Grammar schools that have dropped their fees

[Teajunky]

Hi all,

We're currently moving house and my top priority is looking for good primary schools within the catchment area. So I have a few fairly massive questions on my mind for anyone who is willing to have their brain picked.

1. how sensible is it to buy a house according to local schools? I want to know people's personal views and experiences on this. We are actually not in the position to buy a school in an affluent area and I'm worried that DD will end up in a school that is abit crap ( Shes not at school yet). I know there's not much I can do about this but still want to know what people think about this. Apart from the ofsted report and going to visit to get a feel for the place, how can you decide which schools are good schools, worth moving areas for?

2. secondly, I've seen a house that is in a catchment area for a former grammar school, that has now dropped it's fees. (William Hulme grammar in Manchester if anyone is interested). What is the deal with former grammar schools? I know this one is heavily over subscribed.

Sorry if my thoughts are abit confused, I'm writing in the middle of family gathering chaos!

grammars do not have fees - they are state schools .....

Some independent schools are called grammars ie royal grammar school Newcastle and worcester and Manchester grammar

The key to your child's success is how supportive and engaged you are able to be as a parent in my experience

William Hulme was an independent school... As far as I know it went into financial meltdown & is now a state school (or an academy?) - anyway it is now free. It never was the best of the indies in Manchester (that's MGS, MHSG & WGS).

If your daughter is preschool age at the moment I'd focus your search on primary schools. In the past 10 years Parrs Wood, for example, has gone from Outstanding to Special Measures (I'm not sure if it's out again?). So who knows what the secondary situation will e by the time your daughter is ready! Trafford has the 11+...

Talkin- several private schools in Manchester are grammar.

Some schools that were called 'grammar' went private after the 11 plus was scrapped & retained their names - eg Manchester Grammar School. Grammar doesn't automatically mean free.

Thank you Rilla for your advice - I actually am concentrating on primaries (even William Hulme starts from nursery through till Sixth form hence the interest!).

oh sorry, I didn't realise that. Interesting. They probably have good facilities left over from the fee paying days...? Worth a look round & a think about how likely you are to fit in the catchment area it sounds like!