Relocating to Cheshire.

[Jachollyheim]

I'm moving from Wiltshire with my 11 year old daughter to Cheshire in the summer and need some advice on the best Secondary schools to apply for in Knutsford and the surrounding areas. Not sure yet where we'll be living yet but pretty sure it will be one of the villages/towns surrounding Knutsford. A good school will def influence choice of domicile! My daughter has special educational needs and has struggled in Primary school but has thrived and improved with excellent support and extra tuition. I am therefore keen to get any advice and helpful reviews of local Secondary schools, especially those that provide excellent support for special needs, having no idea at all where to start! Hope you can help me??!

[sunnydaylucy]

Hi, firstly I can't help with much advice regarding special needs so I apologise for my lack of knowledge. I live about 6 miles south of Knutsford, my daughter is in secondary school.
Will your daughter be starting Yr7 in Sept? assuming you realise that you will be a late applicant if that is the case?
You have a good choice around the area, we are lucky! Holmes Chapel is an excellent school, as is Sandbach Girls (single sex but they do PE & drama with the boys school). I know that Middlewich have a unit to help hearing impaired children and is a smaller size secondary, with excellent pastoral care. The Catholic high school, St Nicholas in Northwich is also great but may be difficult to get into without coming from the feeder primary.
Please feel free to PM me if I can help.

[Jachollyheim]

Hi, thank you for your suggestions, I've heard of the schools you mentioned, apart from St. Nicholas. I'm relieved to hear that I'll be in the area for good schools, it will be less of a headache to sort the wheat from the chaff! :-) It wont be easy applying at this late stage for entry into Year 7, but if I crack on now and do some research/applications hopefully my daughter will be fine even if she doesn't get in to a first-choice school. Thanks again :-)

[Chatee]

Brine Leas in Nantwich - a little further out but worth considering x

[sunnydaylucy]

We did exactly what you are doing but this time last year! Had an offer from another LA then discovered we would be moving (a job relocation) in the May. I approached the high school directly (many times!) and they couldn't have been more helpful, they are an academy (as most are around here) and had some flexibility on intake numbers. We were very lucky as it was a low birth year. All the best with your search.

[Diane31]

I've heard Bridgewater in Appleton, south Warrington is good for special needs children, though I don't know it personally.Good luck with your move.