Maidstone - Oakwood Park Grammar

[SallyTWel]

Evening all,

My DS has received an offer for Oakwood Park in Maidstone which we are pleased with. My DS is rather anxious as he will not know anyone there. I think he and of course us are looking for some reassurance that this is pretty common and if anyone else has been in the same boat we would love to hear your experience.
Many thanks

I know the school. It’s a good school and I know boys who have been very happy there.

It’s not unusual for boys starting grammar schools without knowing anyone, and the schools are aware of this. Even if there were several boys coming from one junior school, quite often they end up in different forms, so effectively in the same situation.

Completely agree with @Standrewsschool. It’s a popular choice in my Kent area for boys who aren’t looking for the pressure cooker of Judd and to a lesser extent MGSB & Skinners or didn’t get the scores to get into the three mentioned. The only negative comments I’ve heard are about facilities being a bit more run down & being not sure about ALevel performance compared to some of the competition - the parents I know with boys there like it a lot. The Headteacher of our local Primary chose it for her son.

You must live in Kent - so many of our children travel & end up in schools elsewhere! DD got a music place at an all girls we were very very borderline catchment for with only one other girl from her Primary going there (who she loathed!). If you look at our schools, many of them take kids from quite a wide area, particularly the grammars. Our experience was that they try and put them in classes with kids from around the same area. DDs closest friend at school she made on the bus and lives in the next village.

I would encourage him to keep in with Primary friends though. Out of school socialising with school friends will involve driving some distance and hosting more sleepovers than you might want to host! It’s good for them in the long summer holidays and at weekends to still have local friendships. Scouts in our instance has been good on that front.

Hi SallyTWel

My DS2 will also be going to Oakwood Park in September and is really looking forward to it. He also has an older brother there as well. There were lots of children in my DS1 year who were the only boys coming from their primary schools and I don't think your son has to worry because there will be plenty of boys in the same position. I think Oakwood mentioned that in my DS1 year that the boys had come from around 50-60 different primary schools. My DS2 will be coming from quite a large primary school and knows a few boys in his year going but not from his actual class.

Oakwood is a great school. Excellent balance between academic work and pastoral care. Both my DS's scored well in the Kent test and despite being slightly nearer MGS, we felt that Oakwood was a much better fit for both of our boys. Both schools achieve comparable results but for us Oakwood just had a much better feeling about it and we haven't been disappointed.

Wishing your DS all the best for September :-)

@Yellowspiral

Hi SallyTWel

My DS2 will also be going to Oakwood Park in September and is really looking forward to it. He also has an older brother there as well. There were lots of children in my DS1 year who were the only boys coming from their primary schools and I don't think your son has to worry because there will be plenty of boys in the same position. I think Oakwood mentioned that in my DS1 year that the boys had come from around 50-60 different primary schools. My DS2 will be coming from quite a large primary school and knows a few boys in his year going but not from his actual class.

Oakwood is a great school. Excellent balance between academic work and pastoral care. Both my DS's scored well in the Kent test and despite being slightly nearer MGS, we felt that Oakwood was a much better fit for both of our boys. Both schools achieve comparable results but for us Oakwood just had a much better feeling about it and we haven't been disappointed.

Wishing your DS all the best for September :-)

Hello Yellowspiral,

Many thanks for your message. It's really helpful and reassuring to hear your comments so thank you for that. It's great that you've got a idea of how it works relating to your eldest son's experience. It sounds great and I am sure my DS will be very happy there.

Brilliant that your other son will be starting in September too :-) Wishing him all the best as well. Here's to their next chapter for them!! x