Where to move in London for secondary

[LondonSchoolsHelp]

Feel like this is a classic topic but haven’t found a recent one.

I’ve got a boy and girl, currently year 2 (summer born) and preschool (autumn born). We live in an area with lots of well-off families and private schools (which we can’t afford), a couple of super selective grammars (which are 95% Asian - we are white and I wouldn’t want the kids to be in such a small minority, even if they got in). As a result the local comp isn’t really a comp, results not great and there is a drugs problem.

Planning to move to the catchment of a good state school in the next couple of years. But where?

It’s very early to say but I don’t think DS would get a place in a super selective grammar - he is in the top handful in his class (and is summer born) but it doesn’t sound like this would be enough (or is it too early to tell at 6?). I’d be more confident about DD who is only in preschool but ahead of the game (typical girl). But I think really for safety we are looking for a good comprehensive.

I work near Liverpool Street and DH works in Victoria, though I am in the office 3-4 days a week and DH only 1-2. We’ve always lived East but I don’t think there are any areas near us that fit the bill.

Our house budget is probably £1.3-£1.4m if we were to move now…who knows in a couple of years.

I feel sad as love our current area and we have made so many friends here, but I can’t see things changing at the local school, even with the VAT increase. All the parents at our (excellent state) primary are just saving up for secondary.

So where should we go and when?

Just to add that when I say 'balanced in terms of curriculum focus' I mean that the education at DAO still seems to be reasonably holistic. Many of the other super-selectives, included my own, seem to have gone heavily down the STEM route, to the detriment of things like music, drama and the Humanities. We want an academic school, but one where STEM isn't afforded a much higher status than everything else.

We aren’t religious - at least, I am baptised and confirmed Catholic but the DCs are not so I assume that is essentially meaningless!

They would need to be baptised and going to church as the priest would sign a form as part of the application process.

Also, on the grammar thing - DS is definitely bright (and DH and I both went to Oxbridge so feel pretty confident we could help prepare him and/or could get him a tutor), I just think he’s more likely to be top 5-10% than top 2%, just being realistic, and would hate to base our house decisions around something so risky.

My eldest is exceeding in school so we considered the SW london grammars for a bit. The problem is the intensity and the speed. Many parents commit to hours of weekly tuition from yr 4 onwards. I wasn't prepared to do that, My child is bright but not a genius and does lots of other extracurriculars.

Chislehurst, Bullers Girls and Boys

You could get the dc baptised though!

If you moved to Epsom you are in catchment for the Sutton Grammar schools (and even Tiffin on the second catchment group) but also for Rosebery and Glyn, which are well established as very good state comprehensives (and Blenheim which I think is an excellent school but definitely not as academic).

I've heard good things about Rosebery but don't think Glyn has great results. OP strikes me as someone who wants excellent results?

Where do you live that has 95% asian/muslim kids in London? Surely not!

@Beesandthings One of my siblings went there & did well, it is a good school. I just think there is an awful lot of hype around it because for a long time it was by far the best school in the surrounds and in the area quite a lot of dc go private which creates a bit of divide.

Where do you live that has 95% asian/muslim kids in London? Surely not!

@Weefreetiffany It isn't the case that 95% of the population in a given area are Asian or Muslim (although there are a few areas like this), but that the population of DC gaining places at the super-selective grammars is around 95%, and therefore not reflective of local demographics. These groups are generally more likely to be willing to do the heavy tutoring/hothousing for years in advance that are required to win a place at one of these highly competitive schools.

In my experience, White parents tend to have more qualms around mental health, and wanting their children to have down time/extra-curriculars/a 'proper childhood'.

I think things have evened out a little more now, as some of the other nearby schools have really tried hard to improve, so there’s more choice. But tbh I’ve stopped paying close attention now that mine are all in the final stages!

I wouldn’t want to live in Potters Bar just to get in catchment for DOAs. It is a boring place to live if you’ve enjoyed living in central London. And the school is highly selective.

Honestly Op I think you have to face the fact you need to put highly selective schools on your list. If your dc is bright and you are committed to educational attainment, that’s the easiest road to go down as it widens your choice a lot.

Yes but area are these particular grammar schools

What area I mean

Haberdashers' Aske's Hatcham in Telegraph Hill (SE14, New Cross) has had a good reputation for a long time and I have the impression its intake is very diverse. We would have loved our son to go there but we lived too far away at the time (a long time ago). Mixed comprehensive with feeder primary schools. Not a faith school. From a quick look at RightMove, it looks as if you can buy a house within your price range fairly near the school. Transport: New Cross Gate or Brockley are on the Windrush Line and mainline services to London Bridge. Nunhead is on the line to Blackfriars and possibly also has trains to Victoria. Brockley certainly does.

Hoping someone with current information can say what it's like now!

I’m just not sure that DS would get into a “super selective” school @MinnieMowse, and seems like a lot of pressure to base a house move and uproot him from his primary where he is happy if we can’t guarantee it.

He’s bright but not at all bookish (like I was as a child). He would prefer to be running outside and climbing trees than doing schoolwork. As he should as a 6yo boy! I can’t tell yet how he will mature so I think a good comp must be a better bet.

But thank you and everyone else for your input - will start looking at the various areas mentioned.

Redbridge

I wouldn’t want to live in Potters Bar just to get in catchment for DOAs. It is a boring place to live if you’ve enjoyed living in central London. And the school is highly selective.

@MinnieMowse I agree; neither would I! But there are several other postcode areas around Islington/Enfield/Barnet from which you'd be eligible to apply via the test. Yes, highly selective though - more so than some of the full grammars in my experience, and you definitely need a good Plan B.

@Beesandthings yes things have evened out somewhat.

People seem to love Alexandra Park School, near Ally Pally. I don’t know it personally and don’t live in the area. But my colleagues talk about it a lot.

There are no state grammar schools in Epsom, Woking or Guildford, or indeed anywhere in Surrey - we have an all-comprehensive system. The 'Royal Grammar School' in Guildford is a selective private school.

@KittenPause The local ones I'm aware of are QE Boys in Barnet, Henrietta Barnett in Hampstead Garden Suburb and Latymer in Edmonton. I believe the situation in the Sutton/Redbridge/Kingston grammars is pretty similar though.

We're Wanstead and the grammars near us are 90%+ asian / muslim.
I know a few white families whose kids got accepted (not overly tutored... genuinely smart kids) and they decided not to go as it wouldn't be a good cultural fit.
There are other very strict academic schools near us, in Newham etc... which are 90%+ asian / Muslim.
I think the segregation is really sad tbh.

Yes, this is where we live and what we are facing.

Gosh I had no idea things were like this in schools

It's nothing like this where we live

I did wonder why we were getting a huge influx of middle class white families moving here in the last 10 years

It's been quite irritating having them moving down and being their special unique selves but I get it now.

You want what you had a child for your own children and we have that here

Moving from London I mean

People are generally talking about the grammar and religious schools when they say Sutton schools are good, but really they all are. My DS did get into one of the grammar schools (I don't have exact numbers but from what I've seen it's a pretty even split between Asian and white kids (with a handful of other races)), but I already know it won't suit my DD and have no issue with her going to the local comprehensive. Friends kids are thriving there. One thing to bear in mind is all the grammar schools and a few of the others are single sex if that's something you care about one way or the other.