Moving to St. Albans

[Kajal123]

Hi, we are thinking of moving to St. Albans with two young children, age 7 and 5. We are currently looking at both primary and secondary school catchment areas to help us decide which area to look at. We are considering somewhere around drakes drive. Does anyone have any helpful advice on areas that are in catchment areas for good state schools but also not too far from the station. Also are there areas to avoid as such.

I am new to this and I am sure this question has been asked hundred times.

Thanks.

[fairylightsintheloft]

Drakes drive would put you in catchment for cunningham hill primary which is excellent. Secondary would be sam ryder which has recently been taken overby a v successful Harpenden school. It was dire, under the name Francis bacon, but I know a bit about the new regime there and there's no reason to think it wont be good in a few short years. Will come back and write more tomorrow x

[fairylightsintheloft]

Hi again. Most of the schools in St A are well regarded, with the possible exception of Marlborough (Secondary) which is in the King Harry Lane / Chiswell Green area. Beaumont, Sandringham, Nicholas Breakspeare (RC), Verulam (Boys) and STAGS (girls) are the most sought after. Primaries; Abbey, Maple, Aboyne Lodge, Prae Wood and Bernards Heath are all great but you really have to visit to get the feel of them. I love Bernards Heath which would put you in the catchment maybe for Sandringham secondary. PM me if you want more info

[ReallyTired]

Trust me Nicholas Breaksphere is not sought after. I think you got mixed up with Loretto.

This link shows all the secondary schools in Hertfordshire with vacancies and you can see that Nicky B have vacancies in every year group.

www.hertsdirect.org/docs/pdf/admissions/vacinfosec.pdf

Townsend Church of England schools has a lot of problems at the moment.

Marlborough really is not that bad a school. Its just that there are better performing schools in St Albans.

[mellicauli]

Drakes drive wouldn't necessarily put you in catchment for cunning
Ham hill. You could end up in catchment for camp school or Windermere or Samuel Ryder, depending where you are in the road. Check the postcode on herts admissions website. You can really only rely on getting into your nearest school.

[mellicauli]

Samuel Ryder is now and all through school ages 4 to 18

[fairylightsintheloft]

Nicky B was ok a few years ago - sorry for the mislead. OP can you rent for a year or two to get the feel of the place? DH and I did that when we moved here - a few months of reading the local paper soon gives you the gist of a place!