Secondary schools as a minority

[Osakagirl]

I'm looking at secondary schools in our area of SE London. The closest option is a mixed sex comp which used to have incredible results (it's why we moved here) but it's gone down a bit in recent years. It's oversubscribed but a good option. The intake is very mixed, both ethnically and socially. Middle class kids tend to do better than those from less well off background. A lot of our local friends send their kids there so I hear the good, the bad and the ugly about it.
However, I also had a look at a nearby boys' Catholic school, which gets phenomenal results. The kids were really engaged and spoke highly about the school and although it was strict, the kids seemed happy. My son is baptised Catholic, and although the school is oversubscribed, they don't meet their criteria for the Catholic intake so it's very likely he'd get a place.
My misgiving is that my son, who is fairly quiet and not terribly confident, would be very much an ethnic minority in the school - only 10% of kids would be of the same ethnic background. He's at a mixed school and his class is very ethnically mixed, but the majority of his friends are also middle class white kids. I'm a bit worried that he might feel a bit excluded, but I'm also aware that this might also be my own bias and that perhaps I'm discounting an incredible school. But then I don't want to risk my son not settling or feeling as happy just because the GCSE results are better...
Any thoughts?

Children are very open and happy to make friends with people from all different backgrounds. In my teenagers friendship group he is the only person who is not Muslim or Hindu, they are a great group of kids and they have really helped him excel. We moved him from a private school to a local comp and was worried, but honestly it was the best decision. Maybe ask your son?does he have a preference

I do understand. I’ve been looking at security schools for my daughter and I do take into consideration not only the ethnic diversity of the school, but also how the school embraces diversity - Curriculum, library books, schools events such as international day or BHM etc. I think if my child feels seen it will go a long way even if she is in the minority.

Ds18 was at a secondary where he was in the minority and it was fine. Albeit a bit ghettoised friendship wise, the groups didn't mix (would say the split was 70/30). DS14 at a different school with about a 50/50 mix and it's completely different, friendship groups are completely mixed.

For clarity though we are white, in London (Croydon). I grew up in Richmond (London) and there were fewer than 10 non-white kids in my year of 250 in my state secondary. And those kids didn't really have a choice. So glad how much things have changed and of the benefits for the kids of growing up in an area with so much diversity