sevenoaks and surrounds prep schools - any advice

[monkey42]

we are considering a move to sevenoaks to widen the choice of schools (esp at secondary) and gain more outside space etc and hopefully a slightly less pressure -cooker environment than sw london

any one done this and pleased / or not, and are we being unrealistic to expect anything to really be much different, albeit with a bit less traffic and a bigger garden...

we are in the prep system ( 2 boys) and would plan to stay in it, any recommendations on prep schools please - we have looked at new beacon and spoken to sevenoaks prep and st michaels

if we didn't live in sevenoaks itself would it be impossible to get to new beacon of a morning??

thanks

Hi didn't want you to go unanswered so bumping for you! We are in this area but have only dds so not much use. Our neighbours 3 boys go to New Beacon and seem very happy with it.

The area is great and we are really happy here but not sure it is a place to chose especially for a wide variety of boys secondary schools? There are the Grammar schools Judd, TW etc and private Tonbridge, and Sevenoaks School - hope someone comes along who can help you more!

x

thank you gremlindolphin! there must be some mums out there from sevenoaks.... I feel like it is perhaps not so different from sw london on the secondary school front, ie academic and tricky, and not much choice if that's not where you fit in, but it does look like the llifestyle would be a lot better and the countryside is lovely!

We are a bit further south and state system, but my impression of the private/state divide is that it is more of a choice here than a necessity. I know that there are good state schools in London, but catchments here are a little less competative. The area is great and you can easily reach the coast etc. Few people who make the move regret it.

thank you 3 duracellbunnies! it feels like such a huge leap, as both Ds are happy where we are (yrs 1 and 3), but then they know no different. Instinctively though it feels like we would be giving them a nicer childhood to be a bit away from sw london, lovely thought it is, they can always hit london later on if they wish - neither of us is from the SE and both had very laid back childhoods before all the stress that came later with professional jobs. I feel there is plenty of time for all that - how about a bit of time for playing outside!!