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

Best London state secondary school in your opinion?

208 replies

Simplegal · 29/07/2023 20:13

I’m overwhelmed with school choices for a Year 10 entry for my DD into an Co-Ed state secondary school. We have a last minute, frantic move to London from abroad and looking for entry for my DD. Somewhere within 30-60 mins travel to Canary Wharf? Open to faith schools as she has been in a traditional catholic school previously. We haven’t even started the accommodation hunt just focusing on schools first! Please comment if you love your school! Thank you!

OP posts:
dramoy · 08/08/2023 12:37

La Retraite is Balham/Clapham borders, not Streatham!

Original poster
Simplegal · 08/08/2023 11:40

Thank you

OP posts:
SouthernFashionista · 08/08/2023 09:43

Yes, I believe La Retraite is wonderful.

TakenRoot · 07/08/2023 22:24

La Retraite in Clapham / Streatham has always done really well, and recently I saw was not oversubscribed. It is girls only but it might be needs must for a couple of years.

Also Bishop Thomas Grant is a Co-Ed catholic school in Streatham. Other local schools with a good reputation are Dunraven, and increasingly the Norwood school.

You don’t need ‘the best school’, you need a good enough school that will teach the National Curriculum to a standard that fulfils your DD’s potential in an environment in which she is happy.

BendingSpoons · 07/08/2023 18:57

IsThePopeCatholic · 07/08/2023 17:58

Recent research shows that Local Authority schools are outperforming academies.

Do you have a source for this? I'd be interested in reading it. I live in an area considered good for schools and they are nearly academies.

NeverDropYourMooncup · 07/08/2023 18:28

HarrietJet · 04/08/2023 08:23

St. Ursula's admission criteria are quite clear??

Show quote history

All schools' admissions oversubscription criteria has to be clear. Places are ranked and offered in the order of the Law (EHCP first, then Looked After/adopted from care - can be Looked After of the Faith), then whatever the criteria is - Catholic observant/not, sibling, other evidenced faith, performance in 11+ in applicable areas, attending feeder schools, etc, with a distance tiebreaker in each ranking as per the Law.

Schools aren't undersubscribed until they fail to meet PAN.

IsThePopeCatholic · 07/08/2023 17:58

Recent research shows that Local Authority schools are outperforming academies.

HarrietJet · 04/08/2023 08:23

NeverDropYourMooncup · 30/07/2023 16:25

A school can still be heavily oversubscribed with a different profile for admissions offers. Undersubscribed is when there are more places than applicants.

Show quote history

St. Ursula's admission criteria are quite clear??

Original poster
Simplegal · 03/08/2023 17:31

Thank you very much!

OP posts:
Jobalob · 03/08/2023 12:33

Pretty much all the London Borough of Barnet State secondaries are excellent. You would be hard pushed to find a bad one. Easy to City and Canary Wharf

Original poster
Simplegal · 30/07/2023 20:48

I have seen this school mentioned before. It’s nice to hear positive things! I will email
them as well. Thank you!

OP posts:
year12clueless · 30/07/2023 20:41

Has anyone mentioned Twyford in Ealing? Excellent school, brilliant 6th form.

Original poster
Simplegal · 30/07/2023 16:27

Thank you

OP posts:
Original poster
Simplegal · 30/07/2023 16:26

Thank you!

OP posts:
NeverDropYourMooncup · 30/07/2023 16:25

HarrietJet · 30/07/2023 00:12

In that case they must have been undersubscribed? Their oversubscription criteria puts baptised catholics 2nd (after looked after children).

Show quote history

A school can still be heavily oversubscribed with a different profile for admissions offers. Undersubscribed is when there are more places than applicants.

yegak · 30/07/2023 16:19

Also have a look at St Thomas More catholic comprehensive in Eltham, as it’s an easy commute to Canary Wharf.

areyoubeingserious2 · 30/07/2023 11:58

Bin85 · 30/07/2023 10:41

Consider going private for 2 years then sixth form college perhaps
Consider Kent and Surrey

This is good advice.

Bromley/Petts Wood/Orpington/Chislehurst (used to be Kent but now part of Greater London), all lovely areas to live in and some very good comprehensives, grammar (including some of the top in the country) and private for both secondary and sixth form.

Good luck!

Original poster
Simplegal · 30/07/2023 11:34

Much appreciated!

OP posts:
Original poster
Simplegal · 30/07/2023 11:33

Thank you!

OP posts:
Bin85 · 30/07/2023 10:41

Consider going private for 2 years then sixth form college perhaps
Consider Kent and Surrey

EmpressoftheMundane · 30/07/2023 10:08

Basically, individual risk is calculated by the number of events / number of potential targets.

I don’t think it works that way. As a population yes, as an individual no. The DD is an individual moving through a space where there are more potential crimes to encounter.

I don’t want to derail the thread, so I am going to let this go.

OP I suggest you use this site to work out where you can afford to live:

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale.html

Searching by post codes works best:
Whitechapel E1
Wanstead E11
Southwoodford E18
Woodford IG8
Buckhurst Hill IG9

The last five are stops on the central line that are within the Trinity Catholic high school catchment area. Whitechapel is definitely more central and on the new Queen Elizabeth line as well as Hammersmith and circle lines.

Good luck OP!

Property for sale - Find flats and houses for sale in the UK

Find property for sale. Search over 900,000 properties for sale from the top estate agents and developers in the UK - Rightmove.

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale.html

HarrietJet · 30/07/2023 10:07

GoingGoingUp · 30/07/2023 10:06

Lady Margaret in Parsons Green. It was several years ago but I know a couple of people who had year 10 entry after moving back to the UK, despite it being a very oversubscribed school. Worth getting in touch.

Amazing school.

GoingGoingUp · 30/07/2023 10:06

Lady Margaret in Parsons Green. It was several years ago but I know a couple of people who had year 10 entry after moving back to the UK, despite it being a very oversubscribed school. Worth getting in touch.

TheShorestAnswerIsDoing · 30/07/2023 09:57

Patricia, honestly, I have not heard about good Catholic school in London without a waiting list. The only thing that can be done is to be put on the waiting list. Maybe outside of London.
In the last two years there is influx of refugees from Ukraine, who as orthodox fath worshippers are also accepted by the schools.

HarrietJet · 30/07/2023 09:56

PatriciaHolm · 30/07/2023 09:48

If the school has a space, with no waiting list, it must be given to the next applicant, regardless of who they are (with exceptions for twice excluded children) and where they live. A catholic school cannot insist on that evidence if they have a space and only one applicant. The evidence is used to rank a waiting list, and cannot be used as a blanket entrance requirement.

Show quote history

It's true. The oversubscription criteria literally does not apply when there are spaces available (obvious, really...)

Swipe left for the next trending thread