relocation advice please!

[pinguina]

Hello - can anyone offer some advice?
We are relocating from the Midlands to Brighton in the summer as dh has been offered a new job. We are delighted and excited but so much to do - we have to sell two houses here, and anticipate things to be slow. That means that we'll have to rent for a while (4-6 months or more) before buying, which will give us also more time to decide exactly where we want to be. We have two daughters who will go in Year 5 and Year 3 from September.
The LA will engage only after we have secured an address, but told me it is very unlikely there will be two empty places at the same school come September. Our DD would be devastated to be moved and not be together, so am thinking about private schools - can't afford Lancing or BC but could afford the Drive prep, Windelsham, Deepdene - any views?
We are looking to rent in Hove, or near Seven Dials and ANY recommendation (houses, schools, areas) would be very valuable.
Many thanks

[tinkitonki]

I think I'd start by looking at the school you want them in eventually and work from there, renting as close to as possible so you are at the best possible position on the waiting list when places come up, while accepting you might have to start them off somewhere and move schools later.
It's difficult to advise on where exactly as that's obviously dependent on your wish list/budget for your rental and eventual purchase. I can try and help if you give a bit more info on that front.

[pinguina]

Thank you - we will have very little time as we live far away and will be over for a couple of days only before we make the decision. I aim to visit as many schools as possible, but how many can I realistically see in such a short time? Does anyone have recommendations?
Thanks

[pinguina]

Thank you - we will have very little time as we live far away and will be over for a couple of days only before we make the decision. I aim to visit as many schools as possible, but how many can I realistically see in such a short time? Does anyone have recommendations?
Thanks

[pinguina]

Thank you - we will have very little time as we live far away and will be over for a couple of days only before we make the decision. I aim to visit as many schools as possible, but how many can I realistically see in such a short time? Does anyone have recommendations?
Thanks

[pinguina]

Sorry! Had not finished.
Wish list: a 3-4 bedroom house or a flat in either Hove close to Church road, or Seven Dials, or Kemptown by Lewes/Sussex square so that we could benefit from use of the gardens. To rent around 2500 ppm, to buy around the 900k mark.

[Ilovetiffanys]

You will love Brighton Pinguina! My daughter is at Brighton and Hove Prep (the Junior bit of Brighton and Hove High) and we've been very happy with it. It's private, but one of the cheaper ones, and is likely to have places in those years, I would guess.

Happy for you to PM me.

[tinkitonki]

That budget will be fine for that part of Hove I would have thought.
Schools wise, St Andrews, West Hove (split over 2 sites) and possibly Brunswick primary spring to mind to investigate.

[Flitter123]

Maybe take a look at the dharma school in Patcham? It's very small and nurturing if your daughters are nervous about making the move to a new place. If you know you want keep them in the same school into secondary maybe Brighton and Hove High?

[pinguina]

I'll have a look at all of these - many thanks!!