Best schools South Lakes

[RubyTuesday25]

Hi there,

I am making a move to the area around Grange-Over-Sands in the summer. My son will be entering year six in September and not being from the area would like to know of primary schools and secondary schools in the area that other mums would recommend. I live in South Manchester currently and was making preparations for him to go to Altrincham grammar but an offer to move to the lakes has been made that we can't turn down. So now need to find a suitable primary and secondary school for him. Any advice would be much appreciated.
Thank you

Hi there

Probably best to think of which secondary you fancy and then choose a primary which fits with that.

Queen Katherine in Kendal and Queen Elizabeth in Kirkby Lonsdale are both good comprehensives - good results and outstanding OFSTEDs etc.

The Boys Grammar in Lancaster is the best (in the sense of most academic, at least) state school for boys in the area, with stellar results and all sorts of activities - but living in Grange you'd be out of catchment (which is Lancashire, basically) and further north than the school's "residual area" from which it draws day boys (that area ends at around Levens on the A6). You only get a place from the residual area if there are any left once the in catchment places have been taken, so no guarantees even if you pass the exam. If you moved to, say, Silverdale rather than Grange, you would be in catchment for the Grammar school.

You can board at the grammar school which puts you in a separate intake category but you might not want that for your son.

Dallam , if you're close enough.

It's a rural area so it pretty much depends on where you decide to live as to which schools go to go to. I personally wouldn't opt live in Grange itself with a pre-teen. It's a bit of a retirement town. Kendal or Milnthorpe might have a bit more going on and better transport links!

If you are visiting Grange though in the run up to moving make a trip to Higginsons the butchers.

Grange is where the elephants go to die.

Oh dear , I've killed the thread and possibly the OP's planned move. Sorry.

Grange is lovely. Better climate than the Lakes milder and less rain. So are some of the villages nearby and by the way it is in Cumbria. Can't help you with schools in that area I'm afraid.