Decision details

Background:

Kent County Council (KCC) as the local authority has a statutory duty to ensure sufficient school places are available. The County Council’s Commissioning Plan for Education Provision in Kent 2019-23 is a five-year rolling plan which is updated annually. It sets out our future plans as Strategic Commissioner of Education Provision across all types and phases of education in Kent.

It is forecast that there will be significant short and medium-term pressure for additional Year 7 places in the West Kent Selective Planning Group which indicates that additional capacity will be needed for 2019/20 and in later years.  The planning group includes all Grammar schools in the districts of Sevenoaks, Tonbridge and Tonbridge Wells.

In 2012, Kent County Council agreed to identify and pursue options to increase Grammar provision in that area.

Therefore, KCC has asked Tunbridge Wells Grammar School for Boys to provide additional places for local children by expanding the school onto a satellite in Sevenoaks district.

The Cabinet Member for Education and Skills agrees to expand Tunbridge Wells Grammar School for Boys, by increasing the Published Admission Number (PAN) from 210 places to 300 places, facilitated by the establishment of a satellite of the school on the Wildernesse site in Sevenoaks, from September 2021.