Girls school recommendations in South for move back to UK

[NomadicNest]

Hi! I'm not completely sure if this is the right place to post or whether I should be in the housing category but hopefully this is ok.

We are facing a move back to the UK related to my husband's job after living overseas for all of our adult lives. I have some trauma related to living in the UK (which I am hoping to work through as much as possible) that is making me feel very apprehensive about the move back there, with our 2 daughters aged 9 and 8. We are moving from a place that I love, where we feel very settled, which is traditional, very safe, clean, convenient (a short walk to school, lots of amenities), has great weather and a very strong community around the school. I'm trying to find the best option I can for us in the UK, but I'm looking for advice because although British, the UK feels alien having never lived there as an adult.

My husband would need to be in London one day a week but the other days he could work from a regional office in Bristol, Tunbridge Wells, Gloucester, Bournemouth, Reading, Ipswich, Haverhill, Leicester (or even Manchester, Leeds or Newcastle) and even a day or two from home possibly.

I'm looking for a private school, with slight preference for girls only, which is academic and nurturing. We would love one where they could start now in prep school and continue in the same place. I'm not sure whether to consider Grammar Schools because one of our daughters has ADHD which can affect her performance and I would like both girls to go to the same school, so for now we are looking at private. I'd like a school with a high percentage of day pupils because I work from home and loneliness is a real concern for me, so I want to be sure that I can build community through the school with other parents living locally. We'd love to be able to find a house 250m sq plus with a decent sized garden close to the school but with access to a good high street with a budget of 1-1.5 (I'd like to renovate if at the lower end of budget). A great reformer pilates studio is a must for me (mental health) and a gym is a plus. Greenery locally and countryside for walks within a drive are a must. Safety and a sense of traditional community are really important to us.

We have been looking at Tunbridge Wells but not sure of good private school options for girls there, Benenden, Burgess Hill Girls, Cheltenham Ladies, Bath and Bristol, Roedean and Brighton College (possibly too intense). I liked the feel of Benenden from the website but wasn't sure if it would work with 90% of pupils being boarders. We aren't considering London.

We have to make this decision very quickly for work reasons and I'm trying to set myself up for success and a create a positive mindset around this potential move as much as possible for the sake of my family as well as myself. It would be great to be able to find a place and school to get excited about, rather than feeling fearful. Thank you so much for any advice on areas and schools, any suggestions much appreciated.

Yes that’s true - I have lots of relatives in Suffolk and some whose children have been at Culford School (3-18), Old Buckenham Hall (pre-prep and prep only), and Barnardiston Hall (pre-prep and prep only), and they have liked them all. The last two are between Haverhill and Ipswich.

Oh and Lavenham is very near there - a lovely place to live, if a bit tourist oriented. My niece is at Old Buckenham Hall in the pre-prep now and loves it (but it is in the middle of the country - you’d be doing a lot of driving! But you could get a nice village style life around there and Suffolk is very pretty.)

Yes I would go for Suffolk - around Woodbridge - and Woodbridge school. It has the school community etc and is very safe etc. The fast trains to London are from manningtree but you can commute 1 day a week from Woodbridge and drive to Ipswich.

Surrey has loads of private girls schools. I can think of four in Guildford area ranging from very academic to more nurturing and I think they all have preps. Lovely greenery especially if you live in the surrounding villages. Commute wise, London would be closest from that list.

Redmaids High School (girls) and Bristol Grammar School (mixed) (both private) worth looking at in Bristol. Stoke Bishop, Sneyd Park, Clifton, Henleaze, Redland all worth looking at house wise

St Andrews Prep and Eastbourne college in Eastbourne. Brilliant pastoral care, academically ambitious and very connected to the local community.

St Albans would be a great call. For schooling you have St Albans High School - their prep is in Wheathampsted (a small village nearby) and the secondary is right in the centre of St Albans. Girls at the prep are guaranteed a place at the secondary school and it is very high performing.

https://www.stahs.org.uk

St Albans has great train connections into London and is just off the M25 for driving. It also has some of the best state schools in the country.

You would also have the option of living in places like Harpenden nearby (which I think you would love based on your description). It’s green, leafy, has enough going on but quite sleepy. The state secondary there, St George’s, is like a private school but has bonkers admissions criteria. If you can get in then it’s a golden ticket!!!!!

Avoid Berkhamsted mentioned above if there is any SEN. They’re just not interested and will ask you to leave.

