Moving to Harrogate

[Jellybeans00]

Hi, we are looking to move to Harrogate and really like the Pannal and Burn Bridge area. However, I don’t think this area would be in the catchment for Harrogate Grammar school as it seems you have to be within a mile of the school to get in for the ‘town’ allocation? If so, I was wondering which high school do children attend from these areas and are there some good primary schools in this area as well?

We really like the countryside and would love to be in walking distance of some nice walks. Are there any other areas in Harrogate to consider which tick the good high school and countryside? Or maybe in the rural catchment for Harrogate grammar?

We would really appreciate any advice you may have. Thank you so much in advance! Xxx

Bump

I don’t know the primaries but I have friends in Pannal and the nearby part of Harrogate whose DC go to St Aidan’s Church of England school.

@Maray1967 thank you so much for replying :)!! Do you need to go to church St Aidens? Do the kids like it? I think I have heard it’s a good school xxx

St Aidans is a C of E secondary school and I think shares some classes with the nearby Catholic school. There used to be a very strict points policy for entry, going to church being just one part of it. There was a bad ofsted report a year or so ago, something to do with safeguarding I think, but it seems to be sorted. It always had an excellent reputation.

My children went to the Grammar School but we live very close to it, the catchment area was always an issue but my youngest left about 8 years ago so I’m unsure of the current situation. I’m not sure about the villages now, certainly my children had friends in many surrounding villages who came by bus. They didn’t have friends from Pannal or Burn Bridge now I think about it. I’m sure someone with more recent knowledge will be along. My girls loved their school days if that helps.

St. Aidan's is CofE and St. John Fisher is Catholic. They share a sixth form. St. A's used to be quite strictly for church goers but I think that has eased off in recent years. You don't have to be Catholic to get into SJF but Catholics have priority.

You don't have to go far in Harrogate to find a lovely walk!

@Just2again thank you so much! I’m glad to hear your children were happy at Harrogate Grammar. We would love HGS, but really torn between trying to get a place close by and sacrifice being nearer the countryside for walks or to go further a field and maybe miss out on the grammar school :/. From research, I think we would need to be within 1 mile for town allocation. I’ve not seen many houses for sale in the nearing villages. Do you happen to know which villages are popular with getting into HGS from your children?

@PlasticOrchid thank you so much for replying. That’s really good to know about not being far from nice walks. Would you say that is true around the HGS area too? Do you think many children from Pannal / Burn Bridge go to Rossett High school?

You might already have reviewed this, but the link to explain how the rural catchment works and which villages are included is here:
www.northyorks.gov.uk/admissions-statistics-and-policies
(Scroll down to Harrogate admissions policies)

Aw yes @IsThisTheEndo , I’ve seen this, it’s such a good resource, thank you! I think I’ve calculated that we possibly need to be within 5 miles of HGS within the rural catchment area which I think would include North Rigton, Huby, and Beckwithshaw. I’ve not seen many houses for sale there though so wondered if there were any other villages that might be within catchment 🤷‍♀️? Xx

My dc went to Rossett and had friends in Pannal.
I hope you have been to visit plenty to check out the area? The infrastructure is really struggling to keep up the all the new estates that keep being built.

I think Rossett covers the Pannal/Burn Bridge area for secondary. I think people use Pannal primary or Kirby Overblow primary.
I do know of children from Birstwith village who go to HG but I don’t think the catchment extends much further than that in that direction. Hampsthwaite is another option for HG. I had 2 at St Aidans. One loved it one hated it (but would probably have hated anywhere). It’s has great facilities and a huge 6th form. They always have excellent GCSE results and their pastoral care is second to none so def worth a look. Good luck.

Ripon?

Ripon Grammar - is selective but 11+ then by distance, so living within the city.

Great walks, feels quite rural.

I grew up in Bilton, lots of nice walks, you can walk along the river Nidd to Knaresborough.

I'm not sure from your post if you know that Harrogate Grammar, isn't actually a grammar?

And Rossett, second Requires Improvement judgement just recently.

Just to say Ripon Grammar doesn’t just cover Ripon it covers many of the villages too. But as pp said it is selective and you do have to pass 11+. Villages such as Burton Leonard and Bishop Monkton are in catchment but nearer to Ripon than Harrogate

To follow up my earlier post, all 4 Dc in two sets of friends love(d) St Aidan’s - two are there now. Both would have had points for church attendance when applying.

I went to HGS. I had lots of friends in Huby/Weeton. Was always jealous when they got a snow day because the bus couldn't get in. Look at Oatlands/Mallinsons for catchment area for HGS. Only just up the hill from Pannal.

We live ten minutes from HG on foot, the girls always walked to school. They had friends in Sicklinghall, Kirkby Overblow, Weeton, Huby, Hamsthwaite/Birstwith, Folifoot. Within ten minutes we can be in open countryside, although that is becoming a bit compromised by new housing estates springing up around the edge of town. It is true that you’re never far from open countryside in Harrogate, it’s not that big and there’s the huge Stray which wraps round the town centre.
I’d say there’s been a friendly rivalry between the GS and Aidans for years, both are excellent and very well regarded.

@MarieInternette and @Just2again , thank you so much for suggesting other villages to look at, it’s super helpful and I appreciate your feedback so much 🙏. I have heard great things about St Aidens too, but I’m afraid we’re not church goers so I don’t think we would qualify :/.

@MTIH thank you for the up-to-date info about the schools. The last time I looked Rossett was down as good on Ofsted but just rechecked and It changed in Nov 2022 so thanks for highlighting that!

@PizzaPizza56 those are great suggestions thank you. We really liked the Oatlands and Mallinsons area when we visited and it looks like it is in the catchment, so maybe that would be perfect if not too far from Pannal anyway. Thank you!

And thank you so much to everyone for your comments. It’s so helpful hearing from people who live there, it’s invaluable xxx

@Jellybeans00
We’re not church goers either but I managed to get my eldest in and then the sibling followed as a result. Don’t discount it on that basis. Good luck. Either school will be good.

@MarieInternette oh really - that’s brilliant! I had discounted it so really good to know :). Thank you so much for your help again :) xxx

Hi all, we are considering a move to Yorkshire from London as my husband has been offered a job in Leeds and wondering if anyone has any advice on good places to live (looking to buy a house ultimately)? We have 2 young sons (2 and 3) and looking for a large village (that has good amenities) close to good schools. Been recommended villages around Harrogate - like Follifoot, Pannal etc which look lovely, but we are open to other parts of Yorkshire too that aren’t too far a commute from Leeds. Would be really grateful for any advice or ideas to help our research. Thanks! X

@CJones1311 If you are interested in (long term) the option of a grammar education, Ripon has the excellent Ripon Grammar, selective through the 11+.

Skipton has too.

Ilkley!