Hello we've been looking at houses and areas in worthing this week- its been exhausting but good to look round- the school thing is a concern but I guess I'll have to cross that's bridge when I get to it :/ does anyone know what sompting is like?

It is done by catchment but in-year applications have to apply to schools with places. There seem to be lots of good schools according to ofsted's website.

The house we're renting is in Thomas a Beckett catchment but I can only get one of my children in. I'm looking at the Vale and Field Place and The Orchards.

So is the school system not done by catchment or is it like a ballot system? I would've challenged that too! 4 weeks is a lot for a little person.

I've been told that there aren't really any "must be avoided schools" in Worthing. It's a mix of first / middle / high school areas and primary / secondary areas. I'm finding that a bit odd. Initially the county said they wouldn't let me apply for school places before we moved - which would have meant four weeks out of school for my DS. I challenged it and they've backed down.

Our house is near West Worthing station.

Sorry it keeps posting before I'm done!!

As I was saying (lol) getting down to see houses is going to be hard but dh's parents live half an hour from worthing so they can always look for us and narrow things down I guess. Man the school system is completely different to what we are used to- that's going to interesting! It seems thr worthing has some fab schools though. I've heard good things about Thomas a Beckett but we are looking at Springfield and the catchment area. I would have liked to lie further west but it's glfurther from dh's parents and for dh to commute. I will def keep you posted for that coffee and hope everything goes well with your impending move!

Hi thanks for the nice reply and info! I've joined the Facebook group and they were really friendly too. We live in Newcastle so getting down to l

Hi there thank you for the warm welcome and info. I've joined the facebgroup

Hi kaydee we're moving to Worthing in early December. Lots of areas seem to be near stations so I doubt you'll have any problems. The biggest problem we've had has been finding a house. We're currently near the Lake District so could only go down at weekends. Houses would come up on a Monday and be taken by Thursday. We did it eventually though and have now found a house for the next year. Jacobs Steel were by far the nicest agents to deal with.

I'm looking at schools after half term. The system is different as everything is done through county and schools can't even tell you if they have a place. The school everyone seems to talk about is Thomas a Beckett but it's full from what I can gather.

When you move PM me and I'll buy you a coffee!

Hi there! I'm new
My dh and I with our two kiddies are hoping to move from Newcastle to worthing ASAP to be close to family and within commuting distance to Brighton. This thread has been really useful though getting a place for dd (who has just started reception up here) seems a bit daunting. We are hoping to scout the areas within the next two weeks- any thoughts of nice areas that are close to a station for dh but near good schools for dd? Thank you and hi again

Another Worthing person saying hello. I've lived here four years and have come to really love it - though I admit I hated it at first (mainly because it wasn't Brighton and I was pregnant, had just moved and was very hormonal). But it now reminds me of the storybook plainer sister who doesn't quite realise how pretty she is. Great playgrounds and lots for kids to do and there seems to be real investment going on. Really hoping that the influx from Brighton and Hove will add a bit of buzz that the town needs.
A meet up sounds like a good idea...

Another Worthingite here! Born and bred.

Broadwater is nice (I went to Whytemead and Downsbrook). My parents still live in the house they bought 35 years ago.

But I now live in Goring which I just love. Lovely, friendly neighbourhood. DS1 thriving at Goring First CE School and will be moving on to West Park for Yr4 in 2013. Both schools have good links with St Marys church.

Just another Worthing person saying hello!

I've lived here most of my life. Would be great to have a Worthing meetup.

We're also moving to December. We'll be renting a house near West Worthing station. Can't get that group link to work - wondering if it's an invitation only group?

We have a DD aged 11 and a DS aged 6.

