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Best secondary schools in Canterbury
Best secondary schools on the East Kent coast
Best secondary schools in Ashford
Church schools are more relaxed regarding faith practise, but they aren’t necessarily of the quality expected in other parts of the country and a pecking order remains in oversubscription criteria. It’s worth considering where you would be in their oversubscription criteria and bearing in mind that once there, it is a faith school and sets expectations accordingly (eg RS GSCE compulsory in some). Make sure to read our article on secondary school admissions.
Parents can feel worried by the prospect of a non-selective secondary school but sometimes it pays to look beyond the perceived kudos of grammar schools and assess a non-selective school’s specialisms, pastoral care and progress made. ‘I relaxed once I stopped listening to the noise about certain schools,’ one parent said, ‘Keeping an open mind and scratching the surface was really eye-opening.’ We’re here to help …
Simon Langton Grammar School for Boys has an excellent reputation for science and is a very popular destination from other schools for sixth form. Traditionally academic it retains the top spot in the area. Always oversubscribed by about 30 per cent, it prioritises those gaining 20 marks above the 11+ pass mark and while it has a nine mile radius for admissions, there is every chance that the places can be filled before reaching that. Barton Court Grammar School is a very good co-ed grammar specialising in languages and with high academic expectations. If you’re looking for a girls’ school, Simon Langton Girls' Grammar School has recently had an impressive new build which is sure to help it gain back the excellent reputation it once enjoyed. If you live in Whitstable or Faversham, Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School offers co-ed grammar education but with mixed academic results.
It’s not unusual for parents to get their children baptised for a better chance of admission to St Anselms Catholic School (although not absolutely necessary as there are many pupils from other faiths and none). Parking the academics (in the ‘could do better zone’ but with good value added), it’s a well-respected community school with excellent pastoral care. Its tired buildings and facilities will soon be replaced by a new build and it has recently secured funding for an on-site forest school – a rarity in mainstream state secondary schools. Canterbury Academy has great sports facilities and works hard at adding value for its large number of pupils.
Best primary schools in Canterbury
Best private schools in Canterbury
The Folkestone School for Girls and The Harvey Grammar provide the two single sex options in Folkestone. Both heavily oversubscribed; admission is by the ‘Shepway Test’ and the catchment is Folkestone and Hythe. In the affluent area of Sandwich is the mixed Sir Roger Manwood’s Shool which, whilst not achieving the academic excellence of other grammars, provides a ‘holistic approach’ and is ‘more relaxed’ according to parents. Crossing the Wantsum to the Isle of Thanet is Dane Court Grammar School where the IB is taught instead of A levels in sixth form – a rarity in the state sector - and physical space looks more like a university. It does well for a school with a mixed demographic and is proactive in adjusting its ethos to better serve the students.
Due to the popularity and number of the grammar schools, the non-selectives on the East Kent coast struggle to reach equally high academic standards. However, Duke of York's Royal Military School is an interesting option offering boarding (approx. £18,000 per annum) with a unique state education where the students make above average progress and results exceed those of some local grammar schools.
Best primary schools on East Kent coast
Best private schools on East Kent coast
Best nurseries on East Kent coast
Highworth Grammar School for girls is the complete package: nurturing high aspirations and academic standards, whilst retaining a caring community – ‘in a local league of its own’ and the only state secondary in East Kent to feature in some national top school roll calls.
Wye School is a hop skip and a jump (or 6-minute train ride!) from Ashford set in a semi-rural environment in purpose-built new premises. Founded in 2013 by the efforts of local parents to raise the standards of the non-selective offerings, the results speak for themselves and the oversubscription for places illustrates its popularity. Its catchment is getting smaller as a result and it’s wise to check this out.
Best primary schools in Ashford
Need help? Perhaps you suspect your child has some learning difficulty and you would like advice on what you should do. Or perhaps it is becoming clear that your child's current school is not working for him or her, and you need help to find a mainstream school which has better SEN provision, or to find a special school which will best cater for your child's area of need. Our SEN consultancy team advises on both special schools, and the mainstream schools with good SEN support, from reception through to the specialist colleges for 19+. Special Educational Needs Index
Find top international, British, IB and American schools in over 40 countries. The Good Schools Guide International publishes impartial and forthright reviews of international schools across the world.
We examined the value-added from KS2 to GCSE for 2022 to see which state selective grammar schools added the most value to their offspring. A note of caution - the more highly selective a grammar school, the less scope there will be to add value.
Grammar schools are state-funded, academically selective senior schools. The education a child receives at grammar school is paid for by the state unlike at private schools which provide education for a fee. There are currently around 163 located in 36 English local authorities, with around 167,000 pupils between them. Northern Ireland has a further 67 grammar schools, but there are none in Wales or Scotland. A word of caution: there are private schools that have the word 'grammar' in their name but this is purely for historical reasons.
At specialist music, dance or performing arts schools, the arts aren't optional extras. They’re intrinsic to the school curriculum. Students are expected to fit in high level training and hours of practice alongside a full academic provision. It's a lot to ask any child to take on, but for those with exceptional performing ability this kind of education can be transformative.