Where would you move to for excellent (and free) girls secondary education...

[Tigertoes]

We need to relocate and DHs job is quite flexible.. we have 3 DDs (and I'd like another one!) and although they are infant school age now, I am thinking ahead to secondary education.. Where we are now, I think we would end up looking at private and I cannot see us affording this for 3.. Where would you relocate if it was purely for schools - if you had no other ties? Ideally quite nice to live as well! We do have family in east and west midlands, so any suggestions near central england would be great. Its got to be England though for DH to be able to work.

[meditrina]

Harrogate - both St Aidans and Harrogate Grammar are excellent, and the other schools are good.

Or Lincolnshire - has grammar schools (some single sex) and is not as pressies about 11+ as some other counties.

[Danthe4th]

Stratford upon Avon and warwick has a good choice of grammer schools some single sex, close to the cotswolds and several good high schools.

[Tigertoes]

Sorry to be thick - what do you mean "pressies about 11+..." ?! This is a whole new world to me!

[WhatsWrongWithYou]

Gloucestershire has three girls' and one mixed grammar.

[meditrina]

Sorry - the keyboard predicted something bizarre - I meant "pressured".

[MissMarjoribanks]

Birmingham has fabulous girls' grammar schools.

[goingmadinthecountry]

Have you noticed how everywhere mentioned has grammars? I love the grammars mine attend, but do beware. The downside is that the other schools round here aren't real comprehensives as top achievers are creamed off. Of course, as all mine got in I love the system, but as a teacher I'm not convinced it's fair.

[HauntedLittleLunatic]

Oh interesting thread. I too shall be moving in a year or so also with complete flexibility, and also with 3 girls. I will be (hopefully) a teacher so also want a 'nice' school to work in!

I like the idea of lincs. How does 11+ work? How do you know if your child is 11+ material, especially moving into the area from a non 11+ area?

Sorry for hijacking thread but I was planning almost identical op (i would be looking east mids or York//links/cabs//norfolk type areas I think.

[HauntedLittleLunatic]

And I wouldn't necessarily be fussed about all girls, as long as it is not all boys!

[GnomeDePlume]

Netherlands

[meditrina]

I think there are a lot of references to grammar schools because there are (or at least seem to be more) single sex schools remaining in the selective sector. It's not clear if OP wants single sex, or is happy for a good co-ed (the first two schools I mentioned in my earlier post are co-ed comprehensives).

[LovetheHarp]

Harrogate as said previously is a very good bet, however for entry to Harrogate Grammar you are looking at a very small catchment and very very expensive housing with little garden.

St Aidan's is also very competitive and you have to earn points through faith related activities for 2 years before entry.

There are also Ripon Grammar and Skipton Girls, both Grammar schools in Yorkshire - however they are small schools and very very competitive!

[Bonsoir]

Kent has all girls grammar schools - Tonbridge or Tunbridge Wells are excellent.

[BrainSurgeon]

Surrey - Ascot area - fantastic schools

[Fennel]

With 3 or more very small children I'd say it's a bit of a gamble to assume they'll all get into grammar schools. Frankly with my 3 very different dc I'm very glad we aren't in a grammar area.

[IndigoBell]

Yes - I wouldn't choose a grammar school area.

[feckwit]

Stratford Upon Avon - good grammars but also the High School is very good (although it is mixed).

[HauntedLittleLunatic]

Can someone explain or refer me to info about the grammar school system please and lincs was one of my preferred geographical choices and want to know what this entails.

Sorry for hijack

[IndigoBell]

There isn't 'one grammar school system' - all counties have their own.

But basically, grammar schools have an academic entrance test. The students who do best on this test get offered a place at the school.

Which means that the comprehensive schools don't have the full range of academic abilities that comp schools in non grammar school areas would have. (And therefore normally suffer)

It also means there is a lot of stress on -you-- your child during Y5 / Y6 while they have to prepare for the test.

It also normally means years of tutoring for your child to pass the test.

[lovecorrie]

It still astounds me that the 11+ exists in some areas. Here is was abolished the year before i started secondary school - 1975! It's really odd!

[munstersmum]

Hauntedlittle

If fancy over the bridge from Lincs have a nosey at Beverley High School. No grammer/selective element, catchment only. Nice market town. Reasonable house prices. Access to coast !

[notyummy]

Lincolnshire has cheap property and good school. Just make sure that your DH can def work in the area (and you, should you wish) as the wages are very low and there is a long commute to places that have the well paid jobs. (Talking from bitter experience here - DH is in the military so we have to live in Lincs. I have to drive 2 1/2 to 3 hours a day to get a city where I can work in a professional role and be reasonably well paid.

[HauntedLittleLunatic]

I am single and will be on national pay scale which is a motivating factor for lincs being cheap to live.

I also have family in south lincs.

Rutland def something to look at (currently leics which still has a very poor middle school system). Not sure my dtds (who are currently end of year 5) are 11+ material so maybe grammar system worth avoiding. They are top half of class but in a pretty poor school tbh so I think they would struggle to compete on 11+ with people from that environment IYSWIM. Rutland is probably better option for them than a comp in lincs.

Thanks for the help.