Yes I've met lots of lovely people in the few weeks we've been here, lots of things for kids going on too. The facebook group mentioned above is really good too. Good luck! x

Hi I am about to start looking at houses in Worthing due to better value and space. We are in Hove right now, and I don't really know anyone who lives in Worthing. It will be a leap of faith but I'm hoping the kids get into a nice school and enjoy the space. Are people generally quite open and friendly esp through schools? Im hoping its better for teenagers generally although mine are still primary age so hopefully the change wont affect them too much. Planning on having a proper drive around later but am pleased with all the above comments as all very positive. So long as I have decent neighbours preferably also with young kids then I'll be more than happy

It's so stressful looking for houses, we looked at about 50 before we bought this one. There is stuff out there but lots of houses have been on for a while and are really overpriced too. Hope you find something soon, think you have to be looking all the time and be ready to act quickly when something good comes up.

Yes thanks really looking forward to moving down, be great to be near my folks and the sea. Sad to leave friends and bit worried about where my kids will get into school but sure it'll all work out. Have your kid(s) started school yet? If not, def try and get settled before they do, will save you lots of stress!

Yeah I think that was the one, and it had a massive garden. We are looking to move anywhere at the moment, just want to get on the housing ladder, but properties in Worthing seem to be few and far between at the moment.
Fingers crossed we will find something soon, but there just seems to be nothing on the market.
Are you looking forward to moving down here?

Thank you Lynzie. Was it very 'in need of modernisation' and with a long garden?! Are you thinking of moving over to East Worthing then?

I think I may have saw the house you brought in Ham road, as we was thinking of buying it :-)

Hope it all goes through for you. x

Just bought a house on Ham Road in East Worthing, fingers crossed it all goes through, very excited! Thanks for all the advice everyone, can't wait to move down, hopefully Aug/Sept time x

Hello.... Have you moved yet? I've only been in the area since may but love it! X

Another defense of East Worthing... I've lived here for 7 years and arrived via the London/Brighton/Hove route. We have an affordable 3 bed house 10 mins walk from the beach and 20 minutes walk from town. It's not chi chi but its solid. Our neighbours have mostly been here 20 years plus and its quiet and safe. There are some pockets of local authority housing but nothing I would call an 'estate'. I have to say that anyone who calls East Worthing 'rough' must have led a fairly sheltered life. Yes, the far east bit of it is solidly working class and there are some social problems but its hardly a ghetto. The most westerly and northerly parts are v naice.

We are in sompting which is very close to Worthing. We don't have children yet but sompting village primary has a good ofsted report.

Thanks very much for your reply. It's good to hear someone say something nice about East Worthing! After looking around we really liked East Worthing and Broadwater, they had a really nice feel to them. We live in Harehills in Leeds at the moment, which is pretty dodgy (although great community wise), so can't really understand why people are so down on it!

I'm not sure if we're going to end up buying there though as the schools admissions have told me that the only primary school places for Year 1 and reception in September are at Hawthorns and Laurels in Durrington. So if we lived in East Worthing and they went there we'd have to get another car. We're going to have another look at half term then decide. We can stay with my folks in Hove for a bit but can't really afford anywhere big enough there. Hopefully we'll work it out soon!

Hello, I don't usually post here but was looking for info and stumbled upon this thread. I've lived in Worthing for 3 years, moved here from Brighton and before that lived in London. I love it here and wanted to speak up for East Worthing as it gets a bad press but is not at all the horror people paint it to be - especially if you've lived anywhere else in the UK! There are perhaps two large council estates with a mixture of residents - some go to my child's school and are nice, decent people. The Ham Road area is diverse and friendly with large Victorian houses at the seaside end, lots of families around there and artists who open their homes during Artists Open Houses in June/July.

There are good primary schools in the Central-East Worthing area too:- Lyndhurst First is very popular, Springfield is lovely and Whytemead is also very good. Most children go on to Chesswood or Downsbrook Middle School. Chesswood went into special measures a year ago and now has a new head, new teaching staff and looks set to become a very good school. It is extremely popular (even after failing the Ofsted!) and has a great, diverse intake, from those estates in East Worthing to the leafy large houses surrounding Homefield Park. Lovely people send their children there and it is a great community. For secondary schools we have Davison's for girls, St. Andrew's for boys (both very good) or Worthing High School within walking distance.

There is a Facebook group for Worthing parents and that may also be a good place to ask questions https://www.facebook.com/groups/111736362237194/

Good luck!