Live in East Sussex - any chance of getting into Kent grammar schools?

[Pollyanna]

Hi, I wondered if anyone knows about this. We are looking at the possibility of moving out of Brighton into a village nearby. There are more affordable houses closer to Kent. I wondered if I moved to a village to the south of Tunbridge Wells whether there is any chance of us getting into the grammar schools there?

I had a look at some of the websites for the schools but they gave no guidance.

Thanks

I know someone who applied for TWGGS from their home in Wadhurst (only a few miles from T wells) & they got turned down. They went to appeal & waiting list & got accepted a few days into the term. By then the girl was settled at Uplands & she has continued to do well there. They are very happy now that she doesnt have to travel to T wells every day.
There are some decent schools in the area you are considering. Uplands, (Wadhurst) Uckfield CC, Heathfield CC & Claverham CC (Battle) all have good reputations & score above national averages.
I know people with dc`s at Heathfield, Uplands & Claverham, & they are all happy with the schools.

Have you looked at cuckfield? Warden Park has good reputation and is in W. Sussex.

Thanks - i haven't thought about the local/state schools , but would much prefer that.

I would like to be quite close to Brighton if possible as I like it, but atm we have 2 of our 4 in the private system and this is unaffordable in the long run. Also we hanker after more space, bigger garden etc. I have only had a brief look at rightmove so far and the houses seem more affordable at that side of East Sussex.
I've not thought about Cuckfield - is it a nice place to live?

Cuckfield is nice Pollyanna, also Downlands is a good school in Hassocks, I have several friends there. (Polly - can you make meet up 29 Sept? be good to see you x)

Warden Park's opening evening is tomorrow 6.30 to 9.00. 74% A* to C pass. Only 100 kids in catchment area. 300 intake. nearly 80+ feeder primary schools. Kids come as far afield as Uckfield, Henfield as well as from HHeath, B.Hill, Crawley, Horsham way. Oversubscribed last year though.

Henfield is nice - friend lives there and it seems really pleasant - quite a big village and can still get to Brighton easily.

Chailey??? dunno anything about it but the school is a bit smaller than the norm.

Bear in mind, thought, that competition for grammar school places in Tunbridge Wells is pretty fierce. Some of them are "super-selectives" which means that the pressure on places for mere mortals is quite tight!

I went to Tonbridge Grammar School and we had girls from East Sussex in our year. Wadhurst, Staplehurst, Crowborough, sort of places. There was even one girl travelling in from Hastings. I would say it is worth a shot.

I have not lived in Sussex very long, but I was lucky enough to get on the bus with the Warden Park kids every morning, and I will not be sending my child there, regardless of exam results.

WOuld you actually consider moving to Kent itself? Cranbrook School in Cranbrook for example is only about 20 mins south of T Wells and is fantastic. Catchment area includes beautiful villages like Goudhurst which are only 10 mins from T Wells. Food for thought?

Cranbrook it 13+ BTW not 11+ like most Grammars. The catchment area is something like 12 mile radius of the school. You could aso apply to board at Cranbrook & just pay the boarding fee. (Tuition is still government funded) You dont need to be within catchment to board.
Tonbridge Grammar has 25 places reserved for out of area students. You can imagine how fierce the competition is for those places. We live about 25 mins from TWGGS & 40 mins from TGS, but have almost no chance of getting in.
Im amazed anyone got into TGS from Hastings Thats a heck of a commute. An hour & 20 minutes each way (not taking into account rush hour traffic) or an hour & 10 minutes on the train. Cant say that would be something id relish doing day in day out.

I thought I'd posted on this, obv losing my marbles!

To get a place at Tonbridge (not just girls)Grammar and live outside the immediate catchment area, means you must have been awarded a 'Govenors place'. This means an almost perfect 11+ score.

My original post speculated on the ability of state primaries in E.SX to prepare your DC for the 11+, when it is not routinely taken any more.

I live in the T.Wells bourough and may not be eligible for a Grammar place, even if DD gets a pass. There are areas of Tonbridge which are not eligible for TG, despite the fact our house prices reflect the possibility!

Its true to say that a high percentage of Grammar pupils come from prep schools. A lot of parents in the area play the system by going private primary then on to Grammar at 11/13. Great if you can afford it. Not so if you cant.

As far as TWGGS goes, if you pass your 11+ and have a sibling there you are guaranteed a place. Otherwise it goes on passing 11+ and distance but the catchment area is usually very wide and would reach the ares you are suggesting.
There was one year really full of siblings and the catchment area went down to 3 miles, but that is very unusual.
TOGS looks at the 11+ score so takes the brighter pupils first.
Neither look at state/private primary though perhaps some parents feel their children have a better chance of passing 11+ at private? Don't agree personally

why would you want to? will your kid not be utterly exhuasted from thier commute? or are you planning to move>

Hi, I live in Battle and I had 3 friends who managed to get a place at TWGGS from 11. Their commute didnt seem to affect them and all three did amazingly in their GCSE's. I applied for a place at TWGGS to do my A Levels, having attended Claverham CC (in Battle - no sixth form ) and even with all perfect top GCSE grades did not get awarded a place and ended up at a private school in Eastbourne. The competition is huge now and most children in East Sussex who want to attend a grammar school in Kent have prep education here and are very well prepared for the exams and VR and NVR, something which most primary schools just do not do. Also most of them have private tutoring in their last year too just so they will really have the edge over other candidates. My MIL is French and does french prep for children at 11 and 13 for entry into grammar and private schools. It really is very competitive and what we have also found out that a lot of places in Grammar schools are taken by prev private educated children who if they dont get in have the luxury of attending a fee paying school and not the local run down comp Good luck if you choose to go for a grammar.