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Secondary education

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Tunbridge Wells grammar system

4 replies

Lulumush · 05/10/2015 14:29

hi all
I am probably moving to TW from Bucks as my parents live in Wadhurst and I am a single mum of 3yo boy/girl twins.
I am struggling to understand the grammar school system in TW
can anyone help?

  1. are all the grammars as good as each other?
  2. is there a catchment?
  3. where is the best place for us to move to?

thx
L

OP posts:
ShellingPeasAgain · 05/10/2015 15:28

Tunbridge Wells Girls Grammar School (TWGGS) is not "super-selective" so takes any girl who passes the 11+ regardless of score, but you have to live within around a mile or closer to the school to be relatively likely to get a place. They also have a limited number of Governor places which are purely on score, but in recent years these are all from the Kent selective area - if there's a tie on score then the closest girl gets the place.

Tunbridge Wells Grammars School for Boys (TWGSB) is also not a super-selective and takes from a wide area including as far north as Sevenoaks and sometimes, if spaces, boys in East Sussex (e.g. from Groombridge or Frant).

The Skinners' School (not to be confused with Skinners' Kent Academy) is a super-selective and takes the highest scoring boys who apply. They come from as far afield as Bromley and Hastings.

The other grammars in the area are Tonbridge Grammars (girls), Judd (boys) both super-selective but with a inner and outer designated area. Weald of Kent is also in Tonbridge and is girls but not super-selective.

Are some better than others? Depends on what you want from a school. Certainly the super-selective get the best results, but you'd expect that bearing in mind they take the pick of the students. TWGGS always does very well and has a good reputation. I've a DS at Skinners' and he's enjoyed himself immensely and did well at GCSE. None of the schools are bad.

Best place to move to would be central Tunbridge Wells within a mile radius of TWGGS.

Of course if your children don't pass the 11+ then unless you get religion in year 3 your other options aren't so brilliant. Having said that, Skinners' Kent Academy is rapidly improving and has had a shed load of money thrown at it recently.

Lulumush · 05/10/2015 19:09

Thank you very much for this, really appreciate it.

PS how do I get notifications of responses - have set up in my account for an email notification but get nothing....

OP posts:
Lulumush · 05/10/2015 19:10

Thank you very much for this, really appreciate it.

PS how do I get notifications of responses - have set up in my account for an email notification but get nothing....

OP posts:
ShellingPeasAgain · 05/10/2015 20:35

Sorry, can't help with the notifications thing.

You also need to consider primary places. TWells has a problem with over subscription with too many children and not enough places, especially for the better regarded schools. Some of these are also church schools so you could be in trouble unless you attend church or live on the doorstep of a school. Property in TWells within reach of good schools, both primary and secondary is expensive.

Why don't you consider Wadhurst if your parents live there? Non-selective area but close enough to travel to a super-selective grammar if your children score highly enough and a reasonable comprehensive school on your doorstep if they don't. Primary places wouldn't be under such pressure either, plus property isn't as expensive.

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