State schools (secondary and primary) and childcare in Guildford

[ambles]

Hi Mumsnetters,

I was last on here as a married stay-at-home mum a few years ago. Now I am a divorced single parent with a full-time job. When this change in circumstances came about 6 years ago, I moved to be near my family while I got back on my feet careerwise. My kids attend the village primary school, my mum looks after them after school (I pay for this at almost commercial rate so no real financial advantage but it is easy) and we are in catchment for a good state secondary where we are. However, I now work in Guildford which is an hour away, and often have to go to London for work, which is an hour and half. I had to take this job for financial reasons. I leave the house at 7.15am and get home at 7.15pm on an average day - later if in London. I can never go to special assemblies etc at school because living so far from work means I can't just nip to work a a bit late after things like that. The kids' dad lives in SW London and has them most weekends, and I have no friends where I live - the only reason I am there is because the childcare arrangement is easy and the kids are happy enough (though would prefer their mum and dad to live closer together so they could spend less time up and down the motorway).

I have been thinking about moving for a while but have realised that if I am going to then I will have to do it this summer, as DS1 will start Year 6 in Sept (DD1 will then be in Year 4) and I know you have to apply for secondary school places by end of Oct. That means that I will have to be in situ in the place where I want him to go to secondary school by then. I have spoken to Surrey CC who told me they cannot allocate school places until you have a local address, so I am going to have to move fast if I am going to do this (would have to sell our current home).

I've looked at the schools and the good ones for secondary seem to be: George Abbott, Howard of Effingham and Rodborough. I don't think I could afford a property in GA catchment. Am confused about Howard of Effingham catchment and whether this includes Bookham (one local mum told me Bookham kids have to go to Leatherhead), or just East/West Horsley and Effingham. Rodborough seems good but again I am not sure how close you have to live. Can anyone offer any opinions on the environments in these schools - how academic, friendly, etc?

For the primary school where DS1 would do Year 6 and DD1 would do Years 4-6, Surrey CC said no guarantee that places would be available and that there's no point necessarily choosing a property really close to one as that one might not have places in the right year groups at the relevant time. So it seems choosing a property to get in catchment for the secondary has to be the priority, with fingers crossed re the primary. If I was to look at Rodborough area, I have heard Busbridge primary is good, but what others are there? Near Howard I have heard that The Raleigh School is good but property in West Horsley seems very expensive!

Both kids are bright, do well at school and are reasonably confident. I have talked to them about the possibility of moving and they are keen on the idea of Mum being able to get home earlier at the end of the day and have more time with them, but cautious about having to start again making new friends and leaving their activities (DS1 plays in local football team, DD1 loves her Brownie pack). I have to decide whether it would be better for them to stay where we are and me just accept the long commute and lack of family time, or make a leap into the unknown and trust that they will adapt, make new friends and be happy. It is a hard choice and I don't know what to do for the best for all 3 of us. I would hate to move and them not settle, but equally I feel I will become increasingly exhausted and lonely if we stay where we are until my daughter leaves school in 10 years' time. It would be too disruptive to move once they are in secondary school so I feel pressure to decide now.

Does anyone have experience of moving area as a single parent like this and how did your kids settle? As I work full time I am conscious that I will not be able to devote as much time as I would like to creating new social lives for them with inviting friends over and so on if we move.

The other thing is I would have to find other childcare and I would want this to be in the home rather than childminder. I would only need 3-4 hours' care after school. Is it possible to find people who want to do childcare on this basis? Would you use an agency to find someone - if so can anyone recommend a good one? - or Gumtree or similar? I just don't know where to start.

Sorry this is a long message. I'd be grateful for any advice on any of the topics - primary schools, secondary schools, childcare, or just whether I should make this move or not!

Thanks all.

wow you have a lot to consider, i haven't got lots of pearls of wisdom as to 'should i stay or should i go' but feel for you and hope you get some helpful replies, so will offer a few practical thoughts !!

I know Bookham Effingham and Horsley well. There have been many issues about admissions to the Howard and if you are making such a big move and changes in your life, the last thing you need is more stress over admissions. If you like the Howard, look carefully at their admissions criteria and if you like Bookham, be wary of being located further from the school side. Based on previous years, Horsley would be a safe bet, but it is unlikely you would get a primary place which may be problematic for drop off /pick up and childcare. I know a good few parents having to drive from Horsley to Bookham schools.

But you never know, some years are higher birth rates than others.

I know of children who are looked after in their homes after school, and who ferry them around to clubs ! I think the parents have used 'nanny' agencies but I do know it's more expensive than using a childminder even for two children. There are lots of thriving sports clubs and Brownies etc. I moved schools twice at this age and was fine, and start of secondary is a natural point for everyone to make new friends.

Good luck with the hard task of decision making - but sounds like you are doing a great job involving your kids with the process.

Thanks Surreyhousefrau. As we currently live in a village location, Horsley/Bookham would be nice, but like you say, I am mindful of the reality of maybe ending up with primary school places further away and then the logistics of getting the kids to school in the morning and still getting to work in centre of Guildford by 9-9.15am.

Godalming is great but you need to be careful where you live to be sure of Rodborough

Iwasagnome - do you know which areas are safe for Rodborough catchment?

Sort of--the school can probably tell you too.
Message me if you want....

Ambles - I've sent you a message with more information, but in short, come and look around Bookham. I'm sure that you'll find it's what you are looking for. The important thing for the Howard is being in catchment (which Bookham is) and in a feeder school. If you are in catchment but not in a feeder school, there is potentially an issue in a high birth year, but that's not happened yet since the catchment map was introduced even in the year that was very fully locally (current year 9). Good luck

Whilst most children from Busbridge get into Rodborough, in recent years that's been a bit hit and miss. Generally living in either Milford or Witley would be a safe bet.

I would be very surprised if you could afford Bookham andtheHorsleys that you can't afford George abbot catchment. The whole of Bushy Hill area is in GA catchment (partly because there is a pedestrian tunnel under the railway line), similarly Merrow Park and Weylee Farm are also in catchment. I know people with Children at Bushy Hill who really rate it as a primary, and of course Boxgrove, St Thomas of Canterbury and even Burpham are all good schools.

I would also recommend Witely or Milford for Rodborough. Both have main line stations too.

sorry...Witley!

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned St Peter's in Guildford - it's a catholic comprehensive and being slightly smaller than GA and HofE it has a nurturing feel to it. Students don't have to be catholics to attend.

HofE and GA are much larger and very results fixated. Another unsung nurturing school is Christ's college in Guildford - has had a bad name in the past but is now a place where the students are a name not a number.

Prelim it is getting very hard to get into St Peters unless you are a Catholic, go to one of their feeder primaries or a sibling. Apparently not all siblings got in last year! And I know Christians but not Catholics whose Garden adjoins the school didn't get in a couple of years ago.
But it may change with the new bus rules.

Not sure if this is still the case, but I didn't like the fact that St Peters is very Catholic - some schools are more overtly RC than others, and this one has crucifixes on the walls and a chapel on site. (My local RC school has more active Muslims than active Catholics...)