A great mixed state school in London?

[Wednesday101]

We’re relocating from Manchester to London with 8 and 10 year old children. Main criteria for new house is to be near an excellent mixed state secondary school. We’re looking for an inclusive, supportive ethos with good academics as well as extracurricular activities (sport / drama)
Does anyone have any advice? We have friends north and south of the river so we are open to anywhere at the moment. South London is a slight preference.
Appreciate this is very broad but if anyone has any tips of great schools I’d love to visit some in the summer term.
Thanks all!

Loved Pratts!

Back in olden days 80s Kingsdale was as rough as houses. Having said that the friends I knew who went there at least went onto college. And not to prison.

I know! Miss it so much! When they went the area did go downhill!

I don’t know what the 70% is but only 50% get a grade 5 in maths & english which is distinctly average imo. And progress 8 scores have been negative or very low in the past few yrs.

it’s improved a lot again but lacks a decent non faith secondary. The catholic option is very good.

For drama and music outside school in South London https://jasspa.org.uk/ James Allen’s Saturday School for the Performing Arts is excellent and so is the similar school in Greenwich, and there are also National Youth Theatre courses in various different locations https://www.nyt.org.uk/our-courses

Jags isn’t state…

My mistake not Jags but their drama school…

Do you mean BTG? I’m out of touch re secondary schools state and I mostly went to private school. I agree from what friends say the area lacks a decent non faith secondary. Shocking.

If you mean Streatham has improved, it’s not bad but nowhere as good as in Pratts days. If ever I go out I rarely go there, though there’s a good Lebanese restaurant there and the Odeon isn’t bad. Nice tapas near the bus garage. That’s me though being a snobby cow! 😅

It’s improved from the bad 90s days & there is some lovely housing stock. But yes the heyday of Pratts and Waitrose was amazing. There’s nothing I would specifically travel for though, just have family there.

Yes BTG, the catholic primary is also one of the best in London or the country (according to the Times I think). My cousins went there!

There’s a Waterstones and a Gail’s now, and plenty of great cafes.

Well that’s tempted me then. Missed those. Pratts was epic, closed due to lack of warehouse space or something so I believe…. 70s, 80s, 90s Streatham was quite posh back then. Two cinemas the ABC.

Where was the Waitrose? There was a Safeway’s there.

@Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain in the 50s I believe, I think it was the first or one of. The high street was considered a premier shopping street then & pretty posh.

Pratts closed largely because Lambeth wouldn’t let them expand particularly for parking which was essential to keep up with changing shopping habits. John Lewis opened in Kingston as a result. A few of my family members protested over the closure.

The Norwood school is getting popular.
btg you have zero chance of getting into without church attending catholic parents. Not easy!

bit I think streatham is actually ok. We have Gail's and Waterstones now. We live nearer West Norwood and it is a bit better with a nice picture house and some decent cafes. Hoping for kingsdale with a sport scholarship foe my son.

btg you have zero chance of getting into without church attending catholic parents. Not easy!

The majority of Catholic schools want a certificate of practice, some are super demanding eg Oratory.

The last person I knew at Kingsdale did go to prison , but that was mid 90s!

🤣😱! Does not surprise me. 😉

The Norwood school is where friend’s children go. Journalist film dad. So it must be ok.

BTG but was in 00s my friend’s DD went there, my friend wasn’t a catholic (they didn’t allow lesbians) but her mum (grandma) was. Father was Catholic but estranged.

Fee paying ones don’t! Mine didn’t! Convent… used to be Virgo Fidelis. I was even shock horror a Protestant!

Ah yes that’s the reason for closure. Thanks for clarifying. It existed there for years with no need for parking. But parking was dire round there. Just back streets.

So Streatham’s loss was Kingston’s gain? Fun fact my mum recalls going to Bentalls in Kingston with her uncle and aunt she was staying with in Walton on Thames to buy a dinner service, in 40s/50s.