Help in deciding Tunbridge Wells grammar vs blackheath High school

[zafo]

Hi

We live in bexleyheath, our daughter passed 11+ in Kent but unfortunately not in Bexley.

We are now weighing our options of whether to move out to near Tunbridge Wells grammar or put her into independent school in Blackheath school for girls.

Has anyone been in a similar situation on here and could potentially share some insights?

Thanks

What was her Kent test score?

Can she not go to one of the Dartford Grammars?

Her Kent test score was 343.
We have been told it's unlikely she will be in catchment area of any grammar in Dartford or Wilmington.
So Tunbridge Wells grammar would be an option if living close enough.

Have you checked thats high enough? Dartford out of catchment scores are 400+
TOGS is similar as far as I know so you'd need to move before 8th December to be in catchment. But you also need to check their cut offs.

Do you have other children; and how much would it disrupt your life / your family’s life to move to Tunbridge? When are the entrance exams for Blackheath High? Where will her friends be going to school? What is the back-up plan for all of this?

Just checked. I think togs is 395+ for out of catchment places. Tunbridge is just a pass for the test but they hardly have any out of catchment places and the catchment is small too. Weald is an option. It seems quite late to think about moving your entire family for this though! You've only got a week left to decide.

We only have a single daughter, so moving would not affect any other siblings.

Yes, I scanned all grammars that only require pass and Tunbridge would be the most sensible one. We would have to rent inside catchment (1 mile to be rather sure), and place our current home on the market. All would need to happen swiftly, so rather stressful for sure.

Right now leaning towards blackheath high school, but comes with a price tag, probably also with a move as not sure our daughter would be able to put up with almost one hour travel each way.

The other option would be stay put and daughter would go to st Catherine comprehensive. I wouldn't mind so much as tutor said it's a decent school, but my wife is not sure about the environment there.

Have you asked your daughter? Have you visited the schools? Do you even need to be near London? If you are happy upping sticks then why not pick a good comprehensive somewhere else and move there? It doesn't seem like you've thought it through which is odd considering you must have gone through at least a little prep for the test.

Unless she has a whopping scholarship I’m not sure why you’d pay for (and have the long commute to) Blackheath high over a grammar school . If you’re commited to the best education going and a single sex school were JAGS or City of London options? Otherwise I would be suggesting grammar 100%

Given both my wife and myself are not from UK, I guess we underestimated how tough 11+ in Bexley is and our daughter went through her own challenges this year so prep was a bit of a challenge and not consistent enough. A shame as she was on track.

I honestly have to admit, we both could have prep different possibilities earlier. However, I would have been ok with st Catherine but wife is not anymore.

Not sure if you read my original post, but we would have to move as she won't get into a grammar in or around near Bexley (highly unlikely).

I am taking you are suggesting we should take the plunge and move then.

Daughter is keen on grammar...and obviously disappointed she didn't get into Bexley score passing marks.

Seems a slight risk to move now and risk everything, on the chance you may get the school. Schools are very hot on people renting to gain admissions. On their website, it does say that all ties with the old property must be cut, so ‘on the market’ may not be enough, as this can be reversed.

Could you appeal for the school you wanted instead?

Start your dd in a local state school without a house move and move her to a private school when you are ready. It’s far too much of a risk to move to Tunbridge Wells now.

So, transparency i am a TWGGS alumna and my DC were not current grammar material. But your DD scores seem low compared to the grammar schools you quoted. Why are you so insistent that grammar is best for her? And in my road there are 7 children of similar ages: some graduated, some part way through uni, some deciding what next. 6 are grammar, mine isn't. They are the only one to be fully qualified in their field and have a full time job. Many of the others are struggling. Lovely children and young people. I am no longer sure, having been a natural supporter for years, that grammar offers what it used to.

thanks - i think i made up my mind that tunbridge is not an option, as my feeling was before posting this. looks like it's an uncommon approach.

With a score of 343, your DD will be absolutely fine at both Weald of Kent (in Tonbridge) or Tunbridge Wells Grammar School for Girls (known as TWGGS).

Your big problem is your address. Competition for places at TWGGS is fierce. If you rent near the school to get a place, this could backfire as the council may suspect fraud.

But FWIW, you don’t need to discount TWGGS because of your DD’s score. She has done really well.

Have you looked at options for moving closer to Blackheath with the price of Blackheath High? An hour commute there is too much IMO and she will be very isolated from her school friends, who have plenty of local places to gather. The traffic through Blackheath of a morning is madness - one can easily walk faster than the traffic is moving on a weekday - so I would not think about driving her in as a real answer. The property market nearby isn’t the easiest so it would be worth looking now to make sure it’s reasonable, though there are plenty of neighbourhoods closer than you are currently that are more affordable than Blackheath itself.

Is there a reason you’re only looking at BHS and not the other independents in the area?Locally it is often the second choice of girls applying to indies, so rare to see it not paired with others. (That’s not to say it’s a not a desirable school - there are quite a few strong indies nearby is all so top students will be spoilt for choice.)

We are looking at colfe, potentially Eltham college too.
Do you have any other in mind?

Those are sensible. Probably add a look around St Dunstan’s in that set too.

Eltham College has a bus service that might get nearer to where you already live - worth a look.

Definitely get in for visits though as you’ve got a list of schools with very different feel. It’s unlikely each of those schools will feel like a good fit in person even though they have similarities on paper.