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Original poster

Moving Out Of London For Kids Education

76 replies

Rohey · 27/09/2009 18:56

Looking to move out of North West London to somewhere we can get a bigger home for our money and more importantly good schools..

Both Hubby and my job will be uneffected, so the move would be purely for the kids education.

We have 2 DDs 1 x is 6 and other is 3... I have heard that Kent has more grammer schools but is so vast I don't know where to start..

Anybody got any advice/suggestions etc??

Thanks...

OP posts:
HeadFairy · 27/09/2009 19:24

Does class size matter massively? I went to one of the best performing state schools in London and our class sizes were always 30+... sorry, that's a side issue.

I kind of know what you mean about Kingston... we looked at surrounding areas because we weren't that keen on it in the end.

EldonAve · 27/09/2009 19:26

Not sure why you'd think the schools in Cambridge weren't good

brimfull · 27/09/2009 19:27

hampshire
no grammars and state schools are good

obv some shite ones as well

EldonAve · 27/09/2009 19:27

I think 30 kids in a class is the norm unless you live in a very underpopulated area

Original poster
Rohey · 27/09/2009 19:29

Eldon - that was purely based on the ofsted reports and league tables I saw on BBC website...

Not through personal experience..

OP posts:
brimfull · 27/09/2009 19:29

yup 30 the norm

until secondary when you get less as you move up in yrs

BedofRosesItAintII · 27/09/2009 19:31

What about a village school near a large town? That way you get, small class sizes and access to transport links etc, and are (hopefully) in catchment for good secondary.

I would second Hampshire, and perhaps a village near Reading perhaps...?

BedofRosesItAintII · 27/09/2009 19:32

Cambridge sounds nice Bellsa...Maybe I should think about moving

LIZS · 27/09/2009 19:32

headfairy - er sorry, primary are good but not so much secondary unless you are lucky as the (fewer) good ones are oversubscribed several times over ! Hope you plan to live very close to the better secondaries. No state selective schools in Surrey unless you can get into one of the South London or Kent grammars.

jeanjeannie · 27/09/2009 19:34

Bucks is grammar - great if you pass the 11+ but not such much if you don't.

The catchments for the grammars are very vast as the local kids rarely pass, so they take from a broad base. It's the infant/junior school with high pass rates you want to get near to and then you're pretty much looking at London prices. Can get some competitively priced private grammar-crammers in the county though. Get a top grammar like RGS (wycombe) or Dr Challoners (Amersham) and you're laughing!

Original poster
Rohey · 27/09/2009 19:34

BedofRoses..

Not a bad idea. Anywhere in particular in Hampshire and village near Reading.. Sorry my geography is not great..

OP posts:
HeadFairy · 27/09/2009 19:37

Yeah, I know that Lizs... we're a way off worrying about secondary schools, and the house we're moving to will probably only do for the next 5 years so ds will only be 7 and dd will be 5... but, I'm surprised at how few secondary schools there are in the area... I used to commute from Godstone to Croydon, so if I managed it, I would be happy for ds to travel a bit, we did think about Wilsons or Wallington, but as I said we've got a few years yet.

EldonAve · 27/09/2009 19:38

If schools are your main focus then it is probably worth buying the Good Schools Guide

Original poster
Rohey · 27/09/2009 19:39

I am almost contemplating scrapping the idea and staying put..

I think every area has it's good and bad schools, I guess it's up the child as to how they perform...

To be honest was just getting very bored and bogged down with the London lifestyle and thought it would be good to get out. But obviously had to consider the kids and their education. cannot really afford private and tbh not sure how much better it would be..

OP posts:
BedofRosesItAintII · 27/09/2009 19:40

Farringdon, Newbury, Hermitage, Caversham, Woking, Fleet, Guildford, Alton, Amersham.

Perhaps you should look at seondary schools and then decide on primaries as I can of think secondary schools catchments are more expensive!

Original poster
Rohey · 27/09/2009 19:41

Will look out for the good schools guide.. did not realise one existed.. Thanks for that!

OP posts:
Original poster
Rohey · 27/09/2009 19:42

Good thinking BedofRoses.

Thanks again xx

OP posts:
EldonAve · 27/09/2009 19:43

www.goodschoolsguide.co.uk/

Go on stay in London everyone thinks about leaving sometimes

You could just move within London closer to "good" schools

Original poster
Rohey · 27/09/2009 19:43

Think you're right Eldon xx

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ReducedToThis · 27/09/2009 19:44

Woodbridge in Suffolk. Lovely town and Farlingaye is excellent, whatever your children's abilities.

BedofRosesItAintII · 27/09/2009 19:44

But it is sooo nice out in the sticks Come and join us ex-Londoners!

LIZS · 27/09/2009 19:46

HF You're right there aren't many in the area, even fewer 6th forms, and the kids are drawn from a wide area so secondary schools are huge too. They keep changing entrance criteria too. Relatively high density of private schools as a result

mumblechum · 27/09/2009 19:48

We're in Bucks, near Marlow. Grammar school is ranked 6th in the country on points. 75% A or A* at both GCSE and A level.

Countryside - fab. Area of outstanding natural beauty.

House wise, depends what sort of thing you want. A largeish cottage with a good garden about £750 to £1m, a very average modern house on a housing estate about £500k.

I really like it here but the problem is if your dcs don't pass the 11 plus you're buggered as the high schools aren't brilliant so most people send their kids to independent secondaries in High Wycombe or Reading.

Original poster
Rohey · 27/09/2009 19:49

Thanks all...

Great advice for Hubby and me to mull over and evaluate our next move...

OP posts:
HeadFairy · 27/09/2009 19:53

Lizs - it's very surprising, I wonder how much the Warwick school has improved since it's last inspection. I know it's not been good in the past, but it was up and coming. Who knows what it'll be like in 9 years time? I'm not sure we'd meet the Christian criteria for St Bedes and so I imagine we'd struggle with Reigate School. But hey, I'm philosophical