7Oaks Grammar School Satellite

Kent County Council has announced that it is working with Valley Invicta Academies Trust to establish a satellite of Invicta Grammar School in Sevenoaks. A proposal has been sent to Education Secretary Michael Gove and we are waiting for their reply. For more information about Invicta Grammar School click here: Invicta

KCC made clear earlier this year that it favoured the former Wildernesse School site for a Sevenoaks grammar school satellite. We have seen a lot of publicity - and concern on the part of supporters of the grammar school satellite - following a letter from Lord Nash, Under-Secretary in the Department of Education, indicating the government's apparent wish to allocate the site for the Trinity Free School. However, KCC made clear its commitment to the grammar school satellite being on the site once it is vacated by the Knole Academy, and the legal basis for the government's proposal was strongly disputed. (You can find a very balanced treatment of the story by the Chronicle here). KCC are working very closely with our MP, Michael Fallon and neighbouring MP, Greg Clark to achieve a solution to the problem.

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I have long favoured a grammar school satellite in Sevenoaks; last year I seconded the County Council motion supporting its establishment, and I have continud to campaign for it. The growing pressure on grammar school places in West Kent, which will only increase in the next few years, is a powerful argument for it. So are the long journeys that Sevenoaks children as young as eleven have to make each day. In the last week, many constituents have expressed their concern and their anger at the thought that the satellite might be stopped.

The announcement that a high-performing grammar school is committing to the Sevenoaks satellite is very good news indeed. Invicta is an outstanding school that achieves GCSE and A-Level results in the top 1% nationally year on year.

You can find a full account on the Sevenoaks Grammar School Campaign website here.