Moving to Shropshire/West Midlands - any advice/feedback on schools?

[MovingBack]

Moving back to England after 10 years away and would appreciate any insight/advice/anything about schools in Shropshire - primary and secondary. Looking around the Newport area because of the girls grammar but only in the early planning stages yet so open to other suggestions. OH likely to be working in West Midlands so that could be an option too.

Thanks in advance.

I'm in Shropshire and know the Newport schools are popular as have friends looking into them at the moment. I understand they are very selective on entry requirements though. Mine are younger and no idea myself about much detail of secondary schools.

You could try posting on the mumsnet local pages for the areas that you might be moving to to ask if anyone has any local knowledge.

If you're looking at Newport don't dismiss Burton Borough. My dd left there with 5 GCSEs, which might not sound impressive, but it wasn't really until her last year there that she attended regularly, due to a mixture of physical and mental ailments, coupled with an element of rebellion against her mother.

Her teachers were incredibly supportive, and raised her self belief and self esteem no end, aided and abetted by her parents and the chap who is her stepdad.

Good luck with the move back, Shropshire is lovely.

If you are looking for areas with selective state secondaries Wolverhampton Girls' High School has a very good reputation. The Boys' Grammar tho is fee-paying. For indies, Shrewsbury has a wide selection.

Wolverhampton Girls' High School is often one of the best performing school nationally. It also has a lot of language options so depending on where you are comming from and the language(s) your daughter speaks might be an option.

Idsall in Shifnal is an excellent secondary with good results. Telford parents normally fight to get their kids in, as many of the secondaries in Telford & Wrekin are not great.

Newport has the girl's grammar, small intake and you have to pass the 11+.

Adams Grammar (boys) in Newport is a state grammar school with boarding facilities, afaik it's just the boarding element which is fee paying, but this is also optional as they take day boys too (and girls in the 6th form).