School in Guildford, Surrey, UK

[Nueva]

Hi dear mums,
I am moving from Glasgow to Guildford. Please advise me on good state primary schools in GU1 or GU4. Please also advise me on good, reliable and less priced moving companies that packs and moves my flat from Glasgow to Guildford. I am a single mum. Thanks.

How old is your child/are your children?
Most infant/junior schools in Guildford are over subscribed, especially the 'best' ones so if you have children of school age already it will be a case of calling the LEA to find out where there are school places and planning your move accordingly

If your kids are not yet school age but you will be applying for reception next year then that's slightly different - you will need to make sure you move vey close to the school you want in most cases (bearing in mind some also have other criteria, eg church attendance for church schools)

The majority of schools in the area are pretty good - it may come down more to your preference eg re size, wrap around care, church vs not
Let us know a bit more about what you are looking for and I'm sure people will be able to help

Re moving companies, suggest you look for Glasgow based one to bring you down, likely to be cheaper that way I would have thought

Good luck with the move ????

I would think that in Guildford, if you already have an address, you will not have any choice over schools. It will just be the nearest (maybe not that near!) one with space.

If you don't have an address yet agree with PP that you will need to move very close to your choice.

I believe Pewley Down is well thought of.

Hi,
My girl is 4 years old. My plan is move there on November, hoping she will go to half year is possible to the reception before year 1. I am OK with a catholic school or just normal school. I have been told that Boxgrove is excellent, as well as St. Thomas of C., bit it seems to me that the second one (St. Thomas is private). Any idea?
Scary if the schools are over subscribed.
Thanks a lot and do please advise more.

Boxgrove is supposed to be very good. St Thomas' is not private and may be easier to get into if you are Catholic.

Realistically an 'in year' application to any of the popular Guildford schools for Reception is going to be a long shot. I would phone the LEA next month and see where there are spaces before you commit to a house.

A 2 bed flat within half a mile of either of those schools is going to be £1200pcm- ouch

St Thomas v good but you will need to be practising Catholic to get a place as very over subscribed
Boxgrove also excellent reputation but big - which is fine as long as you are happy with that

Merrow Infants also good, as is Stoughton - but both also equally hard to get into as over subscribed. Merrow took bulge class for this Sept but I believe has a longish waiting list regardless of taking 90 rather than the usual 60.

If I have understood you want to move in November and put her in reception then - suspect you are very unlikely to get a place immediately at any of those schools. You would need to move very close by and go on waiting list - no guarantee although with Boxgrove being big there may be some movement there...

Am sure you know this but England not like Scotland - you are not guaranteed a place at a nearby school here. When you have a local address here you make an application and the local authority will allocate you a school - you can express a preference but if no spaces at your preferred school (very likely if you want Boxgrove/St Thomas/Merrow etc) you will get allocated the nearest school with a place... Could be a few miles away (they have to provide free transport if it's more than 2 miles I believe)

Agree your best bet is to call up mid Sept and find out what is available in terms of school places before you commit to a rental property here (assume you will rent first not buy - my twins start reception in Sept and I know when allocations came out there were no spaces at any of the schools mentioned above....it does change as term starts (people move, or go private or whatever) but as there will be waiting lists you will need to be able to move quickly and be close to your preferred school to get to top of the list

Good luck!

Hello, have you posted this on our Local Talk board as well?

local.mumsnet.com/Talk/local_surrey

Local Editor

Burpham and HTPD also well thought of.

It is quite a transient area so you might get lucky but as other posters have mentioned bit of a bulge at the moment.

Thanks a lot. I'll phone all and hope I can some answers.
I am very worried about finding a nursery or reception from November 2015 until May-June 2016 before her year 1 (P1).
Thanks about the St. Thomas of Canterbury school, I am catholic but not that very strong catholic, I was brought as Catholic, however, I go to a Scottish church here since it's closed to my place.
Any other suggestions or help to get my girl of 4 into any nursery or reception? I got some 5 days founding in her nursery in Glasgow, and her nursery is brilliant, it's private but with partnership with the council, so it's possible to apply for funding. Not sure if such things exists in England. Please advise me on that.
Thanks again
Love,

