Experiences with kent test and grammar chools

[Melcl1987]

Hi, we are currently looking at moving to Surrey or Kent with our primary school age daughter and considering secondaries giving she is approaching that age. Just wondering what people's experiences of kent grammar schools are like?

Do you think its worth prioritising kent (particularly considering tonbridge and tunbridge wells area) to have access to a grammar? My only concerns are the need to do tutoring to prep for the test and that the non selective options might then not be very good

Non selective options certainly are not very good in East Kent where I am. Something like 17 percent getting the 5 GCSEs. But I did here they are better in Tonbridge Wells. 10 years old is really very young to have so much pressure on one day of tests.

The non grammar options are considered good in Tunbridge Wells/Tonbridge - St Gregs, Bennett Memorial (there is a religious element in the application process), Leigh Academy, Skinners Kent Academy etc, but the grammar school system does dominate. If your DD is working above expectations/at greater depth then with tutoring to focus on exam technique (it's a speedy test!) and covering some yr6 maths and English work they will not have done before the test then your DD would stand a chance of passing. But as ever with these things, there's no guarantee! About 25% pass the Kent Test and yes, most will have been tutored (although parents can be cagey about this!) It's an English, maths, VR and NVR test taken in the first week of yr6. If they pass then for girls you've three choices - Tonbridge Girls Grammar, a "superselective" so they essentially cream off the top scoring girls until full, Weald of Kent and Tunbridge Wells Girls Grammar which for both you "just" need to pass the test and live reasonably close to to get in (you can check stats on furthest distance offered year on year to see where may be a good place to live to ensure you're within catchment). I'd say we are lucky in West Kent with school choices, despite the grammar system.

Have you considered living near a good high-performing comprehensive outside Kent? Kent is a rare wholly selective LA whereas Surrey is not. Different areas of Kent have different percentages of the primary cohort passing the Kent Test (11 plus), often reflecting rates of disadvantage (FSM / PP). With many moving out of London to commuting areas such as Sevenoaks and Tunbridge Wells / Tonbridge, demand for favoured schools is strong.

Thanks, yes I am considering a few areas in Surrey too. Most of the grammars around tw are single sex which I am not a fan of