Schools in Chester and Northwich

[concernedgran]

My eldest son is moving with his family to the UK from Singapore in March this year. He has four sons. The youngest three need places in Year 9 and in Years 3 and 4. The family are looking for a non-selective mixed school. I'm afraid we haven't a clue. I have been researching for days now, but, as I live in Bucks, I don't really know what schools and areas are like beyond what is written about them.

I wondered if anyone could advise me about Weaverham High School in Northwich and Chester Catholic High in Chester?
St. Nicholas RC is oversubscribed as are all the top schools in these areas.

As the boys have never lived outside Singapore, we feel that a friendly school with supportive staff who might help them to settle into a different culture is the most important at this time.
An emphasis on the performing arts would be a bonus. The child looking for a place in Year 9 is not sporty.
Thank you for your help.

St. Martin's Academy has a good reputation and might suit the primary aged children?

stmartinsacademychester.co.uk/

For high schools, I have a friend with a child at the Catholic High, happy with the education provided. The high schools in Chester are generally good, popular schools are Christleton, Bishop's Bluecoat, Upton, Catholic High. Belgrave also has a good reputation at primary level.

There are no bad schools in the area. They can contact the local admissions team at the councils to find out where there is space. Cheshire West and Chester for...Chester, and Cheshire East for Northwich.

I personally would pick Chester over Northwich as it has more about it and better transport links.

He will absolutely not find any primary school places in the south of Chester City (Westminster Park, Curzon Park, Handbridge). I would try Upton Heath or Newton Primary personally. All secondaries are good, although many consider Blacon less so, but I'm not convinced personally.

My son attended weaverham high school. He was very happy there as a non sporty teenager. There was a supportive culture and I always felt able to raise any concerns directly with the teachers.

Thank you so much for such a fast response. Thank you to PAW326 for information about Weaverham. This particular grandchild is not sporty but very keen on the theatre. And thank you to everyone for info in primary schools -really helpful.
Chester seems absolutely lovely. I was worried about the Catholic High as I hadn't seen many positive comments about it. Thank you for the reassurance.
The reason for considering Northwich is that it is going to be long drive to the airport where my son is going to work.
They have avoided schools under Trafford because they are not keen on selective education. Moreover, the towns don't seem to be their type of thing. No criticism intended but there seems to be an ethos of immense wealth in Wilmslow, Knutsford etc. I think the children would prefer Chester/Northwich.

Good luck with your search, if you would like any info on the area we live in feel free to PM. We moved from Trafford to where we live now and we are very happy.
I remember Weaverham ethos was that whatever your child enjoys, be it rugby or reading we will help them excel at it. The school really did live up to that in my son's case. He is now studying at Sir John Deane's College which is an absolutely excellent college and he loves it.
I hope you find that helpful, good luck with your search.

Thank you again PAW326. No advice can replace that from parents and their children. I feel very heartened by your post.
I shall now start looking for primary schools since several of you have given me some suggestions for where to start. Thank you.

I wouldn't discount Knutsford if you're after access to Manchester Airport. Its a lovely town, good schools and all the posh kids go to the selectives in Trafford, so Knutsford High is good I believe.

Could also look at Frodsham/Helsby for decent schools and accessible location. Helsby high specifically.

Does anyone have any knowledge of primary schools in the Northwich/Hartford area? I absolutely agree with you Hungry625f that Chester is preferable, but I think my son is being optimistic about commuting to Manchester Airport everyday. He has no knowledge of driving here and thinks that the journey isn't too bad. As they are arriving very soon, I just wanted to explore several options.
Thanks as always

Hartford manor and Hartford primary are both good schools. Davenham is good too, a small school. Leftwich high is good in the Northwich area. Christleton High is an excellent high school in the Chester area.

Are they looking for private? The Grange at Northwich is very good if so.

State primary and secondary schools are generally all of a good standard in the area.

@concernedgran

Does anyone have any knowledge of primary schools in the Northwich/Hartford area? I absolutely agree with you Hungry625f that Chester is preferable, but I think my son is being optimistic about commuting to Manchester Airport everyday. He has no knowledge of driving here and thinks that the journey isn't too bad. As they are arriving very soon, I just wanted to explore several options. Thanks as always

Manchester Airport is doable, but a big commute from Chester, and the M56 is a dreadful motorway for accidents. I'd say probably around 45 minutes from Chester (dh used to work in Knutsford).

I agree the schools in Hartford (both primary and secondary) are outstanding. Actually all the schools in that area are. The commute from Chester to Manchester can be a nightmare.

Tell them to consider Frodsham/Helsby. Better for commuting to Manchester Airport and is great catchment for Helsby High. Primary schools in Frodsham are excellent. Manor House and Frodsham CofE and also St Luke’s catholic school very good and inclusive. Strong for music/drama if not sporty.Frodsham is a market town far prettier than Northwich, very nice community with countryside on doorstep and nice places to eat. 10 mins from Chester on the train, 30 min drive. I used to live there and commute to Manchester.

