Moving to Guildford

[Anicebiggarden]

Hi - we are moving out of London to Guildford in the summer. We have two primary aged children so looking for recommendations of primary schools (towards Merrow / Burpham) and also recent experience of George Abbot school.

I am getting a bit nervous about the move so ideas for community / making friends too would be really welcome!

We made the move to Bookham near Guildford 3 years ago and haven’t looked back! Amazing schools and a top 30 secondary (above George abbot ) you may be in catchment for too .

Not sure recommendations will help if you’re looking for ‘in year’ places - it may be a case of what’s available as Guildford primaries have been over subscribed in past few years and you may not have too much choice, especially if you need places in two different years in same school. Have you contacted L.A. to ask where there are spaces in the year groups you need?

In that area you would most likely be looking at Bushy Hill, Boxgrove or Burpham Primary (unless you are Catholic and could get into St Thomas’s) - all of the above feed into GA. Bushy had a poor reputation previously but seems to be on the up now - friends with children there are happy with it and I liked the school and was impressed with the Head when I looked round (we didn’t end up there for logistical reasons).
I don’t know much about Boxgrove or Burpham but equally I haven’t heard anything negative either.

No recent personal experience of GA but again friends with kids there are happy with it and as far as I can tell it’s still very desirable although County also very well thought of (but you’d need to be on the other side of Guildford for that).

Assume Syppox is referring to Howard of Effingham which is v good but I doubt you would get in from Merrow/Burpham and it (unlike the other secondaries which have ‘nearest school’ as key admissions criteria) has named feeder schools so you would need to be in one of those ideally. We are closer to Howard than you would be in Merrow/Burpham and would not have got into Howard for the past 5 years looking at the admissions data...

Thanks both - yes I think we’d struggle with Howard of Effinghsm as would be too far away and had read about the feeder schools.

Re the local primaries - a few places around but not necessarily at the same school so just trying to work out our best approach and which school we’d prefer. Appreciate the comments the GA, that’s useful - we prefer the feel of that side of Guildford though County does seem to have great feedback & recent Ofsted too.

Thanks for taking the time to add to the thread - I appreciate it

@Anicebiggarden I know its been over a year since you've posted your original post but wanted to ask whether you made the move to Guildford and how you got on with finding primary places for your children?
We are thinking of moving from Earlsfield and I have a daughter that just started reception in September so would need 'in year' place which I know isn't easy so just wanted some advice. We would be looking at moving to the Merrow part of Guildford near St Thomas'.