Relocating to Lower Sunbury

[wedontplaywithelectrics]

Can anyone advise me about schools in Lower Sunbury please? I have three children aged 2,4 and 8 and we will be moving there in January 2015 for my husband's job. My understanding is that I will need to apply for school places before January the 15th? I've looked on Spelthorne council website and read some of the ofsted reports on the local schools. But without visiting (we're in Aberdeen currently so not an easy prospect) I don't know much about the area. Help!! Our nearest schools are Beauclerc Infants and Chennestone Primary. Are these ok schools? My daughter is quite shy and struggles in large groups whereas my son is very outgoing,a confident sporty type. Chennestone seems to be quite a large school so I'm leaning towards the Beauclerc school for her and Chennestone for my son? They seem to be close together so a feasible school run? Appreciate any thoughts!

Re schools in Sunbury....you are probably on the right track. Beauclerc is a small school infants only and feeds in to Chennestone (although you have to apply when you would want your daughter to move) ....but as it is much smaller she may get on better. I visited Chennestone and it seems nice but much bigger. I am hoping to send my daughter to St Ignatius (this is a catholic school ) which I think seems right for her....best of luck with your choices.....

Hi there and welcome to Lower Sunbury (when you get here). We moved here in May and love it (although admittedly weren't far away before!).

We have twin boys who are 4 today, so have been checking out the local schools for them for next September too. Beauclerc and Hawkedale are both infant schools - so they need to move at age 7 to one of the primary schools (although Hawkedale are applying for primary status, and it looks likely that that may happen within the next couple of years). Both are absolutely lovely. Beauclerc is slightly larger than Hawkedale as it has 1.5 classes (so mixed classes across the school) and therefore has an intake of 40 at reception. Chennestone is larger as it is a primary school so no need to change at 7. It shares a head teacher with Beauclerc and the schools are therefore run entirely similarly, so it's only the size and location. Hawkedale is a foundation school, so manages it's budget independently. The other one to consider (apart from St Ignatius, as mentioned by Nicola above) is Springfield, which is also a primary school, so larger. I haven't seen this one as yet. It had a poor Ofsted report a couple of years ago, but it seems to have really turned things around and I have heard some great things about it recently.

There is strong competition for places, I understand, as is the same everywhere around here, so you may not get your first choice, but I would be happy for my boys to go to any of these schools. Hope that helps!
Jules