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Original poster

Where did you move to from London for secondary?

83 replies

Tapticktoes · 20/01/2022 09:02

Been in London 20 years. No family here except my own (dh and 2 kids, we are very much a nuclear family) Like large towns or city outskirts. Don't need to commute but need train links. Good secondary school that progress the vast majority to university.

Can anyone share their experiences and where?

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Blossomgate22 · 21/01/2022 11:01

@Tapticktoes - if the don't get in to the grammar, they either attend the other secondary - an outstanding academy

www.ripon.outwood.com

or travel out to Nidderdale HS ( really high quality SEN provision, small secondary school - less than 400 pupils)

nidderdale.n-yorks.sch.uk

Or travel to Boroughbridge High or secondary schools in Harrogate (larger - up to 2000 pupils).

Blossomgate22 · 21/01/2022 11:05

@Scarby9

If York looks small to you, Ripon and Durham are even smaller.
Recognising, that that is true too!
lagerandcigars · 21/01/2022 11:09

We moved to Harpenden - 3 Outstanding Comps plus one new secondary - can't see it being any different to the rest of them - but it hasn't got a rating yet. High expectations all round on going to University - which I don't necessarily see as a great thing - kids are processed through an exam factory - Do they discover what they actually want to do? I'm not convinced...mine have gone to University - I challenged them to consider alternative options but the peer and school pressure to go to Uni is immense, the road less traveled is not encouraged - despite the occasional vague nods. And be prepared for tutoring that's expected too, most kids will have a Maths tutor a least...even the very talented ones.

hollygoflightly · 21/01/2022 12:21

If you're happy with single sex schools there are lots of good state options where I am in zone 4 South West London. Mixed schools harder to find but are there, especially if you go down the religious school route.

Original poster
Tapticktoes · 21/01/2022 17:48

@NotCure172 what's Solihull like? Is it near enough to Birmingham to benefit from the city, or very much standalone?

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Original poster
Tapticktoes · 21/01/2022 17:51

@earthwool ah very central lucky you! I don't think we could afford that and also have 2 different genders - and different level of academic aptitude. Making it quite tricky

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Original poster
Tapticktoes · 21/01/2022 17:53

@lagerandcigars Harpenden seems very lovely. Why would there be so much tutoring? Any thoughts on Sir John Lawes?

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Original poster
Tapticktoes · 21/01/2022 17:55

@hollygoflightly different gender and not religious I'm afraid. What sort of area, Surbiton? It's a pretty competitive area, SW London. I have friends there and they're always madly busy doing a million things

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Original poster
Tapticktoes · 21/01/2022 17:58

@JigJaguar

Guildford. 3 of the main town states- county, George Abbott and St. Peter's- send a big majority chunk to university. Lovely town to grow up in.
Thank you - George Abbott looks really good, have to look into it
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Original poster
Tapticktoes · 21/01/2022 17:59

@thechemicalmother schools like Charter have a 400 metre type requirement, plus houses are already well expensive in Dulwich

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hollygoflightly · 21/01/2022 18:05

[quote Tapticktoes]@hollygoflightly different gender and not religious I'm afraid. What sort of area, Surbiton? It's a pretty competitive area, SW London. I have friends there and they're always madly busy doing a million things[/quote]
Surbs is zone 6 - I'm more Richmond/Twickenham way. I'm very uncompetitive!

Don't discount single sex though- plenty of families go to different schools round here and everyone seems to cope OK x

crazycrofter · 21/01/2022 18:15

Sutton Coldfield would be my recommendation if you’re looking at Birmingham, it’s to the north of the city. It has its own town centre with restaurants, cinema etc and an enormous park, but it’s only 20 mins on the train into the city centre.

My dd travels from the south side by train to a grammar in Sutton and really likes it there. Now that most of her friends are 18 they go clubbing in the city centre. There’s 2 grammar schools but also several good comprehensives.

Miserablecat · 21/01/2022 18:48

@Tapticktoes
I live in Harpenden and would agree with what @lagerandcigars said about the overwhelming expectation that kids will do GCSEs - A levels - Russell Group Uni. (I think that is probably the path that a lot of parents here have also taken)

That said both my DC are at Sir John Lawes which I have been really happy with so far. Neither have had any tutoring at any stage. Some of their friends have (in various subjects) but not everyone does. The sixth form is selective though, and students not expected to make the grades are encouraged to apply to colleges outside the town.

