Bexley/Orpington secondary schools

[Tangi88]

Hi all,

We are considering relocation because of schools and I would love your help and knowledge!

We would like our DC to sit the 11+ exam for the grammars in Orpington (as it’s a convenient location for us and also affordable) but in case the results are not great to be able to go to a state school with high percentage of leavers to Russell group, Oxbridge universities.

For this reason the house has to be in the catchment area of a secondary school that has outstanding/above average results and is very academic.

At the same time, we really need that place to be in the catchment area of a outstanding/above average primary school with high percentage of leavers that move to grammar schools.

This scenario will cover our both children.

Also, we would like an area that is doable for a kid to travel from home to the Grammar school (in case DC passes the exams).

If the above requirements are not something we can have close to Orpington, then do you know any other areas that do the trick?

I am only thinking of Sutton but any other thoughts are welcome.

Areas like North London are not within our budget...

Thank you all x

How old are your children and what gender?

Thankfully they are still little and so we have the time to arrange a move without rushing. But for this reason we need to be covered for both primaries and secondaries.

Also, as I don’t know whether we will have any more kids in the future, I would be interested in finding an area for boys/girls and co-ed schools.

I know Orpington has one grammar for girls and one for boys which is great but I can’t find any excellent state secondaries that stand out and have an equally good primary around...

Do you know any area with grammars that meet the above criteria please?

Thank you!

The Crofton end of Petts Wood is in catchment for outstanding Crofton Infants and Primary. Then Darrick Wood for secondary (Grammars are of course state selective secondaries so assuming you mean comprehensives of which Darrick Wood is an example and still close enough to Newstead and Olaves for the local grammars.

DCs are usually in distance for Chis n Sid (one of the Bexley grammars) and various Kent grammars too, but for Kent as Out of county you’d need a higher score unless Weald of Kent which is just a pass and which has come out to Petts Wood on distance upto now - admissions rules can of course change a lot over the years.

If your children are not even in primary school I think you may be a bit far along to think about grammars. Current pupils going to Oxbridge or Russell group means nothing to what happens to school leavers in 16 years.

Schools do change, exams, entry tests and demographics change so Bexley or Orpington can change and you may not like it there anymore.

Friends moved from Bromley North to Orpington, schools were one big topic and they are happy with Darrick Wood for a secondary but her DD is only in Y8.

We are in West Wickham and schools, primary and secondary, are good here and results for Langley Girls is the 3rd best in the Borough, directly after the grammars. Grammars are not the only and always best solutions.

Sidcup is a good base as the Grammar School entry test (Bexley) is not as difficult as that for Olaves /Newstead in Orpington but it's easy to travel to Orpington if they do get in. There are several Bexley Grammars and it's easy by train to the Dartford/Kent Grammars too.

As Pettswoodparadise says, Crofton should be in catchment for Darrick Wood and the Langley comps are good too. In Eltham - St Thomas More comp is good. You could live on the Bexley side and still get a place on distance.