Moving house, South London or Weybridge: Private, state, grammar secondary?

[Robbinghood]

We'll be selling and moving house, thinking Bromley, Croydon, Sutton or to Weybridge when DS is Y5-Y7 for various reasons, but not sure how to go about it all.

• DS in Y4 and DD in Y1. They attend a good enough state primary, 5 minutes drive. DH thinking of moving DS to a local boys prep and sit DD for 7+ Bromley High, but i'm put off by 2 different school runs for primary.

• i'm looking at these senior schools

Trinity
Eltham
Caterham
Colfe's
Royal Russell
Bromley High (DD)

• DS is very sensitive, not sporty, laddish or musical, allergic to learning, maybe some mild ADHD (similar to me), i always worry about him

• DD is bright, all rounder, grammar material. I prefer her to go to all girls school = only Bromley High. i think she'll do well and can move to e.g. Eltham for 6th form. But her options may be limited by DS depending where we move to

• I would sit DS for Sutton & Kent grammar (Tonbridge or TW) then move near the school if he gets in, but not pin hopes or move to a grammar area before.

• We also consider moving to Weybridge to be nearer to DH's family, there's a good local comp I heard and I personally would love a good comp over private route. But it's an expensive moneyed area and we'd have to pay a huge house price premium, downsize at a time when we have teenagers, and suffer increased commute times/cost. If we do this as 'back up', is it too late to sell in Y6 when we know DS doesn't get a suitable offer then? Will we still be able to apply for the local comp if we move into the catchment area, say summer before DS starts Y7?

Sorry for long post. Am I overthinking it all? Is it going to too disruptive for the family? I didn't go to school in UK.

Does anyone have any advice, experience with this, or the above schools?

You apply for places in comprehensive schools by the 31st October in Y6, so you would need to be living in catchment long enough before that to have all the paperwork in place for applications.

If you move in the summer of Y6, then you would be a late application and is school is over-subscribed very unlikely to get a place.

Regarding the grammar schools - be very careful with this as most in Kent have an inner and outer catchment and different rules apply. Generally outer catchment becomes super-selective in terms of the scores needed to secure a place. Grammars are highly competitive, so 'allergic to learning' might be tricky. What plans do you have in place for tutoring?

If your DS is not sporty and not musical, he may well not enjoy a grammar or private school much - they generally have a huge amount of compulsory sport compared with state schools. My DD only has two PE lessons a week, whereas I had hours of sport every afternoon at prep/grammar.

You will also need to be asking a lot of questions on the SEN front. Some schools make it very clear that they can't really deal with anything more than the mildest dyslexia, and with the numbers applying, they don't have to. Be extremely careful of sending a child with SEN to a school that has not shown you that they can and are willing to accommodate.

You best bet is to move into the catchment of some really good comprehensives.

Thanks! Hmm might need to think about moving earlier in y5

I dont know if DS has any SEN. I think he's just not thriving currently

No tutoring plans, I chuckle at thought of any tutor trying to work with him. I agree with you which is why I dont think grammar is good option for him even if he gets in (dh thinks otherwise)

I actually like the idea of compulsory sports for DS!

There arent many good comps around. I can only think of weybridge. In south london theres charter but I dont have the budget for a house in dulwich.

You could add Ewell Castle to your list. Less academically selective than most on your list , like RR. It is a pretty wide geographical area you are considering.most of the ones you mention have junior schools, is moving sooner an option.

Bromley High isn't the only option for all girls - also Old Palace (sister of Trinity), Blackheath, Croydon and Sutton Highs

Sutton grammars are super selective: low odds of getting in. Not sure about Bromley / Tunbridge Wells.

Ok so Sutton grammars probably out. Bromley is st olaves the same.

I didnt know about old palace will look into it. How would it compare to bromley or croydon high?

And Ewell castle, what kind of school is it? How does it compare to Royal Russell if they are both less competitive?

I could move sooner and go for juniors, but is the 11+ really that bad ? I have this possibly naive idea that it will be clearer then and DS will get something, then we move. And I suspect DD can get in a better school (academically) than DS but then there will be fewer schools to choose for once we move.

Ewell Castle is a mixed prep/senior school. When we looked at senior school it was boys only but now coed throughout I believe. Nice playing fields and caters for a broad range of abilities and additional needs. You could look at Epsom College but that is really for a certain type personality and budget.

If you looked at Epsom, houses are cheaper than Weybridge. There's Ewell Castle (already mentioned) for your ds or Glyn which is boys state school. For your dd if you want grammar you're close enough for Nonsuch or Rosebery is an outstanding girls state school. Weybridge wise you'd have to live close to Heathside to guarantee being in (there's a set catchment area). You could rent for a year or two in Weybridge, then move to nearby Addlestone or Chertsey which are still manageable distance wise but much cheaper to buy.

Thanks minicooper! I did look at Epsom but to be in catchment between Glyn and Rosebery means a relatively small radius around Epsom Station, limited housing stock. It's possible though, it's a good idea to look into ewell castle too.

I have a wierd impression about Glyn because I know someone who went there (who got messed up from drugs) but it was 25 years ago and not representative of the school... I just need to get over it! It would be great for DD though (rosebery and nonsuch)

Renting could be a good idea too

How about surbiton? There is surbiton high which again is great for Dd but cant see anything for Ds.. the boys options i can think of seem too academic (Hampton, Kgs)