Good schools in the Chester area?

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Hi, might be moving from Scotland to Chester area, which I don't know at all. I have a DS ready to start secondary school and a DD just started primary school I'm looking for a any advice on the best schools to look at in this area or any things to consider. I'm not just looking for the best exam results as I don't think that give the whole picture, but ones that people have experienced to be good in nurturing good citizens (if such a school exists, lol) any one with any suggestions would be much appreciated :)

Depends where in the CHester area you're looking to live, I think.

Don't know about primary schools, but CHristleton High school is reputed to be good; or HAwarden High if you're nearer Wales.

Catholic schools in both CHester and Ellesmere Port are good (don't rely on the OFSTED report). There's also Wirral Grammar for girls, I think they bus kids in to that one.

Thanks AstrOnaut, I can live in any area, we'll probably choose the area according to the schools TBH - and the house prices of course - just difficult to know where to start so hence the post. will have a look at the ones you mentioned - cheers.

Primary places in Chester are in very short supply, especially south of the river, the good secondary schools are also full and admission appeals are just starting.
Be very careful about schools and the school run because getting across the river at 0900 is very bad and unfortunately you will not be able to get a school place without an address where you will be living. Things are different than in Scotland in terms of admissions so you need to be a little careful.

If you start to go outside of Chester, you can move towards Wales and as Astr0naut says Hawarden High is a good school but it is a full school. Depends whether your children want to learn welsh as well. The Local Authority in Chester is Cheshire West and Chester LA and this continues a little way up the Wirral peninsular before you get into Wirral LA. Wirral has grammar schools, which you may or may not be interested in. Your comment about pastoral care makes me think not. In which case I would say that you should come down to Chester and look around 2 or 3 secondary schools and see which school suits you. I would suggest Christleton, The Catholic High School Chester and Neston High School would be a reasonable cross section of secondary schools, which you should be able to visit in one day.

My DCs are at Christleton high - both very happy there. Good results for a non selective school. Approx 25 per class. D of E award & Good extra-curricular sports, music and art. We are just outside catchment but got in. Christleton primary has good reputation as has waverton and mickle Trafford. Also in area for high schools are upton - good results but bigger school and Bishops Bluecoat. Further out is Bishops Hebert at Malpas which is smaller and has excellent reputation.

Whoops sorry - Bishops Heber at Malpas!

Thanks folks, my head is spinning now, Christleton seems to come up in searches I've done for nice places to live and school so I will definitely look into that area. Thanks admissions for your helpful post - I'm beginning to realise how very different the English School system is to the Scottish one - so many different types of school (very confusing) as for grammar schools, those are the ones that the childrens sit the 11plus for aren't they? So not even sure if my son would be too late for that and the impression I get about them (though it is only from media and could be very misguided) is that they can be quite elitist as schools go, though feel free to correct me here.

Bishop's Blue Coat has an excellent reputation for pastoral care but it's a CofE high school. Look at Huntington or Boughton Heath for houses - they fit into both Christleton and Bishops catchment.

Christleton's pastoral care is superb too. Upton less so....

Catchment areas here

Regarding 11+ for grammar schools. Yes the tests are carried out in the Autumn term for starting the next September. However there are always people moving into the area, so the LA will make arrangements with the grammar schools for tests to be carried out when necessary. But the key issue is whether the schools are full, which they probably will be, so it may be a pointless exercise and unless you absolutely want to go down that route you maybe best just looking at "ordinary" secondary schools.
I would not say that the grammar schools in Wirral are elitist in themselves particularly, but plenty of the parents of prospective pupils are, so there does tend to be a level of attitude!
Many of the secondary schools in the area are also in the process of becoming academy schools (sorry another type of school), Christleton and Bishop Blue Coat already are, Neston and Tarporley will be shortly and just for completion Bishop Heber at Malpas is definitely not converting.

Will second what everyone says on primary school places, you really need to look for those with places first and make your decision out of those because places are in very very short supply, espec south of the River. My son is going to Bishops in September, primarily for pastoral care and the fact fed by lots of different schools so liked the fact he wasn't the only one who didn't know many people. He has SN. I also liked Christelton, but decided against because lots of children going up together from feeder schools and thought he would find social side hard, that is a totally personal reason, it seemed a great school. I was led to believe his school year quite a low birth rate so you may be in luck. As I got him in on his statement I have no idea what over-subscription is like this year for High Schools.

Thanks for that folks, after all this I'm now not sure if the move will be happening after all - changes at my husbands current job!! So may not need to try to sift through all the choices and beaurocracy after all, at least, however, I now have an idea of what to look at if it does pan out. Thanks.