Sevenoaks school commute from London?

[Stacey35]

Hi all, I seen to not be able to find anything on this on the internet which makes me think I am possibly the only one. We currently live in kent about a 10/15min train ride to Sevenoaks. My daughter is desperate to go to Sevenoaks school at 11. If she gets in.. (thats a whole other topic!) we could have a problem as we have decided to move to London for various reasons, to long to bore you with here!

Does anyone know of pupils who commute from London to Sevenoaks on a daily basis, would it be too much at 11? Indeed, does anyone in London have a child at Sevenoaks school...??

Any info would be gratefully received!

I guess it would depend where you live in London! If you're on a direct train line out to Sevenoaks it would be fine. If you're in Ealing, not so good! Can't you live on the borders of Kent/London?

Hi there, Y7 Sevenoaks parent here. Yes, lots commute out from London - mainly SE London from what I've seen. There's a shuttle bus that runs up and down from the station. I guess it would make after school meet ups and clubs a bit harder, and parent coffee mornings etc, but certainly plenty do it. The school day finishes at 4.15 so it's not as late as some.

Your right it would have to be South London. Im looking at Greenwich Blackheath areas I am pretty sure there is a direct train from Hither Green. Just not sure if anyone does that? Id hate for her to be isolated or stuck with all her friends in Kent and no potential London buddies.

Thanks for coming back to me x

Thats good news User6853. Gives me some hope!
From friends who have children there it seems to be pretty social so that possibly could cause a few problems. Picking up a 15 year old from a party late at night in deepest darkest kent might not be so hot!! lol x

I see Sevenoaks children in our corner of London, Petts Wood commuting to the school, but then others come in from Kent to DD’s Grammar- there is lots of movement in both directions. However these are not vast distances. It depends on the location as some fast trains from central London make it a quick and easy location but others inbetween make it an awkward and long journey.

I was just going to ask if you wanted to move to zones 2-3? Otherwise, as above, it wouldn’t be too far and some of the stations in the borough of Bromley are super quick for central London.

We did this the other way round for primary - we were living in London, moved out but with DH and I still working in London it made more sense for our DD to stay at her London primary and commute with us.

Our train is just under an hour each way and she's been doing it now for 4 years. Uses the time to read or do homework. She'll be doing the same for Secondary.

There are huge numbers of secondary kids commuting to different schools on our line.

My kids go the other way SE London to Central since starting reception at 4.5 - DD1 is now Yr8 and DD2 - Yr6 -

They do adapt to it, but maybe tired in the first few weeks.
The thing is the plans you put into place for when the trains are messed up.
We travel early (7am) and used to have breakfast once we were in London they now have breakfast options at school, didnt when we started so we would have breakfast together then drop at school and carry on to work (miss those days)
DD1 was only ever late to school once in all her time.
The train we just missed hit a person at the next stop. :(
We were over an hour late.
Have been 5mins late due to colapse of signals when in Yr 7.

Sevenoaks - Is the orpington - grove park line (the one we use) Zone 4 the adult season ticket 1-4 has just topped out at £2020.

For 11-15 zone 1-4 works out about £100/month.

She may need to know how to get a bus to different station or somewhere she can go/wait for line to clear /wait for pick up etc.
Ours have alternative stations they can go but then need to catch a bus the rest of the way.

Thanks all this is really helpful.

I have been looking at the stops on the bromley train line. My DH current commute is killing him into the city so need to shorten that, but not swap that for DD having a hellish commute. I was thinking Greenwich area, hither green.

Its pie in the sky because she has to get in first. Shes so keen on it though Id hate to take it of the table because we want to move.

Usual balancing act!

I was more thinking along the lines of places of Chislehurst in the borough of Bromley. I think as little as 13 mins for DH into London Bridge and a direct train for your daughter (25 mins?) If you need to drive to fetch her after a party/because she’s unwell/has too much kit to carry, it’s only a short drive. Greenwich could be a bit more challenging for driving.

Or why not move to Sevenoaks? The trains are super quick from there and it’d be easy on your daughter.