Thanks a lot. I'll phone all and hope I can some answers.
I am very worried about finding a nursery or reception from November 2015 until May-June 2016 before her year 1 (P1).
Thanks about the St. Thomas of Canterbury school, I am catholic but not that very strong catholic, I was brought as Catholic, however, I go to a Scottish church here since it's closed to my place.
Any other suggestions or help to get my girl of 4 into any nursery or reception? I got some 5 days founding in her nursery in Glasgow, and her nursery is brilliant, it's private but with partnership with the council, so it's possible to apply for funding. Not sure if such things exists in England. Please advise me on that.
Thanks again
Love,

Hi there,

Phone the LA (Surrey County Council) and not the schools first. LA will keep waiting lists for some schools and will be able to tell you which schools operate their own waiting lists. LA should also be able to tell you which schools they could offer you if you were applying now

Depending on when DD's birthday is, you will need to get her into reception and do not really have the option of nursery.

We have a different system here in England vs Scotland. Legally she must be in school in the term after she turns 5 yrs old (unless you choose to home educate that is). So if she turns 5 before Jan 2016 she needs to be in school from Jan onwards, if 5 between Jan and March then in school after Easter. If she is not 5 until after Easter she does not need to be in school legally this academic year but she will then go into Year 1 in Sept 2017 and miss out reception entirely.

You can defer a school place (once you have been offered one) until the term after she turns 5, or you could wait on various school waiting lists until the term after she turns 5 if you want to.
In the meantime you may find a pre school or nursery where she can go until she starts school but bear in mind she will be the oldest there as the vast majority of kids her age will be in school (this isn't necessarily an issue if it's just for a short while but may be more of one if it ends up being the whole school year). You will be entitled to 15 hours of free nursery during term time only. The rest you will need to pay for yourself. Check details with individual nurseries/pre schools as some have different ways of splitting the 15 hrs (eg pre schools will typically do 9-12 or 12-3pm 5 days a week whereas private nurseries may offer 2 full days for example)

You will be offered a school place - the council is legally obliged to find you one, so don't worry about there not being a place in reception at all. The issue is just whether it is at your preferred school. You need to apply as soon as you have an address down here and then see what you are offered. You can then decide what to do. When offered a place you will be expected to take it up pretty much immediately so there is little point being offered one until you are already here, or on the verge of moving. In the meantime you can of course ask the LA which schools currently have vacancies in reception but this will change on an almost daily basis, especially at the beginning of term...

Schools go back this week here - many have INSET days today/tomorrow then open Thurs/Fri for the children. Suggest you call Surrey County Council ASAP and ask their advice on this, get a sense of which schools have spaces at the moment and we can then offer thoughts on which might be best for you :-)

Good luck!

Thanks a lot. I will manage to sleep tonight. My DD is 4 and her b-day is at the end of February, so she will be OK to be in year 1 in 2016. Hope I will a reception in the same school.
Thanks again. I'll phone and let you know. I rang to St Thomas of Canterbury but the machine said they will open until 3rd Sept.
Love,

How are you getting on nueva? Schools all back now so hopefully you have got some more clarity?
Hope so
x

Hello,
Thanks for asking. I have checked the surreycc web and I can apply right now for schools. However, I have to write up to 4 schools that I decide; so far I know I'd love to have my DD of 4.1/2 yo at St. Thomas of Canterbury school, which is a catholic one, my preference. My second option is Boxgrove Primary school. The 3rd option could be Sandfields Primary School. I don't have the 4 option, I have checked and I found 2 possible school near by an area I like; Guildford High School, Tormead school, and Lanes-borough School. Could you please advise on these schools, hope there are as good as St Thomas or Boxgrove.

The good and scary news is that I can apply from September 1st 2015 without an address, a bit late by now. Then, if they can offer a place on my preference, they will let me know and then I need to move there. It seems very strange way of assessing it. I am a bit nervous about it.

The web is: www.surreycc.gov.uk/schools-and-learning/schools/school-admissions/apply-for-a-school-place

Hope I understood right. It is a bit hard to get perfectly right, due to my English.

I'll follow the step by step as they have it on the web, and do please keep me advise on what best to do and choose.

