Sutton or Bromley for Primary schools

[Aggieland]

Dear all, I just moved to London and am looking for state primary school options for my 6 year old daughter. I work in Canary Wharf and am flexible as far as commuting up to 1 hour distance. Could you please suggest which areas I should searching for good schools? So far I have been recommended Bromley, Sutton or Greenwich areas. Which of these is best option or is there some other areas I should be looking at? Any help is much appreciated!!!

I live in West Wickham, a part of Bromley. You have direct trains into London, around 40 minutes to Cannon Street, and they do stop in Lewisham to change to the DLR to Canary Wharf. The Charing Cross ones only stop sometimes but you can change in London Bridge if necessary.

We like the area, local high street, Bromley town center near, several state primaries with no church connection. DD currently is in Y6 of Hawes Down and we are very happy with the school.

Another decent part of Bromley is Orpington, friends currently search for a house there. You have Bromley itself with several schools, but I found a lot more a church connected so you may need to check admission rules. The trains may not stop at Lewisham though, at least not in the past when we lived there, so you would have to go via London Bridge.

as you will be an in year admission you should look at what schools have spaces as you may not have as much choice and will have to pick a school with vacancies which may be the unpopular choices.

Thank you for your responses...One more thing should I be looking at the grammar school options as a criteria for making this decision. I am told that Bromley residents can apply to Kent grammar schools.

If you're looking for Grammars Sutton has some of the best in the country for girls - nonsuch and Wallington Girls - with Tiffin Girls in Kingston also

My friend’s DD sat the 11+ for Newstead in Orpington and the one in Bexley last autumn. While she passed she didn’t get the score high enough for straight admission so it goes by distance now and she most likely will loose out.

So check carefully how the grammars are admitting children who passed the tests.

And, there are very good secondaries around with a decent proportion of children going to Oxbridge and other first rate unis, I know of several of DD’s friends who decided on comp instead of trying for grammar as they prefer the all-rounded feeling of a comp compared to the academical feeling of a grammar.

Thanks again reluctantbrit!!