Grammar school applications/possible house move

[SoozyWoozy5]

Posted in Chat initially but might be more appropriate here..

Advice gratefully received if anyone has been in this situation?

We currently live in the SELondon/North Kent area and my DS passed the Kent selection test in autumn and we applied for a (very) local grammar school, now awaiting confirmation of a place in March etc as per usual processes. Given the proximity of where we live to the school he is almost certainly going to get a place (unless there are 180 siblings!).

I have now got a new job working in Maidstone and we would like to consider moving closer, as this would also mean we can buy a larger house than we can afford locally.

If we were to move then obviously I would prefer to get on and do it before our DS makes the transition to secondary school but how do I navigate now applying for an alternative grammar school in a new area (as well as ensuring we can move into a necessary catchment area!) given that applications are closed??

Has anyone done this and managed to pull it all off successfully?! Or am I simply being too ambitious thinking I can get all these variables to align??

Finally, whilst I know the area a little, any top tips on best areas would be great! Happy to be slightly rural in surrounding areas too.

Maidstone has 2 boys grammars, MGS is the more traditional and very academic one, Oakwood is the less pushy grammar so totally depends on what suits your ds. There are some really nice villages around Maidstone though not cheap, you could also go quite rural but obviously then a longer or more complicated journey to the town for MGS or just outside town for Oakwood. I'd recommend joining some local FB groups and ask for opinions on areas, schools, travel etc.

Sorry can't help with what to do with the application process, maybe phone KCC or the schools? I know the schools operate waiting lists, dd had a couple of friends move from one boys grammar to another in September and within the first half term, but you probably don't want to leave it that late or the uncertainty

You need the Secondary Education board.

Unfortunately I suspect that you will need to go on a waiting list now as you are applying for schools after the October deadline. So will be a late application for schools in your new area.

I thought grammar schools operated on 11+ results rather than catchment area. An area has an allocated number of grammar places and probably triple the number of children sitting the exam. I assume the schools will choose those with the highest results. Rather than everybody who passed automatically getting a space or living in the catchment area.

That is only certain schools MissMarplesbag for most kent grammars its just a case of passing then allocated by distance. OP I think you will end up on a waiting list too. Kent don't publish last distance offered so it might be worth doing a freedom of information request to get this information for those schools- that way will give you an idea if they are oversubscribed and by how much you could also think about how close you need to move to the Maidstone Grammars to give your son a good chance. If you are definitely moving it would be worth contacting admissions now because it might not be too late to change your preferences- you could put the maidstone grammars first then if they are undersubscribed its possible your son might get a place from your current address.

Thank you everyone, helpful advice

You may find that the Maidstone grammars still have spare places after allocation day in March. This is because there are more grammar school places than children passing the 11 plus in Maidstone and therefore they will sometimes also take borderline appeals. If your son has already passed the 11 plus then there is a good chance that he would get a space. Although Maidstone boys grammar (MGS) is more traditional in terms of its history/buildings. It is not particularly very academic as far as grammar schools go and as Ivyy has stated. For example, this year Oakwood Park (OPGS) has done better in terms of progress 8 (0.7 compared to 0.2 at MGS) and its GSCE's 9-5 including Eng & Maths were 94 % compared to 89% at MGS. This was the best in Maidstone and higher than both of the girls grammar's who traditionally do better with Maidstone Girls grammar getting 93% and Invicta 88% this year. Maidstone boys (MGS) does tend to get more applications but I think this is from an outdated belief that they are more academic due to the history/ buildings. Speaking to local parents/ teacher friends they would say that OPGS is the more organised and well run of the two boys grammars and provides a much more well rounded education with good pastoral care. I think it gets unfairly compared to MGS due to it's 1960's building but it's definitely a case of not judging a book by its cover. Good luck with the move.

6 grammars in Medway and a shortage of boys meeting the criteria. It's 20 minutes drive from Maidstone.