Primary school in Whitstable/Canterbury area

[ppj24100]

Hi,

Our family is thinking of moving to the Canterbury/Whitstable area in Kent next spring. Appreciate any good advice pre primary schools...our son will be 8 at that time, so would have one term (summer) before the next school year starts, I guess. We are currently outside the UK...and trying to come up to speed with the UK school system. Thanks!

Not sure I can help much but will try. My children go to Swalecliffe CP School, Whitstable. It's very popular and there is usually a waiting list for in-year admissions. My children are both very happy there, as are all the other children I know who attend. If you move when your son needs a Year 3 place, you may stand a better chance of getting a place as they are allowed an extra 3 children per class (there are 3 classes in each year group, so 9 extra places). I think that Joy Lane Primary is ok too though people sometimes curl their noses up at it, I think most of the snobbery around it is historical. These are the only primary schools I know anything about. There are schools in some of the villages surrounding Whitstable but I don't know much about them and I have no idea about schools in Canterbury but if you're thinking as far ahead as secondary school, even if your son passed his Kent test (11+), he might not get into a Grammar school in Canterbury if you live in Whitstable as they are sometimes hugely over-subscribed and only take children from Canterbury. Apparently there are other good grammar schools in other nearby towns, and of course, different schools offer different things. I hope I'm not waffling and that this makes sense, didn't want to see you not replied to.

Many thanks for your reply, will definitely check out Swalecliffe and see how we go. We like that area very much but coming from outside Whitstable etc, we have to start from scratch and that isn't always easy...