to be really confused about thinking of moving to Bognor Regis?

[Confusedmartie999]

Currently live in Horsham, son has a lovely catholic school to start in September, one intake of 30 a year.
Problem is there is no catholic secondary school anywhere near which is a problem for us being a practising family.
The secondary's near are leatherhead ( could never afford ) and barnham ( a good option as my mother and brother are in Chichester.
We are stuck in a tenancy until March now however the local catholic primary do have a place and he could start in January as oppose to September so only 2 months of driving the 60 mile round trip.
We would then have to really hope that a decent rental came up at the time we need it as the journey is too far / will cost too much in petrol to do for any longer than those 2 months.
My issue is that the school we have got id high performing, 90% of children achieving level 4 or above as oppose to 48% in the other one. The other one also teach in mixed ability classes through year 1/2, 3/4 and 5/6 which the current one dont and on our visit to the new possible one the headteacher informed me that currently around 50% of children are non English speaking on entry ( mainly Eastern European ) which was almost used as the reason for the low results.
The upside would be being closer to family, affording a 3 bed rental rather than 2 bed and hopefully the children would make some friends they would take over to secondary whereas here they won't have anyone starting secondary with them as the kids all go onto either private education or single sexed schools neither of which we can do / want.
I'm really confused, my husband says 5 years is a long time to go to a not great school ( he mainly disliked the fact that because it's right in bognor town it's very comcrete and they have no grass playing areas whereas the current one has masses ) and my mum says to think of the kids at 11 knowing nobody going to secondary school :-(

I spent a morning in Bognor when did had audition for Chichester uni, at the Bognor campus
Dear god. What a dump. I desperately sat in Costa for 3 hours having exhausted the town centre in ten minutes.

I will lol if dd is on the Bognor campus.

Mentally ill for asking on a public forum what others think?
How daft.
I agree, lots of nice properties in villages surrounding bognor but all available now and we are stuck in a tenancy until March :-( or I would be doing that I think.
We are on te waiting list for st richards in Chichester but there are 71 above us!
St marys in Bognor has 2 places left hence why my questions are aimed at that.
The secondary is of course more important hence my dilemma, I just want the kids to have some friends going over to secondary with but not at risk of their primary education as the results are low in lots of areas compared to others.

Mentally ill for asking on a public forum what others think?

Well actually - possibly yes. You don't get it at all. Not at all. You're not only asking the same question over and over and over, you're making the same comments over and over and over. It's like you're stuck in some terrible Groundhog Day. Every post you make contains all your theorising and hypothesising - basically it's all the far end of a fart and which way it flew. I think the many many strangers on MN now know more about your bloody dilemma and what you want for your kids than you do. It's probably time you stopped it now.

PP's are right, not only are you asking the same questions over and over, you are getting the same answers over and over and are responding to those answers in the same way, over and over. Whatever anyone here says will not change/solve your dilemma. The primary will still only have 48% achieving level 4 and above and a high level of non English speakers. You have to decide whether that is acceptable to you or not. No one can answer that question for you.

Oh god if you're stuck in your rental till march are we going to get Turks same thread every bloody week for another 8 months?!

*the same thread. Not Turks thread. Don't know who Turks is!

Ok if your renting, you never know realistically where you'll end up so don't worry about tomorrow because your renting today.
Keep him at the primary your happy with until your landlord sells / hikes the rent.
As one renter to another it's shit but you can't plan that far in advance.

Lastly if you do end up moving to your forever home, don't just think of secondary think future job prospects etc. You may find somewhere more commutable to london offers better uni / job prospects

You moved to Horsham astonishingly quickly after your Horsham thread and you're already thinking of the next move.

Well as I said you don't have to comment, it's a big decision and isn't a crime to ask other opinions, I can't find my other threads hence the reposts and I was hoping someone local might have come along that's all.
The poster who said what they did about renting is very right, we do never know where we shall be which is probably playing a part in me not settling and always looking for somewhere better for different reasons, no house is ever a home when someone can give you 2 months notice.
I guess it's a decision nobody can make for me, I was hoping for some unbiased opinions but clearly some of you are very annoyed so I won't be asking anything else,
Thanks to those who replied without being unkind :)

I don't understand why you won't consider non-catholic schools? Then you would have no problem with your kids education. Tbh I don't believe in faith schools. If your faith is strong surely you and your church will provide the religion in your childrens lives.

I would still have the dilemma of being able to afford a house for the kids to have their own room, be nearer my parents and we both went to catholic schools and I would like the same for mine.

Well maybe they can't have their own room? That's not something they NEED is it. Can I reccomend you watch the video I linked to upthread OP? It really helped me when I was stuck.

I have just watched it, thanks.
I found it very good, it's very well done and shows how things aren't always as black and white or easy as they might seem.
Finding this decision very hard as it doesn't affect me in as much as it will affect my children.

I absolutely get the feeling of 'no where's home' and you can't really settle. It is really rubbish, with renting and kids schools you need a crystal ball. The other problem you personally have is generally Catholic schools are good which pushes catchment prices up.
Worry about today and secondary tomorrow. Yes it's not ideal but you don't know how things will be in 6 years time.

Do your dcs really need to attend a Catholic school? Can't you and your church be responsible for their religious indoctrination education? Then you wouldn't have to go through the rigmarole of moving. Agreed that Bognor Regis is a shithole.

I still have nightmares about the public toilet near Sommerfields (a few years ago, hopefully it's been burned down, or fallen into the sea)

Go, on, someone ask " 70 tell us about the toilet" and I will vom

What's wrong with Holy Trinity? (Crawley)?

70, will you tell me about the toilet please?

Can you teach them Catholicism at home Op?

I would prioritise a nice area with good schools over a dump with a church school, if that's your option. You need to think beyond the school aspect of their childhoods. Think of their every day environments, good local facilities, links etc.

I spent the day in Bognor today, it's grim. It always has been.

The catholic school in barnham isn't great tbh, there are better non catholic secondary schools.
I've lived in West Sussex (Chichester) for 28 years. Trust me on this.

PLUS there are two outstanding schools in Horsham. Granted they're not Catholic and I didn't choose either as the SEN provision isn't great but I've heard good things if your kids are academic.

Above poster - which?
Heard good things about Millais but not good things about forest or tanbridge?

All 3 depending on whether you have a son or daughter.
All outstanding.

As I say my son is going to a Crawley school due to SEN provision over and above what Horsham ones can offer, otherwise he'd go locally.
There's also The Weald at Billingshurst, also outstanding.

Looking at your other threads OP I suggest if you move you prioritise good mental health services as opposed to catholic schools

Ha ha people are funny on here.
Thanks.