house move best London state secondaries for boys

[happyhippo82]

Just that really. We need to move house and the main factor is trying to find the best secondary for DS. Cannot afford private or religious schools - and really not sure that he'd pass an exam for Grammar. So if you have to move (ideally zones 2-3) which one would you target? Our local comp is terrible and everything else around here is private. Most of our friends have moved out of London for schools, but we're very reticent to do so.....any suggestions???

[sleepismysuperpower1]

Walthamstow? You have kelmscott secondary (link to school website included) and it is in zone 3 x

[Chicchicchicchiclana]

Does it have to be a boys only school or do you want mixed?

[happyhippo82]

Sorry should have specified (is there a way of changing one's own message on mumsnet?) - ideally (!) a mixed school......what i meant was that I have a son so all-girls schools wouldnt work. Sorry my mistake

[Chicchicchicchiclana]

The Charter School in North Dulwich/Herne Hill is considered to be very good but housing in the area is expensive. An indication of your budget for the house move might help people narrow down your options.

[happyhippo82]

Our budget is around 1.2....but could also try for a large ish flat if a house is to expensive

[ChristopherTracy]

your budget is 1.2m but you cant downsize for a private school? Mn is a weird place.

[happyhippo82]

Or maybe I dont want to drill my kid for an exam for two years. Personally I would rather take the hit i.e. pay money for a move/house than having to stress him out at the age of nine

[Hemst]

Hackney's good for secondaries and for 1.2 you could get a small but nice house (I think!).

[sleepismysuperpower1]

You could get a 5 bed house easily in Walthamstow for that price x

[flingo]

Not to derail thread but Hemst why do you say that about Hackney secondaries. I've seen good results but MN often raises the issue with overly strict policies. OP Hackney is fab, you could get a lovely house for 1.2m and have wonderful parks, lido, food options etc.

[happyhippo82]

Yes will have a look at Hackney, I've heard of Mossbourne, but is it really strict? Sre there any other good schools in Hackney? I've checked Walthamstow but I thought that it was maimly just good for girls i.e.that Walthamstow academy is a bit patchy

[ChristopherTracy]

I dont personally think you need to drill for two years, there are all sorts of schools for all sorts of dc after all.

You may as well get the practice in - for dc to really achieve you have to be all over their secondary education. There are no magic bullet schools where you can send them and not help out a lot.

But yes if you want straight recs then the Charter School is highly sought after with a catchment to match.

[PatienceVirtue]

Everyone who moves for secondaries from here goes for Alexandra Palace or Fortismere (the latter seems to be the one on the up, Fortismere historically v middle class).

[PatienceVirtue]

Sorry a bit further out than zone 2/3.

[happyhippo82]

@ChristopherTracy - I guess I just want a nice school in which he is able to focus and concentrate but without having to get stressed out about exams while he is so young. I went to a catcholic girls school and it was a nice environment with most girls doing really well. However, we are not religious so this wouldn't work for him. He's also not such a bright kid that he wouldn't need tutoring for a London public or grammar school - those are crazily competitive to get in.

@PatienceVirtue - will check them both out. I used to live near Bounds Green but that was years ago, well before anyone thought that it was a good place to live

[PatienceVirtue]

Sorry my message should have said that the former i.e. AP is on the up. It sounds like a lovely well balanced school.

[Hemst]

Yes, Mossbourne is daftly strict (imo), but lots of parents love it. City is similar to Mossbourne. If that ott discipline isn't your thing, Haggerston and Bridge are still very structured, but far more relaxed - both are v.happy schools. More liberal but maybe more chaotic too, head to Stoke Newington.

[happyhippo82]

@Hemst - perhaps am asking for too much.

Am basically hoping for a nice enough school where most kids are happy and do work but without crazy intense discipline. Maybe it's an attempt to re-create my own childhood but without god. Personally, I missed out on a couple of years of schooling just before GCSEs, did some work but without going crazy about it and still went to Oxbridge....so I really dont think that you have to drill kids to do well. However, I also have a son who works well if everyone else does but will just follow his friends if they dont.......

[sleepismysuperpower1]

Walthamstow academy is a bit patchy, you are right. Kelmscott secondary is rated good by ofsted however, and I know one of my friend's dc go there and are happy :)

[Avebury]

Twickenham and Teddington schools are meant to be good.

[SE13Mummy]

Forest Hill or Sydenham. You'd then have access to Forest Hill Boys and Sydenham Girls as well as various other options via bus or train. There's a lovely looking 5 bed house well within your budget:
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-68702112.html and a 4 bed one with summer house that's still within budget: www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-70768293.html
If you fancied a new build, there's plenty available!

[ChristopherTracy]

@happyhippo82 the trouble is that these schools are the holy grail that everyone wants and once you get there you can still find challenging behaviour, highly tutored kids and all the other issues.

London is a different beast to the rest of the country - there you can find the comps you seek but in London there is a reason everyone tends to scrabble around for religion, grammar or private.

Move out and have more of a commute and it becomes much easier as the choice is so much wider - Kingston, Sutton, lot's of zone 5 areas have good comps. They aren't as nice to live in mind but there's the compromise right?

[DownToTheSeaAgain]

My kids go to Charter and I would say it is a great mix of academic but not too pressured. Everyone's experience is different though. There's a 4 bed house in the next road from us on the market for 1.2m so I'd say your budget is do able.

[happyhippo82]

@ChristopherTracy - yes, I appreciate that am probably living in a dream world and can't exactly recreate my catholic girls' school for my son. But we are currently faced with a choice between a failing comp or a great school where you have to have gone to church for 5 years - there's nothing wrong with church schools, but I decided a while back that I couldn't, in all honesty, take him to church when we are not a religious family. He's a lively boy and will probably do well in the right school, but isnt studious enough to rebel against the atmosphere of the place.

[happyhippo82]

@DownToTheSeaAgain - would you recommend it? It's always great to hear from those that currently have their kids there.

@SE13Mummy - Forest Hill does sound lovely, but the current situation with the boys school there sounds terrible. What do parents with boys do?

@Hemst - will definitely check those out - thank you