Applying to Kent Grammars when living outside Kent

[Tekkem23]

Hi
I was wondering if anyone has an experience of applying to Kent Grammar Schools when they live outside of Kent? Is this a realistic option? Are we basically disadvantaged for every school apart from St Olaves which doesn't have a catchement. It's funny as published figures showed stats for applicants who were outside of Kent and there was a large number so just wondering if anyone was this boat. Thanks!

St Olave's is not run their own exams and don't fall under the Kent Test. If your child scores highly, you can apply to Dartford Grammar School or Judd as these two schools have a number of places for out of county applicants irrespective of distance.

my dd went to a kent grammar from out of area. There are only a few schools that take out of area applicants and you just have to score very highly in the test. So in that way you are disadvantaged but I think that's fair. They should mainly cater for in area applicants. We knew we had to move area due to work in the year after she started anyway

Kent
Medway
Bromley (St O, Newstead)
Bexley

These are the four counties each with their own test. Those living on the borders often take two tests but because they actually have a choice with their distance.

Kent have backed away in recent years from highest score gets a place. There are a small number of places left for the highest score at Judd, Skinners, TGS.....
Dartford also has local and high score places but they are minimal.
These schools keep changing their criteria. You need a beady eye every year to see who is doing what.

Medway have stepped away from highest scores places as well and prioritise distance.

Kent also don't publish distances online for secondaries clearly like they do for primaries. Makes me wonder why....

The Bexley tests did have a high score pass gets a place last time I looked 3 years ago.

If you want one of these schools you will need to move or score 100% in each discipline and take a gamble (with your child's mental health but that's just my opinion)

@chuffedasbuttons

Kent Medway Bromley (St O, Newstead) Bexley

These are the four counties each with their own test. Those living on the borders often take two tests but because they actually have a choice with their distance.

Kent have backed away in recent years from highest score gets a place. There are a small number of places left for the highest score at Judd, Skinners, TGS.....
Dartford also has local and high score places but they are minimal.
These schools keep changing their criteria. You need a beady eye every year to see who is doing what.

Medway have stepped away from highest scores places as well and prioritise distance.

Kent also don't publish distances online for secondaries clearly like they do for primaries. Makes me wonder why....

The Bexley tests did have a high score pass gets a place last time I looked 3 years ago.

If you want one of these schools you will need to move or score 100% in each discipline and take a gamble (with your child's mental health but that's just my opinion)

Dartford has 90 spaces for out of county. Also, you don't need to score 100% in the tests to secure an out of county space. In Medway - Chatham Girls almost every year admits every candidate who chooses them and passes. Holcombe Grammar also admit all who have passed. Fort Pitt Grammar last year came as far out as above 20 miles. Bexley - if you score in the 180 of the candidates, you get your choice of Grammar irrespective of distance.

St. Olave's is quite hard to get into, they do not have a catchment and it is a 2-staged exam. You do need to score around 42/60 (changes every year based on performance) to get called to sit the Stage 2 test.

OPGS also have an enormous catchment. Does this make it a better school than your local one just because it has Grammar in the title?