Moving to Brighton - advice on schools

[Pollyanna]

We are planning to move to Brighton very soon - I have a ds aged 6 and a dd who will be starting reception in September. We prefer to live close to the station as dh will be commuting to London - has anyone got any advice on which are the good schools (or which schools to avoid)? (I know that most schools are likely to be full up for September, but we can wait if necessary).

Also, we don't know Brighton very well - is there anything I should know about areas to avoid? I have got the Juicy Guide to Brighton. Thanks.

Takes him 15 mins by bike. There are also busses which take same time.

We are still intending to move to brighton! We have seen a house in Cissbury Road in Seven Dials which is v nice - but seems cheap for what it is. Is there something I should know about the area? (It is rented out atm so we would keep it rented out until we could find a school place - it's too stressful to coordinate the move and a school place).

pollyanna, my sil lives in preston park, her ds is 3 and the place is FULL of young families (hadn't noticed this before..x)

We saw a house in Preston Park on Friday that we really liked, but someone else has put an offer in today

I'm sure there'll be loads kicking about, don't fret

Anyone else have information on Cissbury Road area? thanks.

Cissbury Road is a really good location - Seven Dials. I think you would be Stanford not Davigdor though - but I'm sure you have had the 'boundary' maps off the LEA by now. Make sure it's not on the corner with the Old Shoreham Road - too noisy. Can't think of any other negative possibility!

Thanks redshoes - I think we would be Stanford too, but I'm not too bothered about that (we would apply for schools during the course of the next school year, so I don't know for sure what school we would be). We are also considering private schools at the moment as when I enquired about schools in May/June they were all full so we would have to wait for someone to leave. Hopefully I'll get a better idea about schools in September once the term has started.

Stanford's a good school. My kids are at private schools in bton/hove, so ask any questions you want.

MABS are your children at secondary level or primary?

I have contacted The Drive prep school, Mowden, Windlesham, St Christopher's, St Mary's and Brighton and Hove High School. I know about Brighton College and Roedean (bit pricy for us!). Are there any other private schools that I could consider (I do have a boy too).

(I should say, without wanting to get into a debate about private vs state (I've seen the other thread!), we would, at this stage, much prefer a state school, but are covering the position where we can't get a place there).

No way will I ever get into the private v state thing either! I have a ds starting Deepdene School in reception in Sept. Dd was at Deepdene but now is too old so is at St Christophers. I think you have most of the other private schools covered. I have friends with kids at most of the others you mention, so have a fair idea of their strengths/weaknesses. But would have to say that, as always, what suits one person doesn't suit another!

Oh yes, we've contacted Deepdene too. My ds has dyspraxia, so his needs are very different from his sisters', but I'll have a look around some schools once term starts and decide which one is best for him (supposing we can find any places).