Choosing a good school - need a plan for future

[letterenvelope]

MY DD1 got a primary school which is our 3rd choice. I regret now that we did not move some time ago as I think schools are very important. Now I am thinkiong about secondary schools and I am happy to move the house just to be closer to hood secondary schools. how people plan secondary education for their children and move of house?

The important thing is to move to an area where there is a choice of good secondary schools within the catchment, not just one. This is because schools can change quickly, particularly if a head teacher leaves, and you don't want to be tied up to one school. Choose an area first, and then look at the schools in that local authority on the DfE performance tables. The website www.how-to-choose-a-school.org/ I always recommend, because it attempts to be impartial.

Definitely make sure that you understand the secondary school admissions for whatever area you live in or look at. You may live next door to a school, but some have faith requirements, some have lottery type admissions, others even have 11+ tests.

Some schools will weather changes of personnel better than others. It is unpalatable but in "middle class" areas/catchments with little or no deprivation, pupils will be easier to teach. A new headmaster at such a school/comp admitted this to me - our kids should get good results because of their family backgrounds. Cross check your target areas with deprivation maps and indices of multiple deprivation to get a picture of that background in your target areas. We are struggling with similar concerns so good luck. Oh and i would say check that the school has a 6th form - our area is lacking in provision and i think it speaks volumes about how little the lea expect. I find it sad and that it seems to be a great way of stifling upward social mobility :(

tricot, where can I find deprivation maps please?

I don't think you need deprivation maps - just drive around the area! If it's rough with graffiti and all social housing you might want to avoid the local school. If there's a waitrose rather than asda coffee shops and nice tidy privately owned houses the local school will be full of those kids!

Beware going for really posh area though where all the local kids go private.

This is quite a good link: here

Titchy I agree - but my budget pushes me more towards the "in between" or not so great (well in London anyway) areas. That means that there is no easy Waitrose indicator worse luck!

Also you can download "Ward profiles" from your local authority website and that will give you an indication of demographics, housing stock, crime, unemployment etc etc But then I think I am a bit of a geek for this stuff!

Forgot to say... I have been plotting the catchment distances for my local school against those in our target areas, on top of the coloured deprivation maps. For me it is useful to get a visual impression of the colour differences in different areas....