Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Original poster

Ecclesbourne school

44 replies

Moonfields · 17/06/2021 16:20

We are looking at relocating to the Belper area. No property in mind yet but it's important that we are in a good secondary catchment.

Anyone have kids at Ecclesbourne? I have read good things, I am wondering how oversubscribed it is? Do they ever take kids in from out of catchment or is that very rare? Our eldest is 9 so there will be a year or two in a primary beforehand.

OP posts:
popcorndiva · 18/06/2021 16:04

I think they are being naughty and why they are struggling to sell

clary · 18/06/2021 16:02

I see naughty Miller Homes are still claiming Ecclesbourne catchment for their new estate tho @popcorndiva - hence, double check before buying OP.

popcorndiva · 18/06/2021 16:02

Yep think Woodlands received the extra money to provide places,with Portway the primary.

I would agree that Ecclesbourne is great for children who above average as they do push you

clary · 18/06/2021 15:59

@Susie477

As you probably know, Ecclesbourne has a very strong reputation established over decades as the best state school in the county. As a result it has a self-selecting intake whose families have high aspirations. That’s great for bright middle class kids who fit in, but it’s not so great for anyone else.

One of my colleague’s children went to Ecclebourne. The family live in the catchment area. He is a non-academic kid, and he required significant additional help for literacy & numeracy. Although not unhappy, he was always very much the odd one out. In a bog-standard school in Derby, he would have been much less so. All his mates stayed on into sixth form, and most will go to RG unis. He left at 16 with weak GCSEs and is now doing retakes at the local college.

This was what I was trying to say. My ds1 has SEN and would have struggled at Ecckesbourne, IMHO.
clary · 18/06/2021 15:58

[quote popcorndiva]@clary Ecclesbourne have excluded it from their catchment when planning permission went through.[/quote]
oooh did not know that! Helpful for Woodlands then eh!

popcorndiva · 18/06/2021 15:57

@clary Ecclesbourne have excluded it from their catchment when planning permission went through.

clary · 18/06/2021 15:57

Period farmhouse needing renovation fir half a million in Kirk Langley

Susie477 · 18/06/2021 15:56

As you probably know, Ecclesbourne has a very strong reputation established over decades as the best state school in the county. As a result it has a self-selecting intake whose families have high aspirations. That’s great for bright middle class kids who fit in, but it’s not so great for anyone else.

One of my colleague’s children went to Ecclebourne. The family live in the catchment area. He is a non-academic kid, and he required significant additional help for literacy & numeracy. Although not unhappy, he was always very much the odd one out. In a bog-standard school in Derby, he would have been much less so. All his mates stayed on into sixth form, and most will go to RG unis. He left at 16 with weak GCSEs and is now doing retakes at the local college.

clary · 18/06/2021 15:56

I am sure people will go to Woodlands for the new Allestre estate, but it's not in Derby city so it is Ecc catchment. Don't think anyone us living there yet so we shall see.

popcorndiva · 18/06/2021 15:53

You definitely have to be in catchment now as it's oversubscribed by a lot now the new builds have been built. Houses in catchment are significantly more expensive than outside for a reason.

The new estate in Allestree I think comes under Woodlands as Ecclesbourne couldn't take them

clary · 18/06/2021 15:52

yes agree Mugginton is rural, but not much property there, I meant!

I would go Belper School,over QEGS myself.

Rachie20 · 18/06/2021 15:49

Muggington and Kirk Langley are pretty rural. You could also look at the other side of Belper e.g. Hulland Ward and use QEGS in Ashbourne which is excellent.

clary · 18/06/2021 15:49

Tell me your budget and I will look!

clary · 18/06/2021 15:48

Quarndon is popular
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/106542014#/

Or Kirk Langley, Mugginton, Windley, Kedleston, Hazelwood. Not Brailsfird tho, that's QEGS.

Little Eaton is not really rural tbh. Not masses of rural property for sale in Ecc catchment tbh. Don't always believe the estate agent ad btw.

Original poster
Moonfields · 18/06/2021 15:39

Oooh thanks @clary i will look up Belper school too. Was a bit put off by Ofsted but I know that's not everything!!

We want to be pretty rural, looking for a bit ish house with land which I think might make Ecclesbourne catchment tricky tbh. Are there any rural villages / spots that you think would fall under it at all?

OP posts:
clary · 17/06/2021 17:49

Excellent school, only qualification would be if your child is not super academic (it wouldn't have suited ds1) but even with that caveat, I know less academic kids who have done well there.

We live in an area where some DC go but we are out of catchment so you only get in if lucky. Belper deffo not in catchment, Milford is the next village and that isn't either, as kids go to Belper school.

So you need Duffield (then kids can walk!) or else villages like Kirk Langley, Mugginton, Little Eaton - further than belper or Milfird most likely but no other option.

There are also new estates in catchment eg Langley Fields (I think) on the edge of Mickleover and a new estate being built as we speak on the edge of Allestre. Neither of these are actually in Derby city hence Ecc catchment.

Belper school is really good tho, don't be put off by no uniform, I know lots of DC that go there and have done well.

Woodlands in Allestree on the up with new head; also Littleover CS is v good and Landau (tho that doesn't have a catchment). Please ask for more info! 😀

Original poster
Moonfields · 17/06/2021 16:40

Thank you @Didiusfalco i thought that might be the case with needing to be well within catchment. The hunt continues!

OP posts:
Didiusfalco · 17/06/2021 16:23

Meant to say, I would make sure you are in catchment as it’s the most popular school in the area by far.

Didiusfalco · 17/06/2021 16:22

It’s meant to be excellent. I think the catchment stretches down to Darley Abbey and up past Duffield but only to the edges of Belper itself. I don’t live round there any more but it’s a lovely area.