No catchment schools in London

[Maikeru]

We live in Sutton and surrounded by super selectives, but need other backups for my DH given the competition. We are Catholic. Our preferred list in order is probably:

1. Wilson’s
2. Sutton Grammar
3. Wallington County
4. St Olave’s (far but a comfortable, if long commute)
5. Glenthorne (would need to pass highest or second highest band for our distance)
6. St Andrew’s Leatherhead (out of catchment but waiting list places occasionally available for Catholics)
7. Cardinal Vaughan (central London Catholic lottery school)
8. London Oratory (same)
9. Graveney (70 selective places)
10. Ashcroft Technology Academy (24 technology aptitude places)
11. Kingsdale Foundation (South London lottery school)

Other backups include Wimbledon College, Greenshaw and Chestnut Grove (selective places) but these are more in the high 50s for Attainment 8 than low to mid 60s or higher like those above.

I think I’ve literally found every ‘lottery’ option out there that doesn’t have a catchment (at least for a portion of its intake) but are there any I’m missing apart from the north and east London grammars which really are too far from us?

But you can only put 6 on the list. Assuming Wilson’s / Sutton grammar / Wallington boys make the list, then 2 others plus a ‘banker’

I wouldn’t discount Greenshaw. My dd went as a second stage 11+ failure. She got great support and came out with 9 9’s. the school has started on significant building work to rebuild school. By September 26 that will be a long way through so you should get the benefit without too much disruption.

Sorry no help but interested where do the non academic kids go? Is there a non superselective school near by?

(I understand why you wouldn't want to go to this school, I'm just interested)

@FightingInAVatOfJellyBabiesonly 5 of those schools listed are in Sutton. Yes there are superselectives but saying you are surrounded is a bit of an overstatement. The proportion of local children in them is also limited - I think Wilson’s has no distance criteria at all and the others have a proportion. So some people will be commuting miles.

the 3 super selectives listed at the top of the list (there are also 2 girls ss)
Glenthorne is a comprehensive. It does banding test for entry to ensure the intake is representative of the wider population. It’s not selective. However it is correct I believe that the higher bands usually go further on distance than the lower ability bands.
Greenshaw is semi selective - 20% of its intake is selective - it usually gets the near miss 11+ failures, it has a 320 ish intake though so you still have 250 odd non selective places.

I think there are another 6/7 non selective schools in the borough off the top of my head. Plus obviously being a London Borough there are schools that are close to the boundaries but in other boroughs people will go too.

it is generally a good area for education I think.

@whatohwhattodo thanks for the reply. I find it fascinating the situation for secondary education in London. I live rurally and it is a completely different world.

What about Richard Challoner? it's best to the Sutton borough edge & does prioritise Kingston & Sutton I believe - colleague has dc there.

I wouldn't bother with Chesnut Grove or Kingsdale, are they worth the commute?

Tiffin if looking at grammars.

I thought Harris in Sutton had good results?

St Andrews is very hard to get into if not in a feeder & in catchment.

You’re living in one of the best areas for secondaries. Huge amount of choice. Why isn’t Richard Challenor on your list if you’re Catholic? Why not The John Fisher?

Just thinking the op may have a girl

I agree that there aren't many areas in London that have access to so many great schools.

Hopefully this isn't for a current Yr6 child as the deadline is today.
Also do look at local "safe" schools even if using most of your options on grammar and lottery schools (unless you have extremely high 11+ scores) as you could risk no school.

Other backups include Wimbledon College, Greenshaw and Chestnut Grove (selective places) but these are more in the high 50s for Attainment 8 than low to mid 60s or higher like those above.

I wouldn't get too obsessed with this as they are not giving the data for this year & next. If you have a dc who is grammar ability & they are in top sets you will find the higher attainment dc perform very well in most schools.

• • Just thinking the op may have a girl

rereading the list, scrap that!

Curious why Richard Challoner isn't an option?

