Woking, Guildford or Reigate? Moving to Surrey with 2yr old - can anyone recommend best area for all-round schools...?

[Doryzurich]

Apologies for throwing a needle in a haystack, but my DH and I are moving to Surrey from abroad with our 2yr old and 11yr old. Hoping to get 11yr old into private boarding school so that he can settle down in one place for the next 6 years and we're not under time pressure to decide on area to live as he needs to start this September.

So my energy is now turning to the 2yr old. I know there are a gazillion web sites I could trawl through, but can anyone give me a heads up on the areas that are well-known for their good state primaries or pre-prep schools? Ideally (although might be a step too far) leading onto great grammar or secondary schools.

Any advice, gratefully received as not sure where to start my search. Both of us also need to commute into the City (Ldn Waterloo or Bridge).

Have visited Halstead. St Dunstans open day is in June - so will visit then.

Liked Halstead.

Just read about being catholic. Ahhhh. well now that puts a different spin on things. I think most people would recognise that the catholic schools in surrey are fantastic, alot better than alot of other primaries and secondaries.
We are very happy with ds1 in his school.

sorry, was getting confused between hf and OP.

Yes, HF is sorted, OP has lots of choices to make

Don't rule out Reigate. Can't comment on Woking but what is so popular with Reigate is that there are some lovely residential roads within a few minutes walk of the station. You have a choice of recently built town house or flats, Victorian semi's or terraces, 1920's semi's or detached with drives right up to the large million pound plus mature houses. From all these roads the children usually get places at the outstanding nursery then infant , junior ,secondary and sixth form. If you are able to catch one of the selected rush hour direct train to London Bridge you have no need to drive. There are scores that choose to do this every day and this also help foster a community feeling. You often find the people you sit next to on the train every day are at the school functions you attend.

Well - quick update here - have sent applications off to Royal Alexander and Albert School and Caterham (Reigate'ish), and King Edward's and RVS Ascot (woking'ish) - and depending where my ES gets in will decide approximate area for us to look for a house. Then once we know that, we'll narrow it down to village/catchment area for my 2yr old to go to primary. THEN I need to get a move on to get him into a nursery (watch out for my next post asking about nurseries)!! My hat - too much to think about right now and need to take each step at a time.

Thank you all so much for your advice - as soon as I know the area I'll refer back to this thread for info about primaries, etc and hopefully find a decent house for the family. Have a feeling that it's not all going to come together before September......but at least I feel better armed then I did last week!!

Oh cr*p - forgot to ask crucial question. If my DS is 2yrs this April, when do I need to register him for primary school - a) if it's State, b) for a pre-prep? Not sure of UK system!

You can't yet for state but could for a private school. tbh you won't be able to apply for a state schools until you are in situ. I assume you've checked Caterham have spaces to fill as their application process has already closed for this year's Year 7 entry.

If it's state, you will need to register your first, second and third choices with the LEA by the January before the September he is due to start. (He starts in the Academic year he will turn 5). They usually open for submissions around the October of the previous year. You find out which school you've been allocated in the April.

For pre-pre, the earlier the better! Most take them from nursery (age 3) although my DS got a place from Reception (age 4/5) but was on a waiting list first as there were no spaces.

Good luck!

For the state system you cannot apply until you have exchanged contracts on a house purchase or signed a tenancy agreement for the address you will be. Makes moving tricky. Secondary places were assigned very recently so if you are looking for a year 7 place for September it will be hard.

This might be a stupid question (apologies) - but if my youngest is 2.5yr when we get to UK where would he go (assuming I'm not working)? Local nursery? Not sure what age they take kids from for local nursery or pre-prep....

Currently waiting for DH to get back from UK trip with update of timings for the move... going down quite nicely at the moment...

Sorry to hijack this thread but it's the right area!

Does anyone know anything (good or bad) about St. Andrews Prep in Woking (well, Horsell)?

