Schools in York, advice needed.

[Angeliz]

Hi all,
think i've finally decided we'd like to move to York. Seems gorgeous.
We've been looking at Schools, (Private ones we've looked at so far)
Does anyone know St.Peters? It looks nice but was reading the Parents handbook yesterday and it seems really strict!
I imagine there are some lovely state schools there too? Any advice welcome. Obviously it's all up in the air at the minute as we haven't even looked for a house and if there are some great state schools then i'd need to be looking in a specific catchment area.
Also nice parts of York to live advice appreciated too.

I know York very well. Grew up there, still a regular vsitor and toured all the private schools a couple of years ago.

St Peter's is a very good school. Judged by many to be the best in York. Good league table position if that is what you want but also an old fashioned boarding school tradition and successfully making the rapid transition to being a day school with a much lower number of boarders.

I do not know about the level of strictness but discipline in a good thing in my view. We are seriously considering sending our DS1 and DS2 there.

They appointed a new headmaster recently and my only slight query is that I get the feeling that the school is perhaps losing its boarding school ethos which is one of the thngs that attracts us to it - even though our boys will be day pupls. Parents are typically well off locals plus Notherners who have moved to London and sent DCs back to York for education plus a smattering of UK expats, forces parents and foreign parents who want a traditional UK boarding school education.

Your alternative in the private school sector is Bootham whch seems a bit more relaxed but lower league table position, less sporty and less of a boarding school feel and the facilities are less good. The parents are much more local, a lot of University staff send their DCs there as they have what amounts to a means tested fee policy.

You could also think about Pocklington school but do not know much about it. Day schools not really known to me.

We tried to move to York a few years back but failed to get there as we simply could not find a house at a sensible price. That is going to be your biggest problem. It is a lovely place which is why a lot of retirees who are Northerners but who made their money in the South East / London come back and push up prices.

There is it seems a bit of an economic slump going on in York with a lot of empty shops and offices that I noticed when I was there a few weeks ago. House prices have moderated a bit but it is only a small decline. It will always be a place people aspire to live.

ABetaDad, thanks so much.
I agree with strictness too, just don't know the extent.
League tables wise i thought they looked pretty low tbh, 60% if i'm reading it right and that's higher than previous years. (but i'll be very happy to be wrong)
We looked at Bootham too,(our eldest is very arty and academic but hates sport so liked the sound of it) DP is very interested in that one, my concerns would be i believe it's non uniform for seniors (i have two girls who are already fashion conscious at 5 and 9 so that would make life hell, also i don't know about calling Teachers by first name, maybe a bit too liberal for me!
We are going to try and have a look round St. Peters and maybe Bootham this week so i'll see how we get on.
I'd love to live slightly out of York but yes, we are finding that it's very expensive and we've only just started.
Thanks for advice

Have friends with kids at Bootham (all academics, although I know they don't get reduced fees!). From what they say it would probably be a bit too relaxed for us, but the kids are happy and those that have "come out the other end" have gone on to good universities.

Angeliz - have you thought about The Minster School?. It only goes up to 13 but I looked round there too. A lot of children go from there to Bootham and St Peters even though Bootham and St Peters have their own Prep and Pre-prep schools too.

I very much liked the atmosphere there but the music and choir did dominate slightly and if your DCs are not very musical (as our DSs are not) then I thought it might be a bit too much. It is also a smallish school with rather constrained facilities but then again facilities are not everything. The teachers were great that I met. I am sure if you gave them a ring and said you were coming to York they could do you an informal tour at short notice - which is what I did.

On the league table rankng of St Peters, Bootham and The Mount School (a sister girls school aligned to Bootham) the Sunday Times (which are new out today) ranks them as follows on 'Average Points per A Level Entry'.

St Peters 253.4
The Mount 245.6
Bootham 237.5

From the table I have seen in the link it seems St Peters gets a slightly higher grade at A level than any other private or state school in the York area.

Yes i've ordered a prospectus from there too.
My eldest is 9, (Year 4). If we move this September (which will be a push) the reason St.Peters appeals is that she won't have to move twice in 3 years. IYSWIM.
However, if it does feel a bit strict then we'll see.
We walked past the Minster and it looks lovely.
My youngest are 4 and 5 so they would probably fit in anywhere, wether or not they're musical remains to be seen, they certainly make enough noise at home!
I suppose top of my list would be, small friendly, caring atmosphere.
Is the Minster not a nightmare to get to though if we're not close?
Regarding league tables, i was just looking at GCSE results. I think the feel of the school would be the decider for me though.

Yes the feel of the school is key for us too.

The league table position and facilities matter only that we think that a school should be in the top 500 nationally in league tables and it should have a swimming pool and classroms in a decent state of repair. Extra curricular activities and the ethos of the place matter a lot more.

The Bootham Prep was very small and friendly in a new site. Our boys spent a happy day there. We worried about moving the boys after 3 years at a school but actually they did settle quite well when we did eventually move to another school in another city entirely.

I also agree about the traffic and actually transporting DCs to school. Traffic in York can be an utter nightmare. We were determined to live right in the middle so we could walk or very short bus ride as neither me or DW drive.

Good luck with your search for a house/school. I am sure you will be very happy in York.

Fulford school looks great too.
To have a chnace though we'd then be restricted on where we live wouldn't we?