Sevenoaks year 7 entry

[WCC1985]

Our family will move to UK shortly and will settle in or around London. Sevenoaks seems to rank very high in all types of ranking except A level results (because it does IB), and is also quite famous outside UK (perhaps because it has boarding). However, when I look into the FAQ of its admission section, it says only about 3 applying for 1 space, and it is also very adamant to say some would actually go for grammars and thus seems competition is not very intense vs those in London (I read in MN many lower ranking schools are 6-8 times oversubscribed).

Is it really relative easy to get into and would that be because it is not in London? The university placement stats and IB scores are very good, and would this be mainly due to strong intake in the 6th form and those from boarding students that get into in year 13?

Our new Sevenoaks non Super Selective Boys Grammar (it’s an annex of the TWGB school)

www.twgsb.org.uk/

www.compare-school-performance.service.gov.uk/school/118790/tunbridge-wells-grammar-school-for-boys/secondary

Skinners - also Super Selective, the highest performing boys end up here or Judd. Sevenoaks may/may not be in catchment now, look at postcode data in Admissions:

www.compare-school-performance.service.gov.uk/school/140595/the-skinners'-school/secondary

www.skinners-school.co.uk/about-us/about-the-school/

But you also need to consider a back up plan in case your ds does not make either Sevenoaks or a grammar. Is English his first language? Will he be able to compete on entrance tests which may include written papers as well as verbal and non verbal reasoning? Some independent schools offer a deferred 13+ taken in year 6 or 7 for year 9 entry or even 10+ entry. What year is he now?

Many thanks for the above info from various mums above. My son is in year 5 (Uk equivalent) and we plan to arrive UK shortly after Christmas. So, a pressing concern as to where to settle as schooling is the number 1 issue (husband already got a job offer). Only one year to prepare. Hope he can catch up. He has been attending international school in preparation for our move, so his English is close to (but still slightly short of) first language standard. Gone through the English and VR and his vocab is a bit short. Is that the standard of an average British? Seems a lot of very difficult words. How to help, other than reading lots of books？This is difficult as I don't want to bore him with books he doesn't like.

As for back up, we would surely apply to a few more schools (some very selective, some for average student). If we settle in Sevenoaks and cannot get into Sevenoaks School or grammar, then may be have to move again. I haven't thought secondary school admission is such a big issue in London, had thought this is only an Asian thing.

State Grammar and some independents have their exams in the Autumn term, giving you less than a year I'm afraid. You will need to check deadlines for registration and type of test too. Some Grammars do more than one round of selective tests and even "passing" is no guarantee of a place.

If he is going into Year 5 you are going to be ok for the Grammars! The Kent Test registration date is around the start of July so you will need to register for that in 2022 BEFORE the application deadline. The Kent Test itself will be at the start of Year 6 in September 2022. You will need to submit an application for the Grammars in line with Secondary School application admissions in October 2022. The details of deadlines and the admission process you will find online on the Kent County Council site.

All schools have open days in September/early October so go around the Grammars then. In Kent you will not have to do any further selective tests for entry - entry is based on score. So for the Super Selectives he will need to not just pass but achieve a high score. I would recommend engaging a tutor when you hit the ground here. The majority of children going into grammars (and I imagine Sevenoaks school too) will have had a lot of tutoring already. If you need the names of any local Kent test tutors I can get these for you, just send me a PM.

On a gentle final note as I completely understand you are coming from abroad, Kent is very much not London!

And on a more positive note, I don’t know any Sevenoaks child who has passed the Kent test not to get a grammar place here. If they achieved a low pass though it may not be their parents first choice.

Hi OP, have name changed for privacy, but I have had two DC at Sevenoaks since Year 7, so can give you my twopence worth.

First, I'm biased of course, but it's a really fantastic school.

In terms of 'level', it's very academic, and that's not just down to the international intake. The level at Year 7 is very high too, with many who have turned down places at the grammars ('normal' or super selective). Equally, I know kids at the grammars (incl super selectives) who didn't get a Sevenoaks place. I think the reason it's statistically 'easier' to get into than some of the London schools is about population density and local alternatives - the likes of Judd and Togs are very good schools, and although Sevenoaks offers more in terms of facilities etc, there are lots of people who simply aren't able/willing to pay 25 grand a year for the difference. Also, as others have said, there are plenty of parents who don't want an IB school, or don't want a coed school, which probably lowers numbers a little.

In terms of demographics, from my observations in the pre-boarding years, there are four types of pupil. First, there's quite a big intake from Sevenoaks itself. Second, there are kids from the surrounding Kent villages and towns, or from just over the border in Surrey or Sussex. Third, there's quite a large contingent of London kids, mainly (though not all) from south London, who travel down on the train. Finally, there always seem to be a fair few who arrive direct from overseas - in some cases their family move over just for two years until the child can start boarding in Year 9. Of the local kids, most come from preps, with a handful from state primaries. Generally, they seem to choose it over the grammars because of facilities and extra curricular, IB, coed, class sizes, ethos etc. Some I've talked to from London have said they chose it over London day schools because of the big green campus, and the benefit of boarding school facilities in what (for them) is a day school.

Interestingly, even among the local contingent, there's often a slight international angle. Maybe families who've lived here for years but are originally from Germany or Nigeria or America or Sweden. Or 'native' British families who've lived abroad for a while but are now back in the UK, or who just travel a lot for work. I think that international flavour does maybe deter some parents who are looking for more of a 'people like me' feel - personally I love the fact that my DC sit in a classroom with lots of kids who have quite a different background/outlook than them, but I know that's not for everyone. I do think it's a great choice for a family like yours who will have relocated from overseas, as there will be many others in the same situation.

