This summer we’re moving from overseas back to London and looking at schools for our children. I’m most concerned about DS in year 7. The plan is for him to sit for the assessment exams for Bexley Grammas Schools and get on the waiting list for Bexley, Chislehurst & Sidcup, and Beths. Dartford Boys looks like a crazy number of assessments in each subject compared to the 11+ type of exam so we might not bother. Anyway, our headache is around what secondary school DS goes to in the meantime. We want to be well within the catchment area for Bexley Grammar school which is around 1-1.5miles, but I’m worried he will be allocated to Welling or some other unloved and not so great school. How does the system work? Are there any areas to live in with a chance for DS to get into a good non-selective school whilst waiting to get into a grammar school?
Further background - DS is academically smart (straight As), very mature, and will be miserable in an environment where he’s surrounded by chaos and children who have zero insight in learning.