Recommendations for state secondary schools in Epsom,Cheam, Ewell etc area please....

[Exempt]

.....preferably co-ed as I have a boy and a girl and am not sure about single-sex schooling. Both children enjoy school and are very able. I am looking for a school that is a good all-rounder, good results, good community feel, lots of extra-curricular activities. We are moving house for secondary schools and have narrowed it down to this area-ish for transport reasons. Any ideas?

[gazzalw]

DS has three classmates who are going there in September (one with a sibling and the other two on ability). We looked at it and were very impressed. It was on DS's CAF list but as he got a super-selective we didn't get that far down our list!

[Exempt]

Both of you thank you so much for taking the time to impart so much information. There are a couple of schools there that I had never even heard of! Definitely worth checking them out. Which are the super-selective schools that you mention? My DH is trying to sway me to single-sex ed so I'm also considering those too. Are there any schools in the area that are considered to be the ones to avoid?

[23balloons]

The most popular schools in Epsom / Ewell are Rosebury for girls & Glyn for boys. Very small catchments & a couple of miles apart so you need to live in a handful of streets to get a girl in Rosebury & a boy in Glyn. Don't know about girls as I have boys but for 240 boys places in the last 2 years the catchment for glyn has been 1.5 miles & 1.2 miles previously, it is a sports & technology school. The mixed school is Blenheim, most people go there because they either want mixed or get it as 2nd + choice, I believe it is OK but would depend on your children & what suited them. I would much rather an outstanding single sex than a satisfactory mixed school myself.

[gazzalw]

The Sutton Borough schools seem to be well thought-of across the board, whether selective or comprehensive, although have heard better things about Greenshaw, Overton Grange and Glenthorne than Stanley Park and Carshalton Boys/Girls schools

In Merton definitely avoid Bishopsford (about to go into special measures), St Marks and Harris Academy - all Mitcham/Morden and IMO not worth bothering with!

[racingheart]

I'd go for living in Cheam and applying to the grammars, which are brilliant in the Sutton area - chouce of Sutton, Wallington and Wilsons with Tiffin over in Kingston.
Have also heard Glyn is great for boys but was told by estate agents in Epsom not to buy there for secondaries unless going private as the local schools were poor! (Epsom & Ewell comp has a bad reputation locally. It may be an unfair one, but lots of parents avoid it.

[debs007girl]

Overton Grange mixed co-ed in Sutton is brilliant. My son goes there, now doing is A'levels. Can't really fault it

[Cozan]

Could you please advise on Epsom & Ewell School?

[TefalTester123]

There are 35 (I think) local places at Sutton Grammar (boys) and a brand new mixed Academy to be run by Harris that will have its first intake next Sept I believe. This will be a new build in South Sutton next to the Royal Marsden.

[Chocolatear]

Have you considered schools a little further away from the Epsom/Ewell area?
The Howard School in Effingham or Ashcombe in Dorking. Both schools have very good reputations.

[OhTheRoses]

We looked at Rosebury and dd was offered a 6th form place there. It had a fabulous vibe and judging from exam results is on an upward trajectory. We thought it much nicer than No such which we didn't bother with and dd preferred it to Sutton High.

The staff, deputy head and the office staff were so welcoming and helpful.

Glyn is the school of choice for boys.

I Don't know how old your dc are but cd you rent very close to Glyn or Roseberry, get the eldest in and then buy in catchment younger child needs? Prices aren't doing much here at present.