Primary schools Egham/Englefield Green

[Mumz16]

We are considering a move from SE London to the Egham/Englefield Green area, as DH has just been offered a job in the Maidenhead area and I already have some work in Chertsey, Addlestone and Hounslow. However timing is not great, as our son is due to start school in September and has got a place at a really fabulous school where we currently live. Can anyone give me any inside info on the local primary schools. Some are 'good' according to Ofsted, yet are undersubscribed. Is there a reason for this? I was also concerned to see that at many of the schools, the children apparently start school at 'below the average level expected for their age'. Why is this? Is it a really awful area or do all the bright kids in the area just end up going to private schools like St. George's? if anyone could give be me some local insight, that would be great, of even suggestions of other areas we could consider living! TIA

Do you have to move?

Yes, we're in SE London at the mo

Have you been to look at any of the schools? Which ones have you been looking at?

What sort of commute times are you aiming for and who is going to do the school runs ie do you need a nanny/childminder/after school club too?

My husband's job offer came right at the end of term, so wasn't possible to go and look at any before the holidays, which is very annoying. In terms of commute times, we won't be too fussy, as we're both doing a lot ridiculous journeys at the moment. My husband often has to do the Blackwall tunnel in rush hour so his journey home can take two hours on a bad day! I'd say ideally half an hour but anything under an hour would be better than at the moment. We do need to be on a train line into London, as I often have to go there as well.

We'd need a before and after school club some days, but not every day.

Mumz16 have you looked at Windsor/Maidenhead as a location? The travel time between Maidenhead/Egham can be in excess of 50 minutes which isn't ideal for school drop offs/pick ups, the other benefit is access to Windsor schools which have a better choice at secondary level. Feel free to pm me of you have any specific questions!

How about Woking area - there is a fast train into London and it is easy to get to Chertsey/Addlestone and Hounslow from there. I know someone who commutes to Reading every day from Woking so it can't be too bad.

It would nearly always be me doing the school run and my regular work is in Chertsey/Addlestone/Isleworth & I can adjust start times if necessary. My husband would only need to be doing school run on the odd occasion when I'm doing work in London or further afield, but a lot of that is at the weekends anyway.

We are also considering Maidenhead, but schools seem quite mixed and we just don't know anyone there or even near there. I have a lot of family in Woking and old school friends in Surrey, so I'd rather be in Surrey. My mum has suggested maybe West End in Woking would work.

I would start with the secondary school and then work down to primary schools. West End - you are looking at Gordon's which is very difficult to get into. The majority of students board so there aren't many spaces for local day pupils. Plus, having looked around it recently, I would say it is the sort of school that would either really suit a child or not. It certainly wouldn't suit my DD but I think my DS would like it there.

There are lots of good infant/primary options in E.G./Egham but no so much so secondary but that is some way off for you. I am surprised schools have told you that children are coming to them below an expected standard but I'm assuming this is more of a reflection on the pre school setting.

Magna Carta secondary in Egham is a great secondary school - I've worked with staff from there and I've been very impressed.

The primary schools in Egham are all fine, regardless of their Ofsted rating. Egham parents show that they are caring by sending their children to primary schools that involve a lot of planning, so,don't worry that someone rejects the school on their doorstep.

The main independent school is Bishopsgate, which is fantastic. Not many will go as far as Weybridge for St George's, especially with offerings in Windsor a bit closer.

The main problem in Egham is the lack of a decent senior school.