Secondary State North Lanarkshire Schools

[Mumsyo]

Hi there what are, your reviews on Secondary state schools in North Lanarkshire? In particular Dalziel, St Ambrose High, Chryston High Schools? My catchment area, is, Coatbridge HS but not keen as not even in top 100 best school rating. Many thanks

Ask for this to be moved to the Scotsnet section and you willl get more responses.

We are in NL and v happy with our school but in Cumbernauld so a bit far out for you.

I am sure someone else can advise one the options you mentioned

Ask for this to be put in secondary education or scotsnet, it's not really an AIBU topic so you won't get many responses.

I know a few folk from around that area and work there a long time before moving down South 4 years ago. Chryston High is not great at all, same with Coatbridge. Saint Ambrose and possibly St Margaret's in Airdrie are your best shots. I think one of them won an award for Maths a couple of years back. You are also quite close to Cumbernauld and Motherwell , can't remember the name of the C/nauld one but Our Lady's in Motherwell is well regarded . All Catholic Highs but anyone is welcome I believe. You would have to put a placing request in . I think that is still the system . Good luck

Dalziel is good as well .

Dalziel gets good reviews, I am South Lanarkshire & hear Dalziel mentioned often.

The top 100 isn’t ‘best school’ it’s most affluent catchment area. Those lists should be banned.
Which school is better? The one that can help a child achieve a C at higher when they arrived in S1 with a reading age of 6yrs old. Or the one where a child got an A, with the help of all the tutors outside school?

👏 absolutely @Lucifersleeps

Some of the most talented teachers I know work in schools that never make these tables, for many interconnected reasons.

@Mumsyo

St Ambrose is built on a toxic waste site:

www.heraldscotland.com/news/17697055.parents-take-children-toxic-land-schools-health-fears/

www.scotsman.com/news/environment/teachers-school-built-toxic-site-have-same-rare-cancer-546270

Thanks for all the responses who do i ask to get this post moved to the correct section its the first time im using this app! What does aibu even mean? 😂

@Jota67 which school in Cumbernauld we dont mind travelling?

Dalziel always has a good reputation but is very oversubscribed. You really do have to live in the catchment area to get a place.

Dalziel and St Ambrose are both oversubscribed.

For Dalziel (if you are not in the catchment) to appeal you really need to either work in the area or have your childcare (ie. grandparents) there. It also has a hearing impaired unit if that applies as that's another way of getting in. A great school but the appeal process is brutal.
Allocation priorities are listed here:
Placing requests

[quote berrymerrychristmas]@Mumsyo

St Ambrose is built on a toxic waste site:

www.heraldscotland.com/news/17697055.parents-take-children-toxic-land-schools-health-fears/

www.scotsman.com/news/environment/teachers-school-built-toxic-site-have-same-rare-cancer-546270[/quote]
My God i would never have known thanks for sharing

We're moving this thread over to our Scotsnet topic for the OP.

[quote Mumsyo]@Jota67 which school in Cumbernauld we dont mind travelling?[/quote]
Our Ladys in Cumbernauld

Our Ladys in Cumbernauld is our school too - absolutely no complaints with it, great school, good ethic, great teachers and pupils

Don’t want to give too much away but yes Dalziel is regarded as the “best” in NLC. It is very oversubscribed 1000 pupils over 30% placing requests. Buying a house in the catchment will set you back an extra 40-50K and they are always shrinking the catchment to accommodate new build estates.

Our Lady’s High is in my experience just as good (if not better for actual pastoral care) like others have said I think the affluence of the catchment area is more of a factor than actual quality of learning and teaching. Don’t know anything about Coatbridge schools although quite a few friends are v happy with St Ambrose.

@Lucifersleeps

The top 100 isn’t ‘best school’ it’s most affluent catchment area. Those lists should be banned. Which school is better? The one that can help a child achieve a C at higher when they arrived in S1 with a reading age of 6yrs old. Or the one where a child got an A, with the help of all the tutors outside school?

Agree. Ds's school is nowhere near even the top 200. It did not stop him getting 8As in his NAT5s and 5As in his Highers. Being at your catchment school and living near school friends is important for wellbeing, social development and independence and should also be considered.

St Ambrose was built on a toxic dump and the eduction board / Nicola couldn't believe their luck when covid came along to detract from the fallout. I can't believe it was swept under the carpet so easily. 6 teachers in same science corridor diagnosed with same rare cancer???

Dalziel gets a great name (although I know 2 friends who moved their DDs , one for bullying and one for underperforming child ). I'm sure other state and private schools have their issues.

Terrible to hear about St Ambrose. Anyone have or heard reviews on Cardinal Newman HS, St Maurice's HS, Greenfaulds HS in Cumbernauld or Cumbernauld Academy?
How many schools can you apply for a placing request?Thanks again

Op, is your catchment high school extremely bad? If you put in a placing request then the onus is on you to transport your child to the school if they get a place.
If you're trying to get into a 'good' school then chances are it'll already be oversubscribed and places will be like hens teeth.
There are no perfect schools out there, they will all have their good and bad points. How will your child feel about potentially going to a school far from where they live and not knowing anyone? Especially as everyone else there will probably know many others.
Schools are much more than their exam results and their place in the list of top performing schools.

I understand all schools have good and bad points. We dont mind pick and drop offs. There are specific reasons for why we dont wish to enrol in the catchment school.

My DD has been to private school last 5 years so ideally want something to match academically what she is used to. The fees are too high to consider private for secondary unfortunately.

Thats fantastic that kids have done well regardless of what school they go to. Goes to show doesn't matter. Teachers are doing a grand job especially in these testing times and full credit to them!

Id just like to hear views on the state schools as ive never been to one myself. I was at a private school for secondary but times have changed so trying to research as much as possible on available options.

In our local authority you can only apply for one school at a time and you probably won't know the result until end March.

It's unlikely you'll be able to apply to more than one. Your authority might be different.

Is moving an option?

Which is your local authority? Unfortunately a move is unlikely to be for sometime 😔

I'm Stirling. The details of how to apply etc should be on your council website.

My DC did go to a different High school on placing request (due to bullying issues). Don't underestimate the commitment to driving them there and back everyday if there isn't any public transport. I did it all the way through school for 2 DC until they were able to drive themselves. It impacts on employment as you need to work around those hours, it costs, in bad weather you can see it far enough.

I'm not trying to put you off, it was the best thing for my DC but it did impact on my work as DH doesn't do the type of work where you can be flexible. It also meant running extra car/s when we might otherwise have not needed to.

In all that context, it lessens the cost of moving when you then consider that your earning power is higher and DC can get to and from school independently at no cost.