmsford girl or 1 in Colchester.

I don't think the state schools are very good as only 49% of pupils achieve 5+ GCSE.

Less diverse unless living in commuter towns like Chelmsford.

Houses are within my budget.

Reasonable journey time to London.

Kent

More Grammar schools and better state schools.

Houses that meet my requirements would be top end of my budget.

More diverse

Fast train to London

I would appreciate some advice from anyone who has lived in these areas or anyone they know.

Thanks in advance

Hi op I don’t know the areas you mention, but when you say grammar school, do you mean a private (fee paying) school? A lot if them have grammar in their name.

If not, then the grammar schools you mention are state schools. And if they cream off the top xx% of students by ability, then the secondary moderns or whatever they are called are bound to have lower GCSE results.

I wouldn’t personally move to a grammar area for any money (I lived in I’ve as a child).

How old are your DC? Are you able yet to assess if they would be in the top 10% or 25% or whatever the grammar takes?

Argh preview!
I lived in a grammar area as a child (and “passed” to go to the grammar school)

How old are your DC and are you certain that they would get a place at a grammar?

To be honest if you’re not ok with the non-grammar options then I wouldn’t move to a grammar area, as it’s really not something you can guarantee. I guess if your child is in y4 or y5 and is an academic superstar, then there isn’t much risk they won’t get in. Any other age or lower ability, there’s a significant risk they won’t get in.

where does your mum live? I live near gravesend and my family live near Chelmsford. The bridge to get there can be an ABSOLUTE NIGHTMARE so please take that into consideration

You’ve missed that the grammars are incredibly hard to get into! If you don’t like the non selective state options then can/will you do private?

The Essex grammars are notoriously hard to get into, very highly selective, the Chelmsford ones have a catchment also and scores still need to be incredibly high even within catchment, and the Colchester ones are super selective, so you'd need to be very confident and clued up. There are other outstanding schools in the area like Moulsham in Chelmsford and the Gilberd in Colchester but you'd realistically need to be well within catchment to get a place (which in Witham you wouldn't be) or try out for music aptitude places.

I don't say all of this to put you off, it's all doable, (feel free to pm if you want any more info about the grammars,) BUT just make sure those school are not the only reason you want to move there just in case it doesn't work out.

I wouldn't move into a grammar school area if you paid me! And I've lived in one for 20 years and had 2 children go through the system.

80% of places for Chelmsford County High are offered to those who live within a small catchment area around Chelmsford so you would have to consider that when relocating. I wouldn't move to Essex on the assumption of getting into a grammar school.

Witham really isn’t a nice place

CurlewKate could you please share your experience living in a grammar school area?

Mom lives in Burnham on crouch. Would you recommend Gravesend for families?

None of these areas are very diverse.

Yes I would especially if you want diversity. My ds went to gravesend grammar, my dd just for A levels. Bluewater great for shopping also. Anything else you'd like to know? 😊

@justasmalltownmum what would you consider diverse?

No idea about Kent, but the Essex grammars are VERY hard to get into. You shouldn’t move assuming you’d get two kids in. Have a look at the state/private backups before you decide

I can only speak for Kent. The grammar system makes for a depressingly segregated community of young people. Dividing children at the age of 10 by an arbitrary test over two days that favours, practically by definition, the children of involved, largely middle class parents who know how to jump through hoops is, frankly, no way to run a railroad.

I live in Bexley on the Kent / Bexley border and the grammar schools are extremely hard to get into both in Bexley and Kent.
I saw someone say on a thread in here once that in Kent you start the 11+ tutoring in uterus and it made me laugh because it is very true.

We have just gone through it (DS Yr 6) and it was awful. My son is bright - teachers glow about him, he's always worked at greater depth in all his school reports, he's an avid reader, a bit geeky and you would peg him as "grammar school material". But he didn't pass the Bexley test- failed by one mark. The only kids in his school who passed were 1 or 2 who are off the charts clever or the rest were intensively tutored (5+ hours every week).

Kent is historically an easier test to pass but even if you pass the test you then have distance and score criteria. Eg Dartford Boys - Kent test mark is 332; if you live in Dartford borough you usually need a score of c. 370 to get in; outside of borough it rises to c.400. Wilmington is similar; I didn't look at Gravesend but think it's along the same lines.

So yeah it's not something to go into lightly and as pp's have said you need to be prepared to accept the non-grammar alternatives if things don't go according to plan. It really is a very divisive system.

But to answer your question when we looked at the Bexley grammars, Dartford and Wilmington I was impressed and pleased with the level of ethnic diversity. There is also a middle class leaning but not too bad- I think it's worse in the Kent grammars further into Kent (Judd, Tonbridge, Skinners) as Dartford / Gravesend are more diverse areas.

@MavisTheMonkey thanks for this! I can imagine it wouldn't be easy to get DD into grammar school. I am open to non selective school but very good ones. I want to move to an area where there are options .

@clary my dd is 7, she very academic and above expected level. I am not restricted to grammar schools only, will consider non selective schools that are very good. I ideally want to move to an area where there are options.

I know Colchester well and it is an absolute dump and the traffic is horrendous.
My sister went to the Girl's High School and then went on Uni.

@Polkadotties hi, have you lived there or know someone who has?

Is there anywhere without grammars? I'd choose that as the grammar system skews everything and makes it less positive for the kids. You also have to deal with the pushy parents more if you go to a grammar, it's a major disadvantage as pushy parents cause problems for kids, which then your kids have to deal with.

Basically, the ideal is a good comp with a diverse intake and stable staff.

@Forever42 are the non selective schools very good?

I have lived here for 54 years and it's really gone down hill. My Dd went to St Benedict's, which is a very good school, but it's a catholic school.

I haven’t lived there but I’ve got family who have lived there and moved on or still live there. I’m from near where your mum lives.