Rochester

[williaa68]

marcusjames said:

I agree with Sticks. I'm originally from Medway but now living in West Malling. Tonbridge and Malling is a different world to Medway and for relatively small premiums in house prices. Schools are generally very good to outstanding in the Ofsted ratings.

West Malling is a lovely village. I cycled through it on Saturday (I'm from Sevenoaks) and wondered how the high street ended up so wide!

[Hol]

Op. I just checked and maidstone do still operate the 13 plus scheme, if this site is anything to go by.

https://pretestplus.co.uk/sutton-valence-school-13...


A move close to one of those grammar school catchment ares will mean that your 11yo will qualify.

[Sticks.]

How good is the commute from Maidstone to the City? I thought all the trains went to Victoria. Is there still a HS link from Maidstone West?

[lickatysplit]

I thought RIC was a college and not a school as such?

[MYOB]

Hol said:

Op. I just checked and maidstone do still operate the 13 plus scheme, if this site is anything to go by.

https://pretestplus.co.uk/sutton-valence-school-13...


A move close to one of those grammar school catchment ares will mean that your 11yo will qualify.

For grammar schools in kent, they are 11+ (takes place in Year 5).

[Hol]

MYOB said:

Hol said:

Op. I just checked and maidstone do still operate the 13 plus scheme, if this site is anything to go by.

https://pretestplus.co.uk/sutton-valence-school-13...


A move close to one of those grammar school catchment ares will mean that your 11yo will qualify.

For grammar schools in kent, they are 11+ (takes place in Year 5).

It was 13 Plus (years 6+7 equivalent) when I was a kid at School in Maidstone, unlike Medway and most other councils which have always been 11 plus.

Do you know when it changed as the link I shared earlier on indicated that at least one school still did it?


Edit, It looks like Sutton Valance IS the last one still doing 13+ in Maidstone. https://www.iseb.co.uk/getmedia/81f7c09a-7f64-4b78...

Edited by Hol on Monday 14th September 17:19

[MYOB]

Hol said:

It was 13 Plus (years 6+7 equivalent) when I was a kid at School in Maidstone, unlike Medway and most other councils which have always been 11 plus.

Do you know when it changed as the link I shared earlier on indicated that at least one school still did it?


Edit, It looks like Sutton Valance IS the last one still doing 13+ in Maidstone. https://www.iseb.co.uk/getmedia/81f7c09a-7f64-4b78...

Edited by Hol on Monday 14th September 17:19

You're correct, it used to be the 13+ in maidstone whereas everywhere else in Kent it was the 11+.

No idea when it changed!

[StoatInACoat]

Sticks. said:

How good is the commute from Maidstone to the City? I thought all the trains went to Victoria. Is there still a HS link from Maidstone West?

There is although it's a bit limited and there has been lots of wittering about increasing the service for the last few years. When/if that will actually happen does remain to be seen though. My wife works in London but commuted via car pre plague as she works late shifts and the trains just don't work to her schedule. Now WFH for the foreseeable so who knows.

Went through this a couple of years ago. Maidstone prices then were about 20% higher than the equivalent Medway house (Walderslade/Rochester/Shatham etc) so we bought a house that was 20% more knackered in Maidstone. I'm not sure Maidstone has the most brilliant reputation in Kent but there are lots of nice bits and having moved from Kings Cross the perception of "rough" round here I find is rather subjective!

Walderslade area didn't strike me as particularly crap but it did feel incredibly soulless and a bit out of the way but it might be worth a look as it's considerably cheaper? There are some quite cool villages out that way like Wouldham and Eccles that I really liked for their character feel that are good value too.

Edited by StoatInACoat on Tuesday 15th September 11:14

[vikingaero]

thebullettrain said:

I’m looking at Rochester as place to move too. I’m coming from east London, “work” in the city and wanting a new place which is a bit cheaper too.
Any thoughts about the town?

That said I’ve a 11 year old who needs a good school too. The grammars are too hard to get into (and only a handful are actually very good) and he’s missed the cut off for the exams anyway. As such, would anybody know about Rochester Independent College?

RIC has a good rep and expanded massively - my sister went there and did well. If you're looking a private then Kings School Rochester is excellent.

I live in Maidstone and it's not brilliant for transport to London. Maidstone is a good location for access to the Motorway network and Coast, but trains are 1hr min to Victoria. I know a few people who would rather drive 20 mins to Rainham or Paddock Wood to access other lines into London.

