Moving to Greater Manchester

[Eabhak]

Hi Everyone
We are moving to the Greater Manchester area next year as my hubby's changed jobs last year and has been commuting back to Ireland every weekend so we have now decided to make the move as he can't commute forever. I have been reading up on some of the threads so far regarding good schools which will be the most important factor for our 10 year old as she will be a bit anxious about going to a new school. We like the sound of Urmston & Stretford area and have looked up the Ofsed reports on schools in the area which are very good, but I wanted to ask some of the Mums who have made similar transitions how did you register for schools without having an address in the area, or did you wait until you moved before you registered?
Thanks again for listening I'm just a little stressed to get a good school

You need to understand English admissions first. You need to speak to the LA and generally need an address first.

Hi
Thanks for the reply I have read about the admissions procedures however I was just wondering how other people that had previously posted managed to inquire about schools without an address as they too where inquiring about particular areas to rent.

Sorry just re read my post and it doesn't make sense, I was just concerned that I pick the area that we like based on the school suitable for my daughter and the we don't get a school place, I'll keep researching....

Phone Trafford admissions and ask where there are spaces and go from there. At age 10 you may as well look at what high schools you fancy and if your DD would want grammar school - if so check exam dates

That's great thanks Itsahen, I will phone as will need to look at year equivalents between UK and Ireland, at the mo she is in 4th class here as kids start school later here aged 4-5 they usually go to post primary aged 12, and my daughter was a little later than most and missed lots of school due to dx of leukaemia when she was 4 too so just want to make sure she is matched well and doesn't fall any further behind
Thanks again

Yes DC here move up earlier and Trafford is very competitive for grammar schools with lots having extra tutoring to get into very selective schools. You may decide not to pursue that route and look at a more broad high school. You need to consider if you want RC schools also - may or may not be important to you

Yes it will more likely we will do the RC route as that's the system we are used to here, so probably better option
Thanks again

If she is already 10, she will go into Year 6 if you move here in 2016, (before September). That is, I presume - unless you want her to drop a year, that is the school year for everyone born between Sept 1 2004 and Aug 31 2005. I only know that as I have a daughter the same age!

Year 6 is the last year of primary school here.

IN September 2016, she will start at high school (Year 7). You will have missed the deadlines for registration for the grammar school entrance exams which take place this month (September) to determine which schools children go in Sept 2016.

You therefore need to consider which secondary modern schools you like - in Urmston it would be Flixton Girls School, in Stretford it would be Lostock I think.

You can (as far as I know) still register for Urmston Grammar School or Stretford Grammar school but you will need to research how you go about that as you'll have missed the entrance exams.

Hi thanks mandy214 for the advice, I have since contacted Trafford Council and a number of schools that have all barre one stated that she would go into year 7 so we are looking at secondary schools and we have searched the Altrincham area too. Its fine about missing the grammer exams deadline as my daughter has learning needs so that's my priority is to make sure your needs are met. We like Sale and Hale area, is there any secondary schools that have a bad rap in any of the areas.
Thanks again for all your help its very daunting moving to a different country particular when your not familiar with the system

I don't think Sale High has a great reputation, but I don't know any children /parents who go - that is just kind of word of mouth. I think in Sale you can be in catchment for Ashton on Mersey High School which has a better reputation (but again, don't know anyone with children there). So I might be completely wrong.

In Hale / Altrincham area, you have Wellington School (actually in Timperley but the high school that many children in Hale / Altrincham attend - has a very good reputation), Altrincham College of Arts (again, just into Timperley - has a reputation for being slightly less academic than Wellington but has had an awful lot of money spent on it in recent years and is doing very well). Then you have North Cestrian - this used to be a private mixed grammar school (although it was never really a grammar school) and has just become a free school. This might be worth a look as it is quite strong on the pastoral side, is well known for being supportive for children with additional needs (particularly dyslexia etc). There is BTH (Blessed Thomas Holford - I think) which is in Altrincham - this is a mixed catholic high school so depends whether you'd want this / meet the entrance criteria.

You just need to do your homework on catchment areas - North Cestrian's catchment is WA14 and WA15 for instance, Wellington's depends on the demographic of each particular year but says it usually only goes out as far as 1.2/1.3 miles from the front of the school. Is it possible for you to visit the schools? You will definitely get a feel for them if you can arrange that.

Mandy214 thank you so much for all your information, I had read on another forum that Altrincham College of Arts had issues with behavioural problems with students, so it is great to get any advice, we will be visiting the schools in the new year

In Urmston there is also Saint Anthony's Catholic School.

I have heard the same generally about Sale High, only anecdotal but a colleague living in Sale, near Sale High, was planning to move to Ashton on Mersey so her DC's would have a chance of getting into Ashton on Mersey High School instead.