2-4yr olds are usually in a nursery (full time or parttime) or sessional preschool. The term after they turn 3 (Summer 2012 in your ds2's case)you can claim funding for up to 16 hours per week from the Local Authority during school term time. Some are attached to state primary schools, in Surestart Childrens' Centres, privately run in church halls or similar, part of a prep shcool or within a daycare setting. Apart from school-based Preschools which have a cnetralised application procedure as for schools, you'd have to contact the others individually to enquire about vacancies. Many childminders also qualify for funded places.

Should add that preschool is not compulsory, nor will attendance at a particular state one give you an advanatge to getting a place at the attached school. Full time education only becomes compulsory the term after the child turns 5 so he doesn't actually have to go until 2013/14.

Check out Pyrford/West Byfleet - very easy commute for London (next stop 'in' from Woking, and much easier and cheaper car parking). Pyrford Primary is very good, and lots of nice nurseries in the area too. Lovely place to live, lots of countryside all around. Highly recommended!

I have a son at King Edwards in Witley and happy to help with any questions you might have if you are interested

Hi Peri999 - I've PM'd you as need some background on King Edward's. Have an offer from Caterham and KES and need to decide by Friday! Please get back to me if you have the chance. Many, many thanks.

Another vote for RAA. DC2 goes there and is doing brilliantly. DC1 and 2 had previously gone to an excellent prep school then after a few years abroad DC2 went to RAA and DC1 went to an independant boarding school which costs over double what RAA charges and in my opinion RAA is the far better school. We are even considering moving closer to the school in the hope that DC3 and 4 can go there as day/flexi boarders in a few years time.

Aaaahh - Mumoverseas - wish you'd sent this last week! We rather short-sightedly only looked seriously at Caterham and KES...especially as it looks like DS1 is now going to go to Caterham and so we'll be settling in Reigate area. RAA now looks like a good option for DS2 (although in a few years time). Out of interest, can I ask which prep school your DC1 and DC2 went to...? Also, any idea how close you need to live to get into RAA?

DC1 and 2 went to Copthorne Prep school. DC1 now goes to Hurstpierpoint but we want DC3 and 4 to go to RAA. My understanding is that to be a day (changing to flexi) boarder this September you have to live VERY close, around 1 mile I think. They measure from the flagpole apparently. Our UK home is just outside Crawley and we are considering moving nearer to try to stand a better chance of getting DC3 and 4 in.
Saw some lovely houses at Netherne on the Hill but suspect even they may be further away than we need to be.

I think I'm right in saying that previously it was free for day pupils, hence so many people applying but I think that changes in September so there is (a somewhat small compared to other fee paying schools) charge for day/flexi pupils from September. From a selfish point of view this may put some off so we may stand a better chance of getting DC in there.

I think it is a lovely school and DD has flourished since she has been there.

A friend had a conversation with head of RAA regarding location and application to day board last year. He confirmed that you need to live within a mile which limits you to the very north east side of Reigate, small area of Redhill or Merstham. Living in one of these areas probably put you outside the catchment for Holmesdale infants and possibly Priory juniors.

Quick question for Kandinsky or any Reigate mum - I was watching a scary story on Sky the other day about a mum who lived within 300m of 3 primary schools and her daughter didn't get offered a place to any of them. Is there a similar over demand in Reigate for primary school places or was she just really unlucky?....if we were looking to move into Reigate with a view of getting DS2 into Holmesdale, and targeted living within, say, 1/2 mile of school is there a big risk that he still wouldn't get in? Do you have any inside info you can share with me? (N.B. He would need a nursery place first, followed by primary....).

I know a year or so ago to get into Holmesdale you needed to be inside half a mile.

The road where Holmesdale school is, is filled with very large detatched houses which possibly spreads the catchment wider. I have not yet heard on the grapevine what the allocation of places has been this year but it is certainly no where near as bad as the 300m scenario you heard about. Entrance to the nursery is restricted as there are so few places but the infant school takes 3 classes and has twice taken 4 (it can only have one 4 class intake at the school at a time.) To be in the catchment for both Holmesdale and RAA is going to be tricky - not impossible as I know someone who has done just that.

Forgot to mention that Reigate Priory school is rated as an outstanding junior school ( yrs 3 to 6) and takes children from a wide area as it is so large.