Can anyone help? My family is moving to London from Vienna, Austria in summer 2016, and the more I learn about London schools, the more my head swims. My kids will be 11 and 15, respectivelyso not at the typical intake points. (If I understand correctly, the younger one, born in May 2005, will be in year 6a worry since that means he would have only one year to go at primary school before having to switch schools again the following year, which we'd rather avoid). We'd prefer state schools, but we have a long and complicated wish-list:
Schools:
- academically challenging, but putting inquiry and exploration over test scores;
- good learning support for the younger one;
- Latin, German, science, art for the older one (since she's academically gifted, she could theoretically qualify for a grammar/selective school, but I don't know how this would work given the timing of the move);
- 'all-through' for the younger one, so he doesn't have to switch schools again after just a year.
Neighbourhoods:
- good tube (and/or cycle?) access to Paddington or Marylebone (I need to commute to Oxford several times a week);
- parks and greenery (I fantasize about a garden…)
- not outrageously expensive, of course.
Any suggestions about particular neighbourhoods and/or schools would be helpful, as would advice on general strategy. For example, should we consider renting a place now, even though we aren't moving to London for more than a year? But what if we move someplace only to find there are no places available at the nearby schools in their years? Can we find out which schools have spaces before we decide where to live? I'm very confused!