I can't help on the commuting bit. But on your comment "If she gets in.. (that's a whole other topic!)"...… Sevenoaks school entrance isn't that competitive. I know of girls that got places in the last two years (some with scholarships) that declined them for the Kent Grammar schools or even withdrew from the entrance exam in January when the grammar places came through. Good luck!

My ex-h and I taught in Sevenoaks. It's not that difficult to get in. We did get kids coming in from London, it's an easy journey from London Bridge and you're going in the opposite direction from commuters. However, I would say that there are plenty of good schools (better than Sevenoaks) in London. Unless there's some pressing reason it has to be Sevenoaks, I wouldn't bother.

@Radio4andChocolate you and husband taught at Sevenoaks School or in another school in Sevenoaks Town?

At Sevenoaks School. Me only very briefly, him for 3 years.

There are some awesome schools in London. Why would you burden your child with a commute if she doesn’t have to? I get it if your child was already at the school and it made sense not to unsettle her.

You have sports day/prize giving/parents evening. You’ll have to commute. Not to mention parties/her going to the cinema etc with her friends.

I moved when I was 10, I hated it. But I got over it.

I considered this for my daughter who got a place both a boarding and day school place. We lived in Greenwich then. I would not recommend a daily commute.

@Radio4andChocate

So what’s wrong with Sevenoaks? And how is it easy to get in given it’s so high achieving and has great facilities etc? I don’t know the school but it sounds lovely (not from your comment obvs).

There's nothing wrong with Sevenoaks, from a pupils' and parents' perspective, far from it, it's a lovely school. Ex-h and I didn't particularly like teaching there, but that's a different story, and the biggest issue was just because boarding didn't suit us.

It is a very good school and I would be happy for my own dc to go there (on scholarship, obviously) if we were still local. Teaching is mostly excellent, academic support is good, pastoral support is decent, and of course the facilities and cocurricular offering are superb and the setting beautiful. All I meant is that there's schools in London whose teaching and learning is as good. The OP will have to weigh up the setting against the travel, because the quality of education at Sevenoaks overall is very good, but not uniquely so, and the question is whether it's worth the extra distance.

Again, when I said it's not that difficult to get in, I meant in comparison with other independent and grammar schools within commuting distance. Clearly you have to pass the entrance exams and interview, you don't just walk in, but IME someone who is reasonably academic stands a good chance. The level of entrant we got was not, IME, significantly higher than for comparable schools. I wasn't directly involved in admissions, ex-h was.

OP, do you know much about IB? I would suggest investigating it before making a decision. Sevenoaks gets very good results with it and it is popular, but it doesn't suit every student. It would be worth looking at whether you think it would be a good fit for your dd.

@Radio4andChocolate thank you for the review.

I agree with your opinion about the standard required to get in and hopefully their fantastic results are a reflection on the value added in going there

I’m surprised I always thought Sevenoaks was a highly selective school. Apart from city of London girls I can’t see a London day school that offers the same level of results. I think the IB would be good for her but not stuck on it.

Presuming most London day schools start at 11? If anyone has some recommendations I’m all ears

It really depends on how academic your daughter is. St Paul’s girls (Hammersmith) normally leads the league table. The girls trust schools also produce excellent results, eg Wimbledon/Putney. North London collegiate,

OP- there a loads of London schools that have better or similar results is that's what is important to you. May be that Sevenoaks is the perfect school for her but has she seen any others to compare it to.

Definitely take her round some open days at London schools and I'm sure she will love some of them too! She just hasn't seen them to compare Sevenoaks to. Even is S have 'some' London kids, its not great to be in the minority when she hasn't even started yet. Its not like she is already there and now you have decided to move. It will definitely be a pain to collect her late at night from parties in Kent!

I agree can see city of London for girls. School. Think St. Paul’s is Hammersmith way, not great if we are in Dulwich or Greenwich. I have looked at JAGs but all girls no mixed etc. Just don’t really have any experience of these schools. What ever I do will be a tough call because I know she really would rather not move full stop.

I think Sevenoaks is an exceptional school for 6th form. I am not sure I would inflict a long commute on a younger child for the 11-16 experience - especially when there were other nearer options.