Recommendation for secondary school in Lincoln

[InaTea]

Hi all,🙂
My husband got a job offer in Lincoln, Lincolnshire. We are planning to move whit our daughter (she will start secondary school next year).
I would be grateful for any info on secondary schools in Lincoln.
Daughter is taken ballet classes for 6 years now and piano classes for 2 years now. Is there any schools that can accommodate these activities?
Thanks'!

William Farr in Welton is a good school or at least has always had a good rep. Not sure on city centre schools.

Wouldn't expect a school to offer ballet lessons if that's what you mean, but most will have some kind of orchestra.

Is dd in yr5 currently?

Thanks for the info.
Yes, my daughter is year 5 (10 years old). We are hoping to find a dance studio that teaches classical ballet. 🙂

You won't find a school in Lincolnshire to accommodate ballet. Will Farr has an ok reputation but it's out of Lincoln so it depends where you move to. Having loved her my entire life (and I'm old!) I honestly don't know of any schools around Lincolnshire with a 'good rep'. They all have their downfalls.

There will be ballet schools in Lincoln, separate from secondary schools tho, but maybe that's what you mean? I don't kniw any names tho sorry.

I also live in Lincoln, as mentioned above Lincolnshire schools in general are not high achieving when compared to other parts of the country.
William Farr is, in my opinion, the best choice if you live close enough.
LSST is generally considered to be the other top choice, however I've found it to be very much a love or hate school. It's very, very pushy and not always in a pleasant way. If your daughter is self motivated, intelligent and well behaved she will be fine, I'd think carefully before sending a less compliant child there.
Brandon Community College, another one in a surrounding village is worth a look.
I'd avoid Castle Academy, North Kesteven and Priory Witham Academy.
Do you know where about you will be living?

There are a lot of dance schools in Lincoln. Joanne Haylock has a good reputation as does Streetbeat.
The Priory LSST is a good school.

Hi OP, I'm a teacher, in Lincoln...what everyone has said is true I'm afraid. If you can pay, Lincoln Minster School is excellent. If not, then the best of the bunch (in my opinion) is Priory LSST. Further out, in Walton, William Farr is ok (a friend of mine works there and has only good things to say...which is rare in the teaching world!)

We are a friendly bunch though, here in Lincolnshire, and it's a nice county to live in if you pick your location wisely 😉

*Welton (bloody predictive text!)

Thanks, everyone, all this info is good to hear. We don't know anyone in Lincoln so I am grateful for everything. 🙂
We are planning to rent a house (preferably in the city or nearby), so that would be another challenge 🙂

I have looked at Joanne Haylock School of Dance and it looks great 🙂
SpringIntoChaos, I hope you don't mind I would like to ask you a few questions in DM.

This is almost entirely hearsay so don't take it to seriously, but these are the things I have heard about Lincoln secondaries:

• William Farr has a generally good reputation all round.

• LSST is a results factory and pupil needs are a low priority.

• Castle Academy has been struggling for years - avoid like the plague.

• Christ's Hospital seems to be kind of OK, but probably isn't anyone's first choice.

• Branston is good for sport.

• St Peter and St Paul's is small and cosy, and often overlooked.

• Priory Witham Academy has modern facilities but nothing else going for it.

• Lincoln Minster School (an independent) is nurturing and especially strong in the arts.

• There are good grammars in the county with buses from Lincoln, but obviously they require 11+.

Do you have a feel for where you might want to live?

I am thinking that the choice of school would dictate where we would look for a place to live (we work remotely).
We are primarily looking to rent something in Lincoln city, somewhere nice and safe 🙂. Welton has houses for sale but nothing for rent from what I can search online.
Would it be good to write to Lincolnshire County Council for advice on procedures for enrolment in school?

It's hard to get a place at William Farr if you don't live within the catchment area. If you move to Lincoln the likelihood is that your child will be offered a place at a Lincoln school, especially one that's undersubscribed.

Having a chat with the council sounds like a really good idea. I think you'll love Lincoln as it's super friendly and for the most part very safe. There are some areas worth avoiding but if you aim uphill and eliminate most of St Giles and the Ermine, you should be fine! Christ's Hospital is in that area and if you get into William Farr then there are buses available. North Hykeham is also meant to be nice for families, and you're more likely to find a rental property with off road parking there. The secondary school that way is North Kesteven Academy, which I hear is struggling. Everyone down there is fighting for LSST places!

This thread is so helpful, we are in a very similar situation (minus the ballet)

Relatives of mine have been to LSST and I like the sound of it but it is a bit marmite - as PP have said - couple of others went to Brandon - they seemed happy enough but wouldn't be my top choice

Hi all!
We are moving to Lincoln in few days.
Struggling to get a place in a good secondary school for my boy age 12.
Any recommendations for good schools other than William Farr and LSST academy as they have a long waiting list?
Is there any point getting a house close to William farr despite a long waiting list?Would it give us any benefit in terms of getting a place?
Please pour in your suggestions.Would really appreciate that.

Is there any point getting a house close to William farr despite a long waiting list?Would it give us any benefit in terms of getting a place?

I know no more about the schools in the area than I have gleaned from this thread, but in terms of whether moving to close by the school improves your waiting list position - generally yes, but you need to look at the actual oversubscription criteria for the school.

Yes, as close as you can.
The closer you are the higher up the waiting list you will be, so if/when a place becomes available you will have a better chance.
I would expect that very few, if any, on the waiting will be siblings so it will come down to distance.

The Priory Pembroke at Cherry Willingham is popular but I would expect they also have a waiting list.

If you are at the North side of the city, Castle Academy is still not great, Christ Hospital is better if they have space.

Or you could consider the Queen Elizabeth Grammar school in Horncastle.

We are moving to Lincoln in August end and my two girls one is 15 and one is 11 so we are looking for a good secondary and a primary school. Have heard about horncastle grammar sxhool and the Lsst and william farr bit nothing much about a primary school. Any suggestions where would we look for houses .. though now i find very few options in lincoln or notrth hykhem area . Typically want to know where we should look for houses with either walking distance or bus links and which secondary n primary school to consider.

Has your older child just finished GCSEs (ie a late summer birthday)? If not and they would be starting in yr 11 this Sept then is there any way you can delay the move till after their GCSEs next May-June? It's very difficult for a student to move mid GCSEs.

@TinaVerma You don't hear a great deal about primary schools, even when you live here, there are quiet a few that are decent enough.

Are you looking to rent or buy and what sort of price?
Maybe we can narrow it down a little.

I don’t think there’s any bad primaries to be honest.

Chances of getting in at will farr or lsst for your 15yo are remote…..do you know which secondaries have space for the 15yo?

My girl jas just finished her yr 9 and will be taking admission in yr 10
Here in malaysia from where we will be moving they go to international school amd so i would like her to go to yr 10.

We would be renting and so its important we get a house as close to the good schools where my older daughter can potentially have a chance of getting admission

An 11 year old wouldn't be in primary school, they turn 11 in year 6. Unless you mean they will turn 11 during the next academic year (1st Sept to 31 August)?
It's hard to move schools at the beginning of year 10 due to some GCSE courses being started in year 9, and if not they are chosen in year 9 so your DD might not get the choices she would have hoped for.
I would talk to the local council.