junior school in cobham area.

[minunapoli]

We moved to cobham recently, my kids still in west byfleet junior school, i'm looking in moving my DS in year 5 in september and just can't decide, where. I have just been in St Andrews this morning, and it was a lovely school all way around really. Just concerned that none of the past year 6 went on private education, so my son will not go up with any of his friends.:(
Any experience out there please? I guess the school is in a council estate, so local kids can't really afford private education.
don't mean to be snobby!! i really liked the school but again i would like some of my son's friends to move with him in the same school, possibly.
thanks everyone, in advance.

What secondary are you looking at? Why don't you send him to a prep that has a large number going to where you're aiming for rather than a state where most kids will stay state?

thanks twitchy, i have read a lots that is very common in this area to go to state prep. as they are good and then move the kids in private education from secondary.
i'm not too sure yet, we are looking possibly at claremont fan court for my ds to go in year 5 and my dd would start year 7 in september, though it would be nice for them to be in the same school her name is down at st. teresa in effingham as well. the other school we are considering is reeds for ds.
so confused on co-ed or single school for them, so difficult, just want the best for them!!

I live in the area. I think it's more common to move from state to private in year 3, to be honest. I only know of a tiny handful of children that have changed sector after year 6.

If you want to have a big peer group moving up to the same school, I think you need to look at private prep schools. There are so many good state secondaries around that most of year 6 at any state primary will be staying in the state system.

thank you, so as a friend of mine said is a waste of money to invest in private education around here considering a state is pretty good.

I guess it depends what you want from a school and whether you feel you can only get that from an independent. We've gone for state (in Leatherhead) and are very happy with that decision. We don't see enough advantage in the private options to make it worth the enormous investment.

In your position, I'd be taking advantage of the fact that a lot of schools have open days around now (state and private) and getting along to them. That would probably help with the single sex/co-ed debate as well.