In terms of exam preparation, I think you've got time. We prepped for both 11+ and Sevenoaks in a year. I would have thought Sevenoaks might be marginally easier in that situation, as they will have a bit of flexibility over their process to be able to take circumstances into account, whereas the 11+ is marked by a computer so is totally inflexible in terms of mark scheme. From what you've said, I think reading reading reading is the only way with the vocab. The Sevenoaks English paper is pretty tough, so you'll need to work on that. All the past papers are on the website, so you've got lots of resources to work through.

As for secondary competition only being an Asian thing, I'm afraid not. London and Kent are madness in terms of grammar and private competition (and for some of the best non-grammars as well).

Best of luck, whatever you decide!

octobername : Thanks for the advice. Glad to hear the international element. Would there be only very few BAME, particularly in pre-boarding Y7 and 8? I know Kent is very British though.

@Thejoyofslippers

And on a more positive note, I don’t know any Sevenoaks child who has passed the Kent test not to get a grammar place here. If they achieved a low pass though it may not be their parents first choice.

Thanks for the advice. I know London is not England! I spent almost a year in London (lived in North London) many many years ago for under a company assignment, and though I spent most of my time in central london, I did venture to the countryside once in a while. I love the English countryside very much. Though a bit concerned if we can adapt over the long term: we are from big city. A bit concerned about the ethnic diversity of his school, but for us, it is fine.

I did give him one of the past English paper. He did understand those paragraphs and can answer almost all questions, but I guess not in enough details and rich in vocabulary, and thus not easy to get good (full) marks for that question. Also for the creative writing part, for some years there are choices for pure imaginary stories and that's his strong point, but for some years, require very descriptive writing and expecting rich vocab and that would be a problem.

They provided a reading list. Is that helpful? or better still, are the exam contents from those books?

Don't think the reading list is linked to the exam, it's just a good list of varied books that a Year 6/7 might enjoy. IME reading a range of texts is the absolute best way of improving vocab.

Re diversity, Sevenoaks has a good BAME mix pre-boarding as well as higher up the school. My guess would be that it's statistically quite a bit higher than the grammars - but that just a guess/observation.

From the kids I see on the trains going to and from the various grammars there does seem (for Kent bear in mind!) a decent number of BAME students in the grammar uniforms. They’re popular with the Bromley/Orpington/Swanley families which are more diverse than further South in Kent. A friends DD who travels up from E Sussex to Weald Sevenoaks comes up with mainly British Asian girls living as far away as Bexhill.

Sigh - that should have read Bromley/Swanley families and these areas are more ethnically diverse than further South.

OP - many many of us in the Sevenoaks area are DFLs (down from London). I know for me the first 12 months were difficult and I had big city pangs and would have returned in a heartbeat. But now many years down the line I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else. It’s an adjustment for sure but it’s a nice pace & quality of life.

Yes, that's a good point, the kids I know at the grammars are generally the ones living pretty nearby, where the population is not very diverse, rather than those who are travelling in by train. I imagine with all the schools around here, the wider the geographical catchment, the more likely you are to get a more ethnically diverse intake.

Sevenoaks is a very academic school and the intake ratio is more 1:4 for 13+ entry but you need to see these numbers in context e.g. in contrast with the grammars, the assessment is school specific and a full day commitment. This means that each and every applicant is serious about this specific school, and not just box tickers hedging their bets in a county wide application form which can and will multiply applicant numbers without a similar level of serious commitment.

Sevenoaks is a very popular option for a reason: if you are looking for a well performing IB school within 1.5 hours of London, then the only other acceptable alternative is Wellington (plus there is another school starting with an A.. forgot the name, but it's near Brighton) but Sevenoaks is considered to be the top dog in that global minded pack.

Sevenoaks (1432) is right up there with the likes of Eton (1440), Harrow (1572) and Winchester (1382) in terms of academics, heritage and reputation. It has gone global international way before the other schools, and offers the IB only so doesn't appear in A-levels league tables which means it is often overlooked by UK centric parents.

Now that Oxbridge has cut back its public school intake however, US and EU universities suddenly appear a lot more attractive. IB continues to remain the gold standard for a global international education, which is recognised everywhere and held in especially high regard at US and EU unis.

So that.

If you are ok with London, then KCS Wimbledon also offers IB with great results. But that's a very different proposition from the likes of Sevenoaks or Wellington.

A

Hi. Thank you very much for the post!
a lot of useful information about Sevenoaks.
my son in reserve list, this school his first choice.
do you know how fast receivers list moves? If we are from private London’s school do we have a chance? Or more places 11+ for local children?

Thank you very much in advance.

@Happyof2 - from memory on 1.3 every year state grammar school places come out and then the reserve list starts moving a few days later. Because local people with academic kids will often choose Skinners or Judd or St Olaves or Togs etc to save money once they get the place on 1.3.

So stay in touch with Admissions, tell them it is your first choice and be ready to pay deposit/fill paperwork in quickly. Reserve list in these schools means your child is good enough to keep up and thrive at the school. Just some other person scored a bit better and places are limited on first allocation to I think 80 or so (if 11 plus entry). But once other kids get grammar places because it is a big grammar area, the list starts moving.

Thank you very much!
💐🙏