State schools near south London with no catchment

You will need to sit the Wandsworth test for Graveney as the catchment doesn’t reach Balham. So maybe sit the Sutton one too?

@todayortomorrow at my daughter's (South London) primary Year 5 was when quite a lot of families starting moving around. It's fine to change schools at age 9/10.

You could look at Richmond, they have 3 excellent coed schools which is unusual for one borough in London but I’m not sure on the admissions detail except that catchments are pretty tight.

Going for a lottery school means that he will have the problem of starting a new school without primary school friends and he could end up in limbo on waiting lists while others his age crack on with secondary.
I thought that starting a new school in year 6 and knowing people moving up to year 7 at his new school would be less of a shock to him than moving after year 6 and braving the waiting lists. He was a pretty anxious child so wouldn’t have coped well with unknowns like when he could go to school while seeing his siblings go to school everyday.

@todayortomorrow basically you need to move by Year 5 as applications for secondary are early in Year 6.
Personally moving and changing schools in Year 5 is better than having to do long commutes.
Just find a place in Surrey you like and move there.

I had this dilemma and moved in the year 5 summer holidays. I felt really bad but there were lots of new starters at the start of year 6 and it meant that he could go up to secondary school with people he met in year 6. His secondary school is allocated by catchment.

Kingston you have the Coombe schools, Kingston Academy is supposed to be very good & there is an excellent girls Catholic but I’m not sure catchments re Surbiton. Maybe Tolworth girls?

Glyn (boys) & Rosebery (girls) are very good in Ewell.
I think the best schools in Surrey are Catholic.

Kingsdale is lottery so potentially a child who lives in the Shetland Islands has as much chance as a kid who lives next door.
Although I believe they are changing to some local primaries getting priority.
But I'm confused. You want to move out to Surrey but want your child in a London school. Why?

@todayortomorrow , as the poster says there are no selective state schools in Surrey, the schools are allocated on distance from your postcode etc and/or your faith ie Catholic. You need to move house by Oct. Or try for the Sutton Grammars. Single sex education is the norm for the grammar applications and many of the top private schools.

Also check out the website elevenplusexams.co.uk for the Surrey region as it's clearly explains the state selective schools are not in the county of Surrey but are administered by Surrey county council.

Most of the boy grammars have some priority for certain postcodes I think & Tiffin you need to be within a certain distance.

I know several people who have had the "when to jump ship to Surrey" dilemma from SW London. You are severely limiting your options going about it this way. Perhaps have another look at the most important aspects of this. There are virtually no co--ed selective schools in SW London and no selective state schools at all in Surrey. And that assumes your DC are in the very top % of academic ability anyway. I would reassess the timing of the move. Pick schools in Surrey that you like, move now and apply from your new address. Much better to suck up a year of commute for Y6 than make a bad or inappropriate choice for secondary.

is your dc in YR 5, there’s normally movement over the summer as dc move for secondary particularly from London.

Have you looked at Kingston, lots of very good Co-ed schools but will be catchment based. Are you eligible for faith schools?

Commuting from Surrey to Graveney or Chesnut Grove wouldn’t be ideal surely?

Kingsdale has a lottery I believe but again commute.

In Sutton/Kingston the grammars are single sex.

Glenthorne has aptitude tests & Greenshaw takes some based on 11+

I think Chestnut Grove has places for art as well. But then that's still in SW London. Where exactly are you OP? You might not even have to move. Look into the Wandsworth banding test.

Oh if you don't want single sex, then that rules out a lot of the grammar schools. Greenshaw is a good shout though. Especially as the grammar stream is easier to get into. Glenthorn also has places awarded due to a talent in the arts. Don't know if that would apply to you?

The Sutton grammars are super selective so all have out of catchment places but there is fierce competition for them.

Otherwise, in Sutton for example, you'd be looking at undersubscribed schools that took all applicants. That would be Overton Grange or possibly Oaks Park. Or Carshalton Boys if you don't mind single sex. Have a look at the 'distance checker' on the LA website for areas you're considering.

Do you have a boy or girl OP? Either way, I think the Sutton grammar schools have a certain number of places just based on score (ie not distance). So perhaps moving to a part of Surrey within easy reach of them would be good?