@concernedgran

Does anyone have any knowledge of primary schools in the Northwich/Hartford area? I absolutely agree with you Hungry625f that Chester is preferable, but I think my son is being optimistic about commuting to Manchester Airport everyday. He has no knowledge of driving here and thinks that the journey isn't too bad. As they are arriving very soon, I just wanted to explore several options. Thanks as always

@concernedgran

Have a look at

Hartfordprimaryschool.com
Hartfordhigh.org.U.K.

My friend’s children went to both these schools and they were very good. In fact there were a couple of families that relocated from Singapore and moved to Hartford.

Hartford is a lovely village/town. Lots of families have loved recently from HK as it happens. The primary schools are excellent- particularly Hartford Manor.

Hartford High is a good secondary, not sure if they have space. Weaverham also has a good rep. John Deane's for sixth form. It's a nice friendly area generally with lots going on considering it's reasonably rural.

My DH commutes to the airport from Chester and doesn’t find it a problem. Look to live close to the motorway - Mickle Trafford, Guilden Sutton, Vicars Cross, Hoole etc. For schools, I would look at Christleton for both, Waverton for primary, Upton for High School. Lots of good schools.

Thank you soo much hungry625f, sunflowers, yourway, mrsT777, Subbarao, sleeplessalways and helksbells99. All of your comments are really helpful. I shall follow them all up this weekend and Monday. Frodsham/Helsby do sound like good options for my family's situation but there seems to be very little on the market at the moment to rent. I guess this is a problem everywhere.
Also great to know that a couple of families have relocated from Singapore.
Thanks again for giving a lot of your time to be helpful.

I can't seem to find any other secondary schools in Frodsham other than Helsby High. Is that right? Can children who live in Frodsham go to schools outside the townn such as Weaverham? Thanks

We live half way between Frodsham and Northwich.
My son went to Frodsham Manor Primary school from year 2, it was absolutely excellent and he loved it there. He then chose to go to Weaverham High School instead of Helsby High because he preferred the feeling and ethos of that school.
We rented in Frodsham for a year which is why he attended that primary school but once we moved he didn't want to swap, we all loved that school and so he stayed there until year 6.

I went to the Catholic High and left about ten years ago. It was a nice school, they accommodated me doing Y10 and Y11 in one year. I don’t know if it’s still going but the music department was really strong and toured all over the world.

Siblings went to Christleton and Tarporley. The area around Tarporley is nice and easier to get to the airport. Places like Tarvin, Kelsall, Delamere but still easy for teenagers to get to Chester.

Thank you PAW326. So it seems that it is possible to live outside Northwich and still go to Weaverham High? Do you know if there is a bus service? Sorry to bother you again.

And thank you Elbea. That is really nice to know about the Catholic High.

@concernedgran

Thank you PAW326. So it seems that it is possible to live outside Northwich and still go to Weaverham High? Do you know if there is a bus service? Sorry to bother you again.

And thank you Elbea. That is really nice to know about the Catholic High.

@concernedgran Children from Hartford go to Weaverham High School and vice versa. There are buses. In fact you can get a bus from Northwich to Chester! If you son is going to be renting then I would get in touch with a few estate agents to register his interest. Then when something comes up they will let him now. Rented property goes very quickly around these areas. All the schools in Cheshire West and Chester are very good.

Yes there is a bus service, my Son had a free pass as we live more than three miles away. The bus picked him up from the corner of the road. I think it's only free if it's the nearest secondary school though so if you lived nearer to Helsby you'd have to pay. I hope that makes sense?
The catchment area for Weaverham is big, they take pupils from a a really wide area.

That's great information. Thanks a lot PAW326.

Dear PAWS 326, sorry to trouble you again but you mentioned that you lived between Northwich and Frodsham and your son was able to go to Weaverham High School. Do you mind me asking where you lived? I'm guessing that it was in the Weaversham catchment area?
My son has identified Frodsham as the best place for travel to his job at the airport and for his 16-year old son to get a train to Chester to go to college. There seem to be great primary schools in all of the villages and towns around Northwich and Frodsham but the secondary is proving harder.
The Year 9 young person has not had a good school experience in the last two years in Singapore and has lost his confidence.
He is an articulate, creative young man who thinks critically but cannot seem to do tests and exams.
It's also quite hard to find rented accommodation. I found a property in Davenham but that seems a bit too far away.
I also wondered whether, if the family live in Frodsham and therefore apply to Helsby High school, if the school is full, is it possible that the LA will pay for transport to Weaverham? Is that how it works?
Thanks again.