Schools in Tonbridge

[jayab]

Hello All,

We are relocating to the UK on 23rd of June and looking for schools in and around Tonbridge for my daughter who will be starting year7.

Searched for schools in areas like Bromley, Sutton, within Kent County. Kent council and staff have been the most helpful of the lot🙂, hence we have decided to move to Tonbridge.

Please let me know on the feedback of below schools - with regards to school management, academic focus, supportive and quality of teaching staff, safe environment for children etc.

1. Hillview school for girls, Tonbridge
2. Hadlow Rural community school
3. Hugh Christie school

Many thanks in advance for your kind suggestions.

Reputation wise Hillview is the best of three unless you think co-Ed would suit your daughter better. It has an artistic specialty but supports girls of all academic abilities and is a good school.

Having said that I would reconsider Bromley. Once you are in Tonbridge you are fully in grammar school land and those schools will be largely missing the top 25% academic students as most have gone to grammar schools. While that’s ok for the many people who have lived there a number of years I would not opt into that model voluntarily if I were moving to the UK.

Many thanks for the detailed response @Mich2005 🙂

If this additional detail helps, my daughter is academically very proficient and is one of the toppers in her class/school in India.

We are not hell bent on grammar schools (this option is nearly ruled out for this academic year, as we are just goin to move to the UK and she should have given her exams for this last September 🙂, as per grammar school requirements)

It is perfectly fine that my daughter gets to study with children of all learning abilities - we infact prefer that..🙂

All that we are looking for is a good school, where the management gives importance to discipline and behaviour, where students are generally respectful of teachers and each other. and the school doesnt ignore / give lesser importance to academics..

I would appreciate your opinion about Hillview school, on this parameter..

Also, if this is not too much to ask, do schools in Tonbridge admit kids for secondary schools if their residence is in Sevenoaks (i read about catchment area etc.. which I believe is a major criteria for school admissions) ?

Hillview has a grammar stream so ability sets for core subjects and she will be well supported. Leadership team have a generally good reputation and their Ofsted support that. Girls do come from Sevenoaks and Tunbridge Wells to go there. But if you move to one of those places try to be close to the trains as the buses to school can be very problematic. She will be put on a waiting list but any girls who live closer on the list will always be prioritised. I would suggest joining the local Mums FB group and you’ll get a more detailed download.

Thank you very much for this input.. 🙂this is very helpful..

If there is a space and no waiting list catchment areas would not apply. Bear in mind travel from one town to the other though, public transport may not be that straightforward even if distance is not great.

Thank you LIZS.
Normally what would be the selection criteria for admission to comprehensive secondary school?

For grammar i understand it's the grammar test..but for comprehensive secondary, is it just the proximity to the school?

I believe the grammars are now offering a Year 8+. I work at another school in the West Kent area and we lose a couple each year due to this.

Many of the local non-selective schools have dramatically over the last 30 years improved their provision. You dont necessarily need one with a grammar stream.

Your grammar choices are TOGS (super-selective), Weald. You are likely to be out of catchment for TWGGS. Some local students commute to Maidstone but it does depend where you live in West kent.

Each will vary and these are published online by the LA. Often it is Looked After Children and Additional Needs, Siblings of current pupils, Non Siblings ordered on Distance but these categories can be subdivided into Siblings living within Catchment/Outside Catchment etc. Sometimes there are Feeder Primary Schools whose pupils take priority over others on distance, sometimes banding tests to ensure a cross section of abilities. However as you have missed the Secondary school application round it will probably come down to which is the nearest school with a space, but the admissions criteria will still be applied to any waiting lists you join.

Thank you spongedog and LIZS.

It is good to know that there is a year 8+ option available to gain an entry to grammar schools. And also heartening to know comprehensive schools are competitive at coaching children.

May I request your inputs on the below?

1. Hillview school for girls - they say is an art specialization school- but I understand academic focus is there too?
2. Hugh Christie is for ICT specialization?
3. Hadlow Rural community review- if this is a good school to be in.

I would be updating the admission form and sending itnto Kent council tomorrow, hence your suggestions are most valuable 🙂

Many thanks in advance..

I don’t have direct experience of any of these schools but do have friends whose daughters are at Hillview and they speak highly of it. I looked around it for my daughter a few years ago and although she chose a grammar school I felt it would have been a good choice. The Head was impressive and it feels like a v well run school. I also remember her saying that it was the highest performing non selective school in Kent.

The Tonbridge Mums Facebook group is a mine of information so I would recommend joining that and posting on there. I’m sure lots of people would be v happy to share their experiences.

Good luck with the move!

Hillview has a performing arts specialism, but has an exceptional academic focus as well.
The key strength of the school however is the pastoral support for all students - there is a core ethos of enabling each student to achieve their own potential whether that be academically, musically, artistically etc.
It is ultimately a happy, well managed school with a very wide range of students from all around the local area.

Sorry I don't know the specifics of those schools. Although do look at transport and practicalities from where you plan to live as Hadlow is the more rural.

Good morning,
My daughter is at Weald, this is a very big school which often has spaces for girls who haven't got " the Kent test" there will be signifocant movement between now and September and places may well become availible.

Once you are in the UK you need to complete an " in year admission" form. Include as much evidence of academic ability as youl can. I would say you have a fighting chance of place for September. Otherwise Hillview is a good school. I woildn't personally send my academically able daughter to a mixed non selective school in Kent if i had any other option.

Do PM me for more information

An 11+ veteran.

I also don't have dcs at any of these schools, but Hill view is very highly rated round here and most people with girls are putting it as their preference for non- grammar school unless they are looking at the faith schools.

Quite a few go from sevenoaks, they don't have catchments as such, more that those who apply have their applications put in order based on the schools criteria (eg additional needs first, then "looked after", then siblings then in order of distance), and the top 180 (or however many places they have that year) are offered a space. Your place on a waiting list will be based on that criteria, not when you joined the waiting list. So if you live closer to the school, you'd get a place for your dd over someone who's been on the waiting list for months who lives further away.

Some schools in the area have grammar streams that might be worth looking at.

If you are in Tonbridge the girls Grammar schools there are really good and it would definitely be worth doing the Kent test and getting on the waiting list - children do move mid year some times.

Another option is Bennett Diocesan in Tunbridge Wells, it’s a Christian School but if you have a religious faith you can get in and it’s a lovely school and gets good results but it is not a Grammar.

Hello jayab, does your DD finally go to Hillview and how does she feel about the school? 😊 I m also looking for non grammar option for my DD so wanna ask for more information🙏Thanks in advance.