You’re looking at the wrong statistic. Progress 8, filtered by high performance in KS2 SATS, is far more helpful than attainment 8, where a lot of the score is outwith the school’s influence.

If you are looking for a good school for your child, progress 8 for the relevant ability level and state of the toilets are good metrics. The third point for me is whether the kids have lockers or if they have to schlep all their stuff around all day.

No Progress 8 scores are available for the latest summer 2025 GCSE cohort, as they were in Year 6 during Covid 2020, so no KS2 SATs results to be based on.

Have to look at previous years instead OP.

Thanks so much everyone! Just to cover off in one go:

• @whatohwhattodo I may seriously consider Greenshaw based on that report, thank you (and VERY well done to your dad!). How are they on bullying (my ds is quite bookish/quiet so worried he’ll be a target)? Do they use sets?

• @cottonwoolie @Fellontheground We’re quite far from Richard Challoner (Carshalton). Wimbledon College is the same distance but appears to have accepted every Catholic applicant in recent years, whereas it seems Richard Challoner hasn’t. Believe it or not Kingsdale and Chestnut are just as good (if not better) commutes from here. The John Fisher doesn’t score very highly on Attainment 8 or Progress 8 compared to Challoner and Wimbledon College. I might try Challoner if we have enough CAF spaces, or sign up to their waiting list after March results. You’re right that St Andrews is so tricky I wouldn’t even waste a CAF choice on it - but will give their waiting list a go if needed as some people from around here do get in that way.

• @TheNightingalesStarling DS is in Y5 so have a bit of time fortunately. :-) As for safe schools, Wimbledon has accepted every Catholic applicant with a Certificate of Practice in recent years so will likely be that.

I agree there’s quite a bit of choice but part of me wishes we’d just moved round the corner from St Andrews and been guaranteed an stress-free Y5 for both our ds and dd. 🤣

Sutton grammar, Wilson and wallington county are all boys schools.

Ah, ok you are Carshalton way. Does Harris serve that?

My colleague wasn't in a feeder for RC but lived fairly close, it may be worth a try as birth rates are dropping although I know it's pretty popular. I think one of the feeders also feeds St Andrews.

I have a friend with dc in St Andrews, she is pretty far but had the dc in a feeder, her dc do find the journey quite tiresome when you add in clubs but it's a great school.

Lots of friends from when I was young when to Wimbledon College & have done well.

I've also heard very good things about Glenthorne

@whatohwhattodo I know and corrected myself. No girl list would exclude Nonsuch!

@Maikerushe had a friendship issue in y7 and I found her tutor really supportive.

I know they set for some stuff / not sure if it feeds across all.

I thought they put a lot of effort in for supporting GCSEs - lots of additional workshops before and after school. They don’t do study leave.

@cottonwoolieassuking op is nearish the station which I infer from the comment about the journey to chestnut grove being quite easy then I think that’s too far out for Harris.

I don't know Carshalton well enough

I’d take St Olaves off the list, great school but way too long for a daily journey. If they qualify for Olaves then they’re very likely to qualify for Wilson’s.

Sutton Grammar takes approx 75 pupils from Sutton (SM), CR0 & KT17 postcodes so the boys are guaranteed to have friends in the local area. This has been vital for my child and he is thriving there. The school’s motto is Keep Faith - they are supportive of all their boys backgrounds and cultures.

Wilson’s is excellent yet brutal, good luck if he gets there. He’ll need a lot of mental support from you because it’s tough. They take the best and they expect the best.

Wallington Boys also takes a small percentage of boys from the local area. They are bigger on sports, so if your child isn’t sporty this might be an issue.

We are also in Carshalton/Sutton. Do not underestimate the joy of a short commute to an outstanding school for your child. If he is having to travel over an hour or more every day, there and back, as well as homework, as well as after school clubs, he is going to be tired. And you are going to be constantly worried about where he is.

To end, if I were you my fourth, fifth and sixth choices would be Greenshaw, Glenthorne, John Fisher.