The town itself is pretty small and quite quiet - there is not a lot going on for teens outside of school.

Goinghome20 · 21/01/2022 18:58

Good schools in Surbiton and Kingston. The Kingston Academy is outstanding. Sutton has excellent secondary schools and some Croydon schools are very successful.
Look at Warlingham or Riddlesdown on the Croydon Surrey borders.

Hairbrush123 · 21/01/2022 19:44

@Tapticktoes really lovely. Solihull is a metropolitan borough and also a town. North Solihull is to be avoided but South and East Solihull is really wonderful however the house prices reflect this, especially Dorridge and Knowle.

We have lots of greenery, lots of independent shops, friendly people and it’s good for kids (the church around the corner from my house always has events on for children), very safe, good connections to the rest of the country via rail and road, Touchwood is a very good shopping centre with John Lewis and the Birmingham airport is in Solihull.

Birmingham itself is only a few miles away from Solihull town centre but the city centre is only 10-15 minutes away on the train and is very frequent or 20 minutes in the car. Maybe come visit and see what you think of it.

dongalong89 · 22/01/2022 18:15

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Biscuitsneeded · 22/01/2022 18:24

Cambridge. 45 mins by train to London, excellent proper comps (no grammars skewing the intake, luckily), and very successful sixth forms.

3peassuit · 22/01/2022 18:28

West Kent for the grammar schools. It worked for us but be aware they are super selective so only do it if it looks like a certainty and have a back up plan if needed.

TheChemicalMother · 23/01/2022 20:25

[quote Tapticktoes]@thechemicalmother schools like Charter have a 400 metre type requirement, plus houses are already well expensive in Dulwich[/quote]
And yet most of Dog Kennel Hill estate is in catchment… yes there is a lot of expensive housing round the Charter schools but also pockets of social housing, flats etc.

Dunraven is in an area with reasonably price housing and much social housing, Norwood more so.

Kingsdale is Lottery, so…

Abridget7 · 23/01/2022 22:10

Cheltenham - Pates Grammar School, Balcarras plus a selection of good private schools.

ScandiNoir · 25/01/2022 00:23

We moved from Kingston area to Hampshire, a village in the Alton and Alresford area. Best thing we ever did! Alton has 2 v good secondaries. Alresford has one v good one. Alton College and Peter Symonds in Winchester for 6th form... my kids went to one each.
I couldn't face the tutoring, pressure and endless chat about grammar schools and entrance exams in SW London area, so we moved. One of mine got a first, and the other a 2.1, both employed and happy.

We are also about an hour from our old area, so despite being in Hampshire for 20 years and loving it, we have maintained a couple of our friendships which is wonderful.

SellFridges · 25/01/2022 07:00

We are in Birmingham, having moved here pre kids from London. I dislike Sutton and Solihull. They’re quite small town minded for me but others like them so it’s different for different people.

We are in South Brum and our closest schools are Kings Norton Girls and Kings Norton Boys. The girls has an excellent reputation and would be precisely what you are looking for. The boys less so but I don’t know anyone who goes there who doesn’t praise ut very highly. They share a sixth form.

The grammars are very selective, but we’re zoned a couple of years ago to stop people from outside the city getting all the places. Previously it was just done on who got the highest score and that was that. People in our area seem to be moving away from choosing them as a result, with several Y6 I know preferring KNGS.

That’s a very hyper local view for you though. Birmingham is a huge city and school catchment can be complex - you need to watch for that.

Original poster
Tapticktoes · 28/01/2022 10:51

@SellFridges thanks - i like Birmingham and husband has work links there, but it's a large area and I find the secondary schooling system terribly confusing to navigate - grammars very good but don't know what our chances are. Suspect they might cream off best at GCSE for 6th form too? King Norton's looks good indeed - girls slightly better than boys. Would you say it's urban or more suburban where you are?

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Original poster
Tapticktoes · 28/01/2022 10:52

*suspect the Grammars cream off lots of kids at Gcses - the results vs A levels dont match up

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SellFridges · 28/01/2022 10:56

@Tapticktoes I would definitely say it’s urban here, although with lots of green spaces - we can walk to three different parks in less than ten minutes. We also have the cross city line on the doorstep.

To be honest, not that many kids go to the grammars. If your child is super academic it’s worth looking at, but otherwise there are plenty of good schools outside that system. They only cream off the very, very top so it’s not like a true grammar system.