St Francis College Letchworth. Easy train to London
probably more house for your money than south of London
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/166439594#/?channel=RES_BUY

Or go a lot further out look at somewhere like Malvern and Malvern st James as a girls school.

I think you'd like Sevenoaks. Definitely look at Walthamstow Hall. I grew up in Sevenoaks and found it boring as a teenager, but the shops have improved now and I think there's a decent youth club at the Stag? You would find a community there and it's safe. Houses are pricey but not quite London or Surrey pricey.

You could look at King’s Ely in Cambridgeshire. It’s CoEd and runs from 3-18.

DD has just started there (Y7) and is loving it so far.

Ely is a regular in the “Best places to live” rankings and there’s a train service straight into King’s Cross. Both Haverhill and Ipswich would be easily commutable.

Winchester is less than an hour from London by direct train. Very safe. Surrounded by countryside. Tons of Pilates and a new leisure centre. St Swithans goes all the way through, from pre prep to sixth form. All girls - but social links with the Winchester College boys. Very good school. Lots of friends have daughters there. Your house budget would be ok if you’re prepared to do work. So many people are in comers, so you’ll make friends. And the locals are chilled and friendly, too (I’m married to one) . It’s a lovely place to live.

Have you considered being nearer the coast in Kent - HS1 provides super fast travel into London (35 mins) and there are various lovely prep schools, independent secondary schools and the option of grammar schools.

There are beautiful villages in the area and it certainly ticks most if not all of your boxes.

Around Reading area plenty of girls schools that can be accessed, Abbey (day), Queen Anne's, St Helen's and St Katherine's (day), Downe House, Claire's court (have a mix of co-ed/ single). Cranford is vo-ed, but historically girls. With lots of villages and small towns around, with most schools connected by rail or bus routes. Easy commute into London and close to Heathrow.

Oxford High School in Oxford? Or St Helen St Katherine in Abingdon?

I'm very happy to help - DM me! I have good knowledge of Kent Schools and Surrey schools having visited them frequently for work.

Tudor Hall School

I hadn't read thread sorry, I just recommended the girls school a family member is attending down south. I only read thread after. I don't think Tudor Hall would be your best option.

If it was me I'd get your husband to work in Manchester, and send your daughter's to attend Abbey Gate (Chester). It's a lovely small co-ed school, and all the kids I know are all happy there and doing well. I think it'd meet both kids needs. The school is day only, so there isn't the split with boarders and days you sometimes get. The local area is lovely too, and you'd get more for your money than down south.

Yes it's a long way from London but it is doable one day a week (I know a family who do this commute regularly).

Queenswood in North London is brilliant. My daughter has many friends who went there and they are all super happy (as are the parents). Amazing facilities, beautiful grounds, great teachers

If you are looking in the Kent area then it may be worth reconsidering the grammars. Round here many siblings go to different schools as different schools suit different children. There are 3 girls only grammars with different entry criteria in and around Tunbridge Wells and Tonbridge plus satellite sites in Sevenoaks.
It's also worth noting that the more academic private schools may have exams similar to the 11+ so unless you go to a non selective school there is the same risk of one not getting in and then having a potential divide on the level of prestige of two private schools

Maynard in Exeter. Girls only day school from nursery to 6th form. Lovely city, close to the beach and moors. An hour to Bristol in the car and 2 hours to London on the train.

Have you considered Essex? I think Felsted could suit you well. Or a village around Colchester - some great independent options including St Mary's if you want all girls. Gosfield a lovely option for all children but particularly with sen. Grammar school an option too. Easy journey to London. Lots of community in my kids school.

@HairyToityi absolutely wouldn’t consider Abbey Gate.

I agree. Look at Tormead. It's a good school with the right balance of pastoral care and academic pressure. Girls can start aged 4.

Guildford is a small town with lots going on – several theatres, music and comedy venues, lots of indie shops as well as major chains, restaurants and cafes, a pretty river for boating, good sports facilities, a music festival, lido, castle and easy access to really stunning countryside. Trains into London take around one hour. There are probably faster ones too.

It's a safe town. There are areas that get a bit lively in the centre at night but generally it is very calm and friendly. There are lots of very pretty residential areas within walking distance of the centre, like Pewley Down, and staggeringly pretty villages nearby like Shamley Green and Shere, if that's more your thing.

St Mary’s in Cambridge?