Possible to go to Kent grammar if we live outside Kent?

[Bearcricket]

We are planning to go back to the UK from oversea and now trying to understand the procedure of entering grammar schools. It may be a very basic questions for most of you, but it’s be very helpful if anybody tells me if we need to live in Kent when we accept an offer?(of course, necessary to pass the test first though!) thank you.

Kent is a huge county and each school has different criteria. Do you have boys or girls? If you are looking at West Kent, the schools are now prioritising children who live in County and there are fewer places for OOC children. You need to look at the admissions criteria for each school. And then think about how much travelling you want your child to do each day. They get a lot of homework, have matches after school and my childrens' friends who travel from distance find it harder to socialise after school or weekends....

You need to check the criteria for individual schools as many have a list of specific postcodes that have priority.

Thank you very much for your reply! We are planning to live in Bromley as there are nice state schools. But it’d be great if my son still have a choice of trying grammar schools. There’s only one grammar school in Bromley, so I wonder if it’s possible to try Kent grammar from outside Kent. It depends on each school’s criteria, but it sounds possible theoretically..?

We are thinking The Judd school by the way.

Judd has an inner and outer catchment. All the info you need will be on their website. Have you visited the school? It is very good, but doesn't suit every boy. It wasn't right for my son, even though his score qualified.

We are Bromley and you can access the Bexley Grammars (depending one where in the borough you live). The Bexley system is pass test then distance criteria applied. You can check last years figures on the Bexley website.

OOC Judd places require a really high score in the Kent test - around 408/9 this year - probably similar to what you would need for St Olaves.

Judd is very popular. We’re at the other end, the Kent/Sussex border and a few children from the primary in which I teach get into West Kent grammars each year, usually Skinners or Boys Grammar. You need a high score.

The admissions criteria for community and VC secondary schools are on the KCC website. For those which are their own admissions authority, you need to look at each individual school's website. The admissions policy for 2021 had to be determined by the end of February, so they should be on there somewhere. There is normally a composite document on the Kent site for both types of school, but presumably the collation of the information re academies has been one of the casualties of the current situation.

The information regarding the Kent Test for 2021 entry isn't yet on the KCC site, but current leaflet is there.

(But you have probably already looked at the KCC site?).

Thank you so much for all of you! So helpful!
I can imagine those schools are very competitive. Do kids in the Uk normally have tutors to get a place at grammar schools? We prepare him using Bond series, but if we have a feeling it’s better to find tutors.. if anybody have any tips of finding a good tutor, pls let me know!

Is he currently year 5? The different areas use different exam boards and it's wise to be aware of their differences. Eg - Bexley uses CEM, multiple choice English/maths/verbal/non verbal. But with slightly different weightings. Kent uses a different board and has a creative writing part I think. Olaves is 2 stage. You generally need to register in June/July time. There are generally some past papers available online.

The 11+ forum has all the information you need!

Fantastic. Really appreciate your reply! He would be grade 5 in Uk, although he’s in grade 4 in Oz adulation system. We need to go back soon really.. Many many thanks to all!

Dartford Grammar school has 90 out of county spaces, usually a slightly lower pass mark in the Kent Test required when compared to Judd.

Thank you, another great info! Really appreciated!

The Judd is in Tonbridge, you will be in Bromley. That's a huge commute.

We live in Kent & I’ve got a couple of friends with kids in Judd. As others have told you, it’s a Super Selective so a high score in the Kent test is essential. In Bromley you aren’t going to qualify as inner area, you would be outer area. If you are still in Oz when you apply, no chance.

‘ 23 places will be allocated to students resident in the Outer Area which is defined as being outside the Inner Area (above) and within the mainland of the United Kingdom’

Many of our kids do long journeys in Kent, mine has a 50 minute journey to her school in Tonbridge from where we live in Sevenoaks. Bromley South to Tonbridge (train stations) is just under an hour with a change in Orpington. It’s do-able (and lots of kids from outer London do commute down to our grammars and independents) but bear in mind, especially with a change in train there will be days when thanks to cancellations and missed connections he will be home late & still have to complete a fair bit of homework. One other option that won’t involve a train change as they are on the same line are the 2 boys grammars in Maidstone. Neither are Super Selective but both are good. I don’t know their location criteria but I do know both are under subscribed so your chances of getting DS in would I imagine be good.

I’ve seen numerous Mumsnetters on here say they didn’t coach & maybe that’s the case but honestly, I know a lot of people with kids in grammars and not a single one of them wasn’t coached. That might be by a professional tutor or at home using appropriate materials as you are doing now. If it’s working well then I’d probably stick with that!

Yes Olaves is very competitive. Dartford Grammar boys has coaches from Bromley and Orpington and has a small number of places for out of county boys. The required scores are very high. The elevenplusforum will have more details. Most of the other boys grammars in Kent are mostly local places now but as others have said do check the admissions.

Chislehurst & Sidcup grammar is the one Bexley co-Ed within striking distance and Beths is the Bexley boys school but is perhaps a more awkward journey.

Beckenham has some great comprehensives with Eden High and Langley Park for example or Orpington has Darrick Wood.

Thank you so much again for great information! It really helps us to narrow down our choices.. So appreciated.

I'd def relate commute to your choice. As someone else said up thread, trains and cancellations can be awful for them with homework etc also. I wasn't coached to score high enough to attend, I went to one of the top grammar schools in Kent

If you move to Bromley just make sure you're in catchment for a good comprehensive school in case the Grammar option doesn't work out. Judd would be a long journey from Bromley. Bond not great - as a previous poster said, you need to be familiar with the material for each test. Go to elevenplusexams for more information.

Thank you very much everyone! All advices are helpful.

Could you not consider Sutton (which has three boys grammars all local)?

Good point. I don’t know how to travel to Ashton from bromley. Is it easy for 11years old boy? Also,I couldn’t find what sort of exam style in Sutton, either GL or CEM.. Anybody knows? Many thanks.

Is it also possible to have both Sutton and Bromley grammar schools test?

Olaves is it’s own test, Sutton has its own test, Kent is GL, Bexley is CEM but this can all change. Lots of guidance about tests on the elevenplusexams forum area. DD sat multiple tests but she isn’t phased by them and we only limited it to those with a reasonable distance and also ruled out those that didn’t feel like a good fit for her. DD’s grammar for example would absolutely not suit the sort of girl who didn’t have a clear idea of who they are. Just like any other school grammars have different sports, different ethos, different subjects in offer etc.

The Sutton grammars tests are very Maths/English based now - it used to be different but we're talking nearly a good few years now.