Updated: 4.45 Saturday
This article is written for March 1st, National Secondary Allocation Day, initially before decisions are sent out. I will update it as I receive further information relating to individual schools. Please note I am very grateful for families who let me know what is happening at local schools. I will be following this up with a parallel article for Medway when I receive their initial information and, in about two weeks time when I am sent data released, full details of allocation, subscription and vacancies for all Kent secondary schools.
Super Selective Scores now below
Kent secondary school allocations will be sent out after 4 p.m today for those registered to receive outcomes by email and should arrive tomorrow by post for all.
My 2018 articles on oversubscription and vacancies in individual Kent schools will almost certainly still reflect the general picture in individual districts for non-selective and grammar schools. I already have the details of the number of first choices for each Kent secondary school, which you will find in my Individual School section here, together with the pattern for individual schools.
17,959 Kent children applied for places in Kent secondary schools, 517 more than in 2018, with 79.1% of them being offered their first choice. This is the lowest percentage for at least nine years, a further 0.6% down on last year. 837 children been given none of their four choices, at 4.7% of the total, again the highest proportion for at least nine years, up on last year’s 765. I know that a number of additional school places have been created at pinch points across the county, but I anticipate hearing of some very difficult situations for some of the children with no school of their choice.
Many of the super selective schools have seen considerable increases in their requirements.
In spite of the inexorable increase in out of county applications to Kent schools, up 225 to 3,514, exactly the same number, 818, were offered places, as in 2018. As always this will have been partially balanced by around 500 going to schools outside Kent.
You will find more information, including a look at some of the pressure points as they become apparent, together with the tables of outcomes below. You will also find required scores for super-selective schools as these are confirmed (all information welcomed).
There is initial advice at the foot of the article on what to do if you have not been offered the school of your choice. This begins as always with my Corporal Jones mantra, do NOTHING in panic! You may regret it. There is no quick fix.
There is also a link to the limited telephone advisory service I now offer.
You will find the KCC Press Release here.
I will update this article as I receive further information. As always, when I get a school by school breakdown, I shall publish a fuller analysis later this month, the 2018 articles for Kent grammars being here, non-selectives here, for Medway grammars here, and Medway non-selectives here. You will find these give considerable guidance on what to expect this time round.
| Kent Secondary School Allocations: March 2019 | ||||||||
| Kent pupils | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | ||||
No. of Pupils | % | No. of Pupils | % | No. of Pupils | % | No. of Pupils | % | |
| Offered a first preference | 14,201 | 79.1% | 13,891 | 79.6% | 13,418 | 80.4% | 13,159 | 81.4% |
| Offered a second preference | 2008 | 11.2% | 1,937 | 11.1% | 1,861 | 11.1% | 1,840 | 11.4% |
| Offered a third preference | 691 | 3.9% | 641 | 3.7% | 593 | 3.6% | 549 | 3.4% |
| Offered a fourth preference | 222 | 1.2% | 208 | 1.2% | 194 | 1.2% | 196 | 1.2% |
| Allocated by Local Authority | 837 | 4.7% | 765 | 4.4% | 633 | 3.8% | 428 | 2.7% |
| Total number of Kent pupils offered | 17,959 | 17,442 | 16,697 | 16,172 | ||||
| Out of County Applicants to Kent Secondary Schools 2019 | ||||
| Year | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
| Out of county applicants | 3514 | 3,289 | 2,744 | 2,624 |
Offers to out of county pupils at Kent schools | 818 | 818 | 810 | 803 |
What can you do if you don't have a school of your choice?
As noted above, don't panic.
So what next? If you are not awarded the school of your choice, then certainly go on the waiting list for every school you have applied for and still wish to consider. You have the right to appeal to any and every school for which you have been turned down. My article on 2018 appeals should be taken as guidance only but again, you will find the appeal outcomes for each Kent school here. You will also find plenty of free advice in the appeals sections of this website at: Kent Grammar Appeals; Medway Grammar Appeals; and Oversubscription Appeals. There is also copious grammar school appeal advice on the 11 plus Exams website, although it is not necessarily Kent specific and in any case often written for out of county candidates who have different expectations and perceptions, so be careful.
Obviously, you should talk to your primary school who should be able to offer advice and, if you are not sure of the school to which you have been allocated, ask for another visit, which is likely to be as an individual rather than with the crowd who were there on Open Day.
You also have the option of making a late application for a fresh school, called an In Year Application from 15th March in Kent, or go on any school’s waiting list after 24th April. Details here (page 18). You can apply for as many schools as you wish through this process. Every year we see a considerable ‘churning’ effect as children take up places off the waiting lists, as children win appeals at higher preferences, and some unhappy families remove themselves from the state system, so don't lose hope!
Medway is far more convoluted and parents and I often find it difficult to pin down a shifting procedure especially with late grammar school applications, the Admission Booklet being of limited assistance. The phrase ‘at the discretion of the Student Services Management Team’ is used too often in discussion.
I regret I have retired from my Personal Appeals Service, being the only Kent and Medway appeals specialist I am afraid. I still offer a Telephone Advisory Service which provides an initial hard-nosed information and advisory assessment.
Clik here to view.