Many thanks for all your help and support, I do feel like that Guildford is a lovely place to live.

xxx

Hello,
Thanks for asking. I have checked the surreycc web and I can apply right now for schools. However, I have to write up to 4 schools that I decide; so far I know I'd love to have my DD of 4.1/2 yo at St. Thomas of Canterbury school, which is a catholic one, my preference. My second option is Boxgrove Primary school. The 3rd option could be Sandfields Primary School. I don't have the 4 option, I have checked and I found 2 possible school near by an area I like; Guildford High School, Tormead school, and Lanes-borough School. Could you please advise on these schools, hope there are as good as St Thomas or Boxgrove.

The good and scary news is that I can apply from September 1st 2015 without an address, a bit late by now. Then, if they can offer a place on my preference, they will let me know and then I need to move there. It seems very strange way of assessing it. I am a bit nervous about it.

The web is: www.surreycc.gov.uk/schools-and-learning/schools/school-admissions/apply-for-a-school-place

Hope I understood right. It is a bit hard to get perfectly right, due to my English.

I'll follow the step by step as they have it on the web, and do please keep me advise on what best to do and choose.

Many thanks for all your help and support, I do feel like that Guildford is a lovely place to live.

xxx

Hello,
Thanks for asking. I have checked the surreycc web and I can apply right now for schools. However, I have to write up to 4 schools that I decide; so far I know I'd love to have my DD of 4.1/2 yo at St. Thomas of Canterbury school, which is a catholic one, my preference. My second option is Boxgrove Primary school. The 3rd option could be Sandfields Primary School. I don't have the 4 option, I have checked and I found 2 possible school near by an area I like; Guildford High School, Tormead school, and Lanes-borough School. Could you please advise on these schools, hope there are as good as St Thomas or Boxgrove.

The good and scary news is that I can apply from September 1st 2015 without an address, a bit late by now. Then, if they can offer a place on my preference, they will let me know and then I need to move there. It seems very strange way of assessing it. I am a bit nervous about it.

The web is: www.surreycc.gov.uk/schools-and-learning/schools/school-admissions/apply-for-a-school-place

Hope I understood right. It is a bit hard to get perfectly right, due to my English.

I'll follow the step by step as they have it on the web, and do please keep me advise on what best to do and choose.

Many thanks for all your help and support, I do feel like that Guildford is a lovely place to live.

xxx

Hello,
Thanks for asking. I have checked the surreycc web and I can apply right now for schools. However, I have to write up to 4 schools that I decide; so far I know I'd love to have my DD of 4.1/2 yo at St. Thomas of Canterbury school, which is a catholic one, my preference. My second option is Boxgrove Primary school. The 3rd option could be Sandfields Primary School. I don't have the 4 option, I have checked and I found 2 possible school near by an area I like; Guildford High School, Tormead school, and Lanes-borough School. Could you please advise on these schools, hope there are as good as St Thomas or Boxgrove.

The good and scary news is that I can apply from September 1st 2015 without an address, a bit late by now. Then, if they can offer a place on my preference, they will let me know and then I need to move there. It seems very strange way of assessing it. I am a bit nervous about it.

The web is: www.surreycc.gov.uk/schools-and-learning/schools/school-admissions/apply-for-a-school-place

Hope I understood right. It is a bit hard to get perfectly right, due to my English.

I'll follow the step by step as they have it on the web, and do please keep me advise on what best to do and choose.

Many thanks for all your help and support, I do feel like that Guildford is a lovely place to live.

xxx

Ghs, Tormead and Lanesborough are all private fee-paying schools, not Surrey CC. The first two girls only, Lanesborough for boys only! You'd need to speak direct to their admissions secretary but unlikely to have places available now so you'd have to go on a waiting list and your dd pass a selective assessment should anyone leave and she reach top of the list.

Guildford High- all girls, selective independent.
Tormead- all girls, less selective independent.
Lanesborough- all boys (!), selective independent.

