area in Kent

[UMESH1]

between Maidstone, Ashford and Tunbridge Wells which is better area to live in Kent. I am looking from Schools (Grammar Schools at later stage) and commute to work to London point of view.

Tonbridge has a much better social standing than the others, particularly Maidstone.

Come to lovely Cranbrook, we're the smallest town in Kent (and have a grammar school)! puff piece in the local paper the other day

@Dandelion1993, I like Tonbridge and feel it has a bit of an unfair rep at times but with apologies, can’t agree it has higher social standing than Tunbridge Wells! Their demographic is different and if it’s snob value, Sevenoaks and Tunbridge Wells would be what you’d go for. I’d rather live in Tonbridge than Maidstone definitely (although I’d much rather shop in Maidstone & both towns have some lovely historic buildings).

I’m in kings hill - we lived in Sussex but moved up here when the kids were sixth form age. It is a weird place at first, it’s built on a former RAF base and still has that ‘removed’ feeling of a military base. I do understand the stepford wives reference - even the trees are straight and well behaved! Having said that it has a great family orientated community, lots going on, it’s own supermarkets, primary schools, restaurants etc and has west Malling on the doorstep and is easily in reach of Tonbridge, Maidstone, Sevenoaks, Bromley - and bluewater.

Kids went to Judd for sixth form which we found far better for pastoral support than we expected - DS has ASD and DD took a year out of education after GCSEs due to a mental health issue and they couldn’t have been more supportive in both cases - they can have the rep of being a bit relentless in pursuit of grades but that’s not our experience. Both came out with great results, son is on his top choice uni course and daughter at med school in London.

Add Canterbury to your list of potential towns, far nicer than Ashford - 3 grammar schools, plus lots of the other secondary schools offer a Grammar stream to those children who they judge to be academically capable.

Do you have boys or girls?

Girls grammar schools in Maidstone are very good (I went to Invicta) but boys are not.

We live in Maidstone still and DH commutes to London every day. Trains go to Victoria, Blackfriars and St Pancras