Where in London is the best place to live for grammar options (boys and girls) and good state school fall back options.

Do you mind saying which outstanding comprehensive?

My son is unlikely to trouble the selective schools

Two buses and 40 minutes sounds perfectly manageable to me. But then I did an hour's commute each way from 11-18. I didn't mind at all.

OP: super selective means selective of the top scores, irrespective of distance. So competing with the brightest kids from miles around.

Selective in a grammar area like Kent means whatever overall % go to grammar. Or otherwise within a geographical area.

@bopbey I know the catchments don’t overlap! I’m saying you only need to be in catchment for one decent comp, and some other additional options to try for if that is your preference.

And having had Dc In both Graveney and Dunraven I would not put Graveney streets ahead. As it happens. For a variety of reasons.

But the OP is not moving to S London , so not relevant to the thread.

...And here I come where I wonder whether to give my son to Catholic school within 40 min distance and two buses

I did a 50 min journey as did my siblings, it was fine & quite normal for London.

@EggInANest I completely understand what you are saying. I just don't think it's that simple, if your in the catchment for Graveney you won't be in the catchment for Dunraven. It may or may not be a good thing to attend a school with a grammar like stream & personally I would put Graveney leaps ahead of Dunraven. And if in the catchment for Graveney you wouldn't be in the catchment for Tiffin & would have a long journey to the Sutton grammars. Of course some of the Sutton grammars do give priority to particular postcodes so you could move to those if that's what you wanted. London secondary schools are quite complicated & giving yourself the most options is the best thing but not always the easiest.

If you live in catchment for Graveney and get a catchment place your child will still be in the extension classes if their scores / results are high enough. Just like being out in top sets in Dunraven / Charter / Kingsdale etc.

You could move into catchment
of any of these schools (except Kingsdale, lottery) and know you had a good comp option, and also and try for Sutton grammars, Graveney selective places, Kingsdale Lottery / scholarship place, Chestnut Grove, Grey Coats, scholarship place etc.

The principle I am advocating is prioritise good comprehensive, with selective (or other) opportunities to try for within reach.

But personally I wouldn’t bother with grammar if I had a good comprehensive on my doorstep.

@TuttleTree eldest is at Latymer - I think E4 is in catchment and if you have a girl Woodford County High. Not sure if there is an equivalent to Woodford for boys. Latymer is also a bit of a lottery as it's pretty competitive so not one you want to bank on.

You're right that E17 secondaries wouldn't generally stretch to E4, most of them have a catchment that is less than a mile, apart from the Catholic school which I assume is on religious attendance.

...And here I come where I wonder whether to give my son to Catholic school within 40 min distance and two buses 😆...

Grammar schools are state schools

Highams Park maybe? Used to be good and in area for Woodford. Not sure if it still is though.

And what is wrong with Mossbourne Academy if you want a pushy school?

Most grammars in and around London are single sex. Bexley grammars are super selective if you are not in distance (top 180 can pick any of the schools). Tonbridge still has a few superselective places. Tiffin, Barney, Bromley all superselective.

If you want co-Ed and a London vibe choose a strong comprehensive with a grammar stream.

I am not sure, sorry. Just checked journey times for Monday morning at rush hour from Ealing Fields to arrive by 8.30am though and the 65 bus seems to take just over an hour, while car is apparently 25-50 minutes. It's 7 miles according to Google Maps.

This is a long commute by public transport but many children in London do similar commutes and manage OK.

Does in Sutton/Epsom. Cheam High is outstanding and the rest are good. Plenty of options. One of mine is at grammar abd the other (who has some EBSA) will be going to epsom abd ewell whose mental health facilities are amazing.

Move to E17. Same grammars but more choice of state school.

Absolutely far too far

I don’t know Chingford too well but do know other local schools. Depends where you are I suppose but Trinity is not far away, is well regarded and often a first choice for Catholics. Woodbridge is highly thought of if you’re close enough. Highland park has a good ofsted but I don’t know too much about it. You may be in catchment for both Redbridge grammars and Latymer. Bancrofts is obviously private but pretty close. So I would be cautious in assuming the grass is necessarily greener elsewhere.

What? W5 (same postcode as Ealing Fields) is part of the designated area for Tiffin Girls' and about 5 or 6 miles away.

Is that the same for the boys?

Just checked 8-10 miles via car in heavy traffic. It is 1 hour in an ideal situation without traffic. Commuting in public transport could be much longer. Insanity

Yes, but I am saying the OP could live close (extremely close) to a good comprehensive and get in rather than be reliant in the stress of the 11+. Charter and Dunraven also have tight admission areas. But if you live close you will get your place.

Most people want their dc to be in the upper streams of Graveney though & that's stress & the catchment is much smaller than Dunraven with even more expensive house prices.

I thought Chingford had decent comprehensives.

I'm quite near you (E17) and have one child at a grammar school and one child at an outstanding comprehensive.