You can't apply for any of these through the LEA.

hi there,
as others have said, High School, Tormead and Lanesborough are private/fee paying schools so not an option.
roughly in the area you are looking, I would also consider Merrow Infants, Burpham Primary and Pewley Down/Holy Trinity. You could also look at Worplesdon and Onslow Village

however, the issue is whether there are places at any of these schools. have you phoned Surrey admissions team to ask where there are currently places?

by all means submit the form with your 4 preferences but all that will happen if those 4 schools are full for reception this year, is that they will allocate you a school with a place. by calling and asking where there are places if there are places in more than one school you can make sure you put your preferred one of those on your list rather than just being allocated something

I really would try to speak to someone rather than just looking at the website - and if you have already spoken to someone, I'd call back and ask them to tell you which schools in the area have spaces to start now..

it may also be worth calling the schools, especially St Thomas as your first preference, to ask them directly what the situation is

you will of course need to do the forms/paperwork before you move, but I would try to speak to someone in person first to see what places there are - this may change how you fill in the form and your order of preferences

let us know how you get on,
x

I think you have yourself confused I'm afraid. The page you linked to is not for your situation; it is for people applying for a reception place for sept 16. You need one now. You need to call the LEA and talk to them about what is available, which is likely to be a school not on your list, and getting on waiting lists for schools you would prefer. There is no other way to get an in year place. Don't fill the online form in, ring them.

Agree you need to refer to www.surreycc.gov.uk/schools-and-learning/schools/school-admissions/in-year-admissions/how-to-apply-for-an-in-year-school-place .

It's not terribly clear from your posts how regularly you attend church but you do need to read the admissions criteria for St Thomas of Canterbury as it is an oversubscribed Catholic school and you may need evidence of more than just baptism in order to get a place for your DD, if there are any places available.

Also it depends exactly where you live. For example you mentioned GU4 - that is Shalford - Chilworth area, there are good schools in this area, but not the ones you mentioned (Chilworth and Shere Infants for example). If you are living in the Merrow area, and can't get into Boxgrove, St Thomas's or Merrow Infants, then you could try Clandon which is slightly more likely to have places. If you are living closer to town, you want to look at Pewley and Sandfield (and possible St Nicholas infants).

Reception is not like Nursery, it is the first year of school. You can defer once you have been offered a place, but all other children will have started, and you do not have an extra chance to apply as a general intake for year 1. Anyone applying for year 1 would be an in year applicant and only given a place if there was a vacancy or someone moved.

Schools in this area are very full.

If you get offered Guildford Grove, although its on the other side of Guildford, and in a less desirable area, I'd take it as it's a very good school.

Nueva - have you called the admissions team at Surrey? That really needs to be your first step. Once you know from them which schools have places (they will also be able to tell you which schools manage their own lists as you will need to contact them directly to see if they have spaces - the Surrey team may not have complete visibility of all schools now that term has started) then those of us who are local may be able to offer you some advice on which school with places might be the best option for your DD
You can still go on waiting list for your preferred schools but your top priority is to find out where there are immediate places available
Hope you get this sorted soon
x

Dear All,

Thanks for all you kindness. Yes, I was confused with all English system. I called the SurreyCC and all schools. My DD should be in the Reception this year. There are places available right now at Merrow Infant Schools. Please advise me on this school, staff were very friendly and extremely helpful. Reviews are good from 2011.

I have to fill the forms for all other schools: St Thomas, Boxgrove, Burham, Pewley Down; to be in the waiting list. Sandfield is the only one I don't know if places are available or go to the waiting list, still waiting for a call back from them.

So far, I am happy I found a place in Merrow school, and she can be in a proper academic education establishment from 3rd November, which is after the mid-term break.

By law, she must be at least in the Reception year by Easter 2016, for this the Surrey CC will find a school. However, I don't think is a good idea to miss almost the full academic year. That's why I decide to apply for the Merrow school, and I'll do it through the Surrey CC.

It was funny that I have to find an immediate place in any school myself, all the schools said to me that SurreyCC should let me know; but they told me to call the schools. Never mind, the homework is done. The SurreyCC explained to me all processes and give me the right information about the education system, so very happy and pleased with them, 30 min over the phone with all details; I cannot be more grateful.

Please dear let know what you think about Merrow Infant school, at least to is from C of E, not bad for a catholic mum. However, I can put religion on a side or under the table if there are other great reasons to be chosen.

Thanks again,
Have a lovely weekend