We're currently in Purley (Croydon Borough) and will have outgrown our home in a couple of years; right about the time we'll be picking a secondary for our DD (our DS will be a couple of years behind).
We're trying to assess where is not completely bonkers financially yet is well placed for single sex (one for DD and DD) or coed options.
From our current location in Purley, we'd maybe (catchment has narrowed)) get into coed Riddlesdown Collegiate which seems fairly well respected, "outstanding" but is placed at 866 academically by Locrating and is quite a large school. Yet last year we would have been one street out so not certain by any means.
By comparison, Wallington girls (Sutton borough), is no. 192 and Wilsons (also Sutton borough) no.13 we could just about drive to (would be a pain of a commute though.)
We would still (I think) be included in the Sutton Grammar catchment from where we are, but I'm wondering is there somewhere else - Kingston perhaps - that would be more strategic to move to that would offer us some coed state options that are well regarded (Eg Grey Court School, up at no.335) as a back up but leaves the grammar option open, eg. Tiffin? The Croydon borough is also really struggling with a failed transformation of the town centre, a bankrupt council and crime that makes the headlines - so growth on a property here is smaller than almost everywhere in London meaning that gap will only widen if we delay moving for a few years.
Kingston is much pricier than Purley - but it's not as costly as missing out on a decent school and feeling compelled to go Independent (which it would be a real struggle to afford for two kids). Would that be a good location for multiple school options? Where else? Feel like I've scoured every league table and catchment map and now can't see the wood for the trees!