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Living in Kent

Chaucer’s Canterbury pilgrims may have swapped their horses for high-speed trains; hessian and mead for Birkenstocks and sparkling wine, but Kent remains a mecca for people from all walks of life.

And who wouldn’t want to raise a glass to the stylish galleries and chattering cafes of The Pantiles in Royal Tunbridge Wells, the ancient trees in Sevenoaks’ Knole Park or what Turner described as ‘the most beautiful skies in Europe’ above the long petticoat coast of St Margaret’s Bay?

While agriculture is Kent’s main industry, the county’s proximity to the capital is reflected in house prices in more polished neighbourhoods such as Sevenoaks, Tunbridge Wells and Tenterden. As a result, many families look towards Medway or venture out to the east coast towns of Margate, Folkestone and Whitstable; exciting and inspiring places to put down roots, with more fresh air, square meterage, and sunshine (yes, it’s the sunniest place in the UK!) for your buck without compromising opportunities.

No wonder so many migrate here from other parts of the country. Many first-time buyers and young families are either enticed back or relocate, partly due to the lure of grammar schools but also by the area’s sheer liveableness.



Education scene in Kent

Local Education Authorities in Kent
Kent County Council
Medway Council

Some illustrious names of independent education thunder through the county like the roar of mythical beasts, and while these exceptional schools (eg Benenden School, The King’s School Canterbury, Sevenoaks SchoolTonbridge School) deserve the respect for their academic muscle, there are many other candidates for you to target among the fee-paying options.

Part of the attraction of many of the private schools is the wider focus and more well-rounded education. While some are academically very selective, there are many that nurture all abilities and pride themselves on fulfilling potential. The number of single-sex schools in both the private and state sectors throws another choice into the ring and we’re confident that with a well-informed plan and early rise, there is the right match in Kent for anyone. 

But Kent is also famous for its state schools. Here, the grammar system has a firm hold. Excellent news for those with academic children but inevitably has an impact on the results of non-selective state schools. While there are some highly respected non-selectives which are popular, oversubscribed and doing a cracking job (sometimes even clipping at the heels of the grammars), if you’re in the business of chasing barnstorming academic performance levels in the non-selective state sector, you’re in the wrong place, at least for now. But improvements are on the way. Funding has been secured and some big projects are earmarked for a number of neglected state secondary schools, notably in Canterbury and Thanet, and the work should radically improve provision and resources.

Kent County Council (and Medway Council in North Kent) oversees the Procedure for Entry to Secondary Education (PESE) process which includes the 11+ - aka 'the Kent Test'/'the Medway Test' - the assessment which all children are eligible to sit. Some schools set their own test which can be taken instead of the 11+ (eg 'the Shepway Test' in Folkestone) but either way, the best schools maintain high standards and results by selecting the best of the academic bunch. There are no fixed catchments but geography often plays its part in admissions so it is likely that if you live a distance from a very popular school, you would be unsuccessful in securing a place (unless you fulfil higher oversubscription criteria). But with 38 grammar schools across this region (taking in both local authorities of Kent and Medway), savvy parents can think outside the box and beyond the usual suspects to find a suitable grammar with less competitive admissions…cue Maidstone, Rochester, Folkestone and Medway. The best primary schools tend to have very small catchments and parents will move to be closer (inevitably elevating house prices), especially considering that the most oversubscribed often have good track records for ‘destination grammar schools’ (although providing formal preparation is forbidden).

We’ve zoomed in on Ashford, Canterbury, Maidstone, Rochester, Sevenoaks, Tonbridge & Tunbridge Wells, The Weald, and the east Kent coastal towns. Eight key areas with 52 schools - preps, private secondary schools, grammars and non-selective secondary, all reviewed by us.

Looking for the best schools in Kent? Our Education Consultants can help.

The Good Schools Guide education consultants help parents from all over the world find the best schools for their children. We have experts all over the United Kingdom, each one with their own specialist areas of knowledge. If you would like to know more about your family’s education options in Kent and how we are able to help, please get in touch - [email protected] - or read about our education consultancy services.

Your thoughts on education in Kent

Do you have experience of education in Kent – or indeed elsewhere – that you would like to share with us? Our large network of parents and teachers makes sure that we keep up to date and publish accurate, relevant and helpful information. Please write to us [email protected].

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