Which are the closest grammar schools to Dulwich?

[Luna9]

Hi. What are the closest grammar schools to Dulwich; it is for a girl; I am talking about easy commute from West Dulwich, East Dulwich or Herne Hill. Also do we have a chance if we don't live walking distance from those schools? Could she get a place into Bexley Grammar if we don't live in Bexley for instance? . Thank you for your help.

You will need to look at the school's admissions. I believe that Wallington Girls, for instance, now has a distance criteria.

Thank you; anybody living in Dulwich whose kids go to a grammar school ?

Hi, we live in Petts Wood so know the grammars in SE London fairly well and there were girls from Dulwich sitting the tests DD sat this Sept. For a girl there is Newstead Woods (direct train from East Dulwich to Orpington) only criteria is you have to be within a 9 mile radius and score well enough - it is a superselective so competition is fierce.

For Bexley they are not superselective the majority of places go to those who pass and the main oversubscription criteria is based on distance. Townley Grammar came out 8.1 miles last year so catchment can be extensive and no priority is given to Bexley residents - just those who happen to have passed and then are closest. Bexley also have a system where the top 180 scorers in the test (there were 5,500 who sat this September) do not need to qualify on distance. For Kent you have Tonbridge Grammar School for girls who give a percentage of places to out of county candidates so you don't have to be nearby - should be commutable from Dulwich but a fair way.

The Elevenplusexams forum is helpful for all things grammar school related.

Sorry correction - direct trains to Orpington from West Dulwich or Herne Hill.

Have you looked at the Langley schools? Someone I know from E Dulwich went to Langley Boys - but it was a while ago so I don't know if their selection criteria have changed.

Also, grammar doesn't necessarily equal best possible education. Have you looked at other schools you'd be in catchment for and where they sit in the tables?

Thank you. That is very useful information Pettswood.

LBOC. The other local option we like is the Charter near North Dulwich but I am not sure we are close enough and would like to have other good options open as there is no guarantee we will get a place.

Langley Park schools you have to be within 1.5 miles (or about 1 mile for some years and depending of it the boys or girls school). Some people move to get into catchment and then move away again once they have a place which might explain how some in Dulwich have DCs at the schools. The Bromley 'moving onto secondary' booklet has all te distances for the past few years.

Hell of a journey from Dulwich to Bexley GS or Townley Road, though. I know you'd be going in the opposite direction to the rush hour commuters, but even so. In my opinion, potential for local friendships and child being able easily to get him or herself to and from school independently are big factors in choice of a secondary school.

There is a carriage on the train from London to Orpington during term time full of Newstead girls - they make friendships for life on the journey. Newstead just happens to be our geographically closest school but know that the girls who attend come from a wide range of geographic areas.

Thank you. Having an easy commute is a very important factor; I think Newstead may be the easiest one from Dulwich compared to the others. Will look into it

Hi Luna, as you can see from my name, I am just down the road from you.

DC1 started at St Olave's this year, and it was his first choice (and he is loving it, even with 25 min train journey), but my favourite was Wilson's, one of the Sutton grammars, it was just not as convenient a commute. Not sure what the commute from East Dulwich would be like, but perhaps they are a possibility? The elevenplus forum site is a useful - albeit slightly intense - source of info for grammars.

DD1 is in y5, and now we are in the same boat all over again, but not sure she is grammar material - good luck!

Not much to add but just to say that Tonbridge Grammar School is not single sex any more.

TGS is single sex - girls only, like all the West Kent grammars. They only become coed in sixth form.

Bullers wood is a girls grammar in chiselhurst. All I know is that it exists, no idea if it's any good. It's not that far but commuting wise it may be too tricky to get to. When I was applying for my pgce I did a week of work shadowing at charter - I really liked it.

Thank you very much; there seem to be very good grammars; unfortunately a bit far from where we are in terms on commuting.

Sydenham: the ones you mentioned are only boys.

Will look at Bullers Wood.

I like Tonbridge Grammar but again maybe a bit far.

Will look a travelling distances for all the schools mentioned

Bullers is not a grammar school, it is good comprehensive with a small catchment that won't be available to someone in Dulwich. Sixth form is of course a different matter.

Oops, sorry about the incorrect bullers wood comment!

Elmgreen? Kingsdale? Or the other direction, Sydenham? All well-regarded schools in the area in addition to Charter. Also, aren't Charter opening a new school in September, so presumably the catchment will spread?

We are a bit far from Elm Green and Kingsdale; maybe the new charter; my feeling is that new schools take a long time to settle/run efficiently but worth considering. Thank you

Kingsdale admission is by lottery, so distance is not an issue. Hence it's popularity and the competition form aspirational parents from far and wide!
They also offer 15% of places (I think) on music scholarship and the music scholarship is a fantastic offer.

I believe the new Charter is run by the same outfit, so should be good for the outset -there is certainly a strong contingent of Dulwich / E Dulwich families looking forward to it. I doubt it will be one of those schools where the first few years intake is made up of everyone who didn't get a place elsewhere because it lacked reputation, iyswim.

The 15% selective intake at Kingsdale is divided between music and sports.

Sorry, don't think I was very clear. I meant, even though Dc1 is at a Bromley grammar, we considered Sutton ones too.
Nonsuch and wallington girls are both girls grammars - not sure about their admissions code (they may have a distance criteria), but just wanted to flag them up in addition to the bexley ones.
Good luck.

Just a note about distance, when my dd started secondary, we were constantly up and down to the school in the evenings for this and that, and now in yr 11 it's even worse in terms of discussions and meetings with teachers. Just a thought that it's not just your child that will be travelling!