Some parts of Rochester are nice, but there are plenty of chavvy parts. My parents moved near the Esplanade and the lower cost was offset by huge increases in car and property insurance as it falls into the Medway slum.

[Sweetchuck]

Just thought I'd stick up for Rochester a little bit. It is by no means perfect, but I find it a nice place to live. The castle and cathedral provide a striking backdrop to a quite pleasant high street, which has plenty of independent shops and cafes (the nail bars mentioned are across the bridge in Strood).

My daughter is a year or so away from taking her 11 plus, so I know a bit about the local schools. Rochester Independent College has an excellent reputation. It is ££ but class sizes of less than 10 in the lower years and outstanding A Level results. I believe it outperforms neighbouring Kings School in the numbers it gets into medical universities etc.

[Hol]

thebullettrain said:

The budget can extend to the 750-850k if the local schools are good.

Rochester took my interest as the schools are good and I looked at a 500k mark I could look at a public school etc.

Op, have you looked outward towards Hartlip and Upchurch?

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/prop...

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/prop...


10mins from Rainham.

[Sticks.]

Hol said:

10mins from Rainham.

Apart from that they're very nice

Where would you go shopping, Gillingham or Sittingbourne?

[StoatInACoat]

Sticks. said:

Apart from that they're very nice

Where would you go shopping, Gillingham or Sittingbourne?

Given the choice of either? Amazon.

[Sticks.]

StoatInACoat said:

Sticks. said:

Apart from that they're very nice

Where would you go shopping, Gillingham or Sittingbourne?

Given the choice of either? Amazon.

Quite.

[MYOB]

I'll raise you this...

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/prop...

Lovely village, just outside Sittingbourne. One mile from the grammar schools. Village Pub and cage, and the honour of living where one of the hairy bikers live!

[Sticks.]

MYOB said:

I'll raise you this...

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/prop...

Lovely village, just outside Sittingbourne. One mile from the grammar schools. Village Pub and cage, and the honour of living where one of the hairy bikers live!

Gorgeous, but how long's the commute from sttinbourne? + driving to the station.

By comparison, not so grand, but 10-15mins walk to station, 35 to London (probaly 8+ trains per hour), 5 mins walk to restaurants and bars etc, which someone moving from London might look for. T Wells and Sevenoaks just down the road. https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/prop...

[MYOB]

Sticks. said:

Gorgeous, but how long's the commute from sttinbourne? + driving to the station.

By comparison, not so grand, but 10-15mins walk to station, 35 to London (probaly 8+ trains per hour), 5 mins walk to restaurants and bars etc, which someone moving from London might look for. T Wells and Sevenoaks just down the road. https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/prop...

Yes, tonbridge is a much nicer area and more convenient for regular commuting to London.

Sittingbourne commute is around an hour to Victoria. There is a service to London Bridge too including the HS service.

[Sticks.]

MYOB said:

Yes, tonbridge is a much nicer area and more convenient for regular commuting to London.

Sittingbourne commute is around an hour to Victoria. There is a service to London Bridge too including the HS service.

My commute was just under an hour, net. But the extra time at each end made it 1.35 at best. Yes, I think I'd do HS.

Then again, maybe in a few years people will work from home even more, so 1 commute per week, similarly shopping, changes the perspective.

Just move walking distance to a pub. Sorted

[Hol]

Sticks. said:

MYOB said:

Yes, tonbridge is a much nicer area and more convenient for regular commuting to London.

Sittingbourne commute is around an hour to Victoria. There is a service to London Bridge too including the HS service.

My commute was just under an hour, net. But the extra time at each end made it 1.35 at best. Yes, I think I'd do HS.

Then again, maybe in a few years people will work from home even more, so 1 commute per week, similarly shopping, changes the perspective.

Just move walking distance to a pub. Sorted

Which parts of Tonbridge are best though?

Out towards Hildenborough station, or closer to the town centre station?


The Op's budget looks to allow a lot of options, from 4 beds with land and garages, to 5/6 bed new developments and less land.

[Sticks.]

Hol said:

Which parts of Tonbridge are best though?

Out towards Hildenborough station, or closer to the town centre station?


The Op's budget looks to allow a lot of options, from 4 beds with land and garages, to 5/6 bed new developments and less land.

The Tonbridge property for for comparison to the rural ones. trying to get to Tonbridge station from N of the town is a PITA. I think P Wood, Marden etc and the outer villages like Brenchley, Matfield offer a good compromise of desirability and accessibility. And a seat on the train (assuming that returns to being an issue).