Secondary schools in Guildford/Godalming/Farnham

[windowsonthemind]

We are moving to this area later this year and are completely new to the Home Counties. We will be working in central Guildford and have two DSs - 10 and 6yrs.

I have decided that maybe the easiest way to find an area in which to live is to choose a good secondary school and work backwards from there in terms of infant/junior school/house/local area etc.

So I have read good Ofsted reports for Guildford County School, Rodborough and Weydon. Does anyone have experience of these schools or of any others in these areas?

BTW, our DSs are sports mad, seem to be doing great academically and love arty things, so we're wanting a school that is a good all-rounder?? We are also totally new to secondary school issues so in need of guidance really!

A lot of people I know have moved house specifically to be within the (small) catchment area for George Abbott in Guildford, which is generally very well thought of, although a big school. Howard of Effingham (in Effingham!) also has a good reputation, as does St John the Baptist in Woking, but that takes very few non-Catholics. I don't know enough about them to comment on the schools you mention. Hope this helps a bit - I live and work near Guildford.

Many thanks silveralice. I have looked into George Abbott but am a bit worried about house prices within catchment area. Will look at Effingham.

What is Guildford like to live in? I have lived in several UK cities and am more a city person than country - just because of what I'm used to. But am a bit worried Guildford/Surrey will be very yummy mummy-ish! I like to avoid competitive parenting so am hoping my stereotype of surrey parents is wrong!

I think your stereo type is very wrong (less yummy mummyish than me I can't imagine). Guildford is even becoming more diverse. I would think Godalming is more Country than Guildford (at least from an experience of Tumble Tots there years ago).
I would also look at St Peters. Have you visited any of the schools? I would definitely recommend visiting Guildford County, your child may fit in there or may not. Weydon has a very high reputation so can be tricky to get into.

I would look again at George Abbot (Weylea Farm, Bushy Hill estates get in as does Send). If you see a bargain house in Guildford it probably backs onto the A3.

Competitive parenting does exist, but even more so at the private schools.

Thanks mummytime, reassuring that thing Guildford may be more diverse than I was thinking. I did actually get that feeling when we went to visit - there was a fabulous market in the high street and it seemed buzzy and alive.

We haven't visited schools yet. I think we will visit County, George Abott, Rodborough and Weydon - seems a lot though when that is only 1 type of school and we need Junior and Infants as well!

I live in Farncombe which is on the Guildford side of Godalming and is essentially a district of Godalming. I'd agree with mummytime about here: Guildford is much more cosmopolitan (although you would laugh at that description if you'd lived anywhere like London), but it is compared with Godalming, for sure.

Broadwater is the local for Godalming which probably has a poor reputation although is apparently the most improved school in Surrey. People around here generally head for County or Rodborough, so if you fancy either of those, it's worth giving Farncombe a look for property that's a nadge cheaper than central Godalming. We have great infants here if that helps.

I know plenty of kids in Guildford who attend George Abbot. Some find it a bit sausage factory-like - academic expectations are very high, possibly at the expense of the school having much soul. St Peter's is also a popular choice and nice for those who find GA a bit enormous and production line-ish.

Don't know much about sec schools in Woking other than Winston Churchill which isn't meant to be that great.

I have a couple of nephews at Weydon, and can certainly recommend that on the basis of their experience, but Farnham isn't cheap. I'd have thought that Guildford is actually probably the most accessible property-wise, and there are some very good primaries. There are lots of nice suburbs with good primaries, as well as a couple of fantastic ones in town (Pewley Down/Holy Trinity for eg). But nowhere is cheap, and in fact, we are running to the Midlands soon to try and find somewhere we can afford that also has reasonable schools.

Good luck - I know all too well how hard it is to work this sort of thing out from a distance.

DH tells me Winston Churchill is actually a good school, but I think that's only by comparison with others.

And just read the ages of your DSs and see that infants are of no interest whatsover.... Ho;y Trinity in G'ford is excellent though and Godalming Junior school is good.

Nonicknames many thanks. I do need an infant school actually! DS2 is currently in Yr1 so would need a infant school for Yr2 in September, DS1 would need a middle school and he would have one year left before starting at secondary. So we are looking for 3 schools.

I am feeling far more daunted about this now and starting to have freezing cold feet!

nonicknames do you get a place at Rodborough if you live in Farncombe? I like the look of Farncombe and like that you could walk into Godalming and bus into Guildford, but I imagined you would have to go to Broadwater if you lived in Farncombe. I can't find a list of catchment area streets on the Rodborough school website - maybe I should phone the school for that?

Thanks again

Surrey CC doesn't do catchments (much), as it draws flexible lines based on who applies. County and Rodborough have taken lots of pupils from Farncombe in the past, the train is an easy route to both. I have heard that someone won an appeal to Rodborough from Farncombe using some cycle route. Broadwater is improving, but the county council has also offered places there to pupils living in Shalford, who tend to really want County or Glebelands (Cranleigh).

On the other hand Winston Churchill is okay.

Hi - glad to help. I second mummytime - not sure what the official line is but certainly plenty of children around here go to both those sec schools. There is a special bus between Farncombe and Rodborough and going the other way, the train between Farncombe and Guildford takes no more than 5 mins and GCS is very close to the station there.

Having said that, I don't think getting it to Rodborough or GCS is as straightforward as Broadwater. Tell you what - I have a couple of neighbours with children at GCS so I'll ask them how it went getting in there, and come back to you. Might take a few days but leave it with me.

HOward of Effingham definitely DOES have a catchment and a requirement to attend one of the designated feeder schools so you need to do your research carefully. HAving said that the entance requireents for any school can change from year to year (George Abbott rules changed this year to favour pupils from Ripley for example) so your best laid plans.....

HAve you thought about Mole VAlley - easy commute to Guildford and lots of good secondary schools?

Sorry brought up in guildford and now my boys are at school here - it is very yummy mummy, very religious and super competitive. The schools are great as a rule, though as long as you follow the norm.

Silly property prices.

Maybe I am just feeling a bit fed up today, after all I did return to bring my boys up here

Just a word of warning regarding Farncombe, lovely place to live and not at all yummy mummyish but Broadwater will be most likely secondary allocation. Lots from Farncombe used get places at Guildford County and Rodborough but becoming much more difficult. DS at Broadwater and is happy and doing OK but is not a great school if you would like your child to be pushed academically. He has been on waiting list for County for over a year with no hope of a place in sight.

Many thanks for all your comments which are very helpful. It is hard doing research from a distance and just convinces me I need proper time in Guildford as soon as possible, and plenty of it.

Secondaries: Avoid King's like the plague. Christ's trying hard (like Broadwater) - slow progress. GA very big and pushy/sausage factory, big sitefacilities. GC high music/art profile and good pastoral, building programme in progress. St. Peter's RC and ok but not good with pastoral. SJB (Woking) very pushy/factory. Glebelands (Cranleigh) no 6th form, on a par with Broadwater. Rodborough better than Broadwater.

Primaries: Plenty to choose from. Holy Trinity (G'ford) they call the teachers by first names - come into secondary very arrogant & opinionated! Other primaries around all seem fairly good.