Need advice on Manchester secondary schools purleeeeasee!

[PixieWatson]

Will shortly be moving to Manchester to be with fiancé and am of course looking to live in an area with a good secondary school as son is coming up to that age. Fiancé has no children and also no idea which schools are suitable, and I have no mum friends as yet to advise me. Can, and will, of course look at league tables etc but that doesn't always give you a feel for the school and its pupils so was wondering if any of you lovely people could be of help? Anyone live or has lived in Manchester and have some advice on schools to go (or not to go) to? Your comments would be VERY much appreciated :)

Which area do u plan on living ?

Yes. We need a general area. There are loads of mn'ers in Manchester but it's a big place with loads of different LAs.

Trafford has some of the best schools in the country.

Well, I suppose that's part of the issue. Can choose anywhere based on the school really so have too much choice. Fiancé can live anywhere as works from home and I will be looking for a new job so no ties to a particular place. Manchester is our oyster! :)

Well I second Trafford then. There are grammar schools and also loads of outstanding high schools. Most of Trafford is really good to live in and most is in the tram route.

Personally I would avoid Partington but that's about it. (sorry if that offends anyone).

It does make Trafford more expensive but I think it's worth it.

If you prefer to live somewhere slightly smaller, then I could recommend the schools in Wilmslow and Holmes Chapel which are south of Manchester in Cheshire. Fallibroombe school in Macclesfield is also very good, and Macc has a direct train line into Manchester.

Middleton has an amazing secondary - Middleton Tech. OFSTED Outstanding in all areas (I think), great GCSEs, and not oversubscribed, last time I looked. 20 mins from city centre and really good value houses too.

Bramhall, Cheadle and Cheadle Huilme in south Manchester have really good local secondary schools and quite a few private schools if that's what you are after.

Cheadle Hulme I Meant...

Hale is good if you have unlimited funds but its not very diverse and very middle class.
Stratford grammar is supposed to be good, I don't know how the catchment works but its near chorlton which is a nice area with a really interesting mix of restaurants etc people would describe it as boheiemin.

Thanks for all your help so far all.
Don't have unlimited funds I'm afraid (i wish!!) :) so couldnt manage a private school. Also, am very down to earth and although I fully acknowledge the benefits of private schools I would prefer him to grow up in a realistic environment.
Aimee, I have heard Chorlton is a nice bohemian area and people seem to think it would be suited to my personality. I am unsure how the catchment works too. Have tried to get in touch with Manchester city council to no avail as was interested in whether they are very strict on you being ,in a particular area or whether they can be flexible? Does anybody else know?

Stretford is under Trafford council. They have a pretty good website. The grammar school is selective so your dc would need to take the entrance exam. It depends on age but the school website should be able to give you more information.

We live near stretford grammar and I have had good reports from other mums about it. Think it's quite a small intake though. Chorlton has lots going on - very family friendly with nice range of local shops, restaurants etc. Not sure what Chorlton High school is like though. I agree that Trafford schools do generally have a good reputation - it might be worth looking at Urmston grammar too?

Most of South Manchester you have a catchment area and then apply to the schools - see this typical catchment area info.
You can apply out of your area but then your chances of getting into a popular school are very low as you will be way down the criteria list.

e.g. my DD was 16th on the waiting list for a local primary school that we are 200 yards outside the catchment area of but as the crow-flies closer than most children at the school. She didn't get in.

Chorlton IS lovely - very bohemian, lovely wholefood supermarkets (unicorn foods) etc - also very pricey housing wise. But that depends on what you are used to.

I second the South Manchester private schools. (Disclosure, I went to one! Though the fact that I still keep in touch with my old teachers and still think the world of my education hopefully tells you a lot). You don't say where you live now, but they're also considerably cheaper than private schools elsewhere for some reason, but achieve the same in terms of grades and university entrance.

If I had a son and lived in Manchester I'd feel compelled to give him a try at the Manchester Grammar School entrance exam. It is such a good school (properly diverse, completely un-snooty, amazing teachers and facilities) and now that they can offer full fees scholarships it would be daft not to even try.

We live in South Manchester now (Trafford) primarily for schools. Altrincham was recently voted the best place to live in the UK for education (but house prices reflect that and there is lots of competition for school entry). I love it, very family orientated, lots to do, good transport links, good community / village feel etc. If Hale & Altrincham is out of your price range, I'd look at Urmston / Sale / Stretford in that order. They all come under Trafford (well thought of for schools ? selective area, outstanding grammar schools, good comps too), Chorlton I think comes under Manchester LEA which might prove tricky if you are considering a school within Trafford. It depends what you mean as "bohemian" ? thats a polite way of saying student-ey and a bit run down (don't mean to offend anyone). I suppose its like anywhere really, parts of it very nice, nice independent shops, restaurants etc, other parts not so great. I'd avoid Partington too. Stretford Grammar was in special measures for a while, not regarded as highly as the other grammars in the area (and some quite run down parts of Stretford too) but on the up now. All I would say is that if you are considering a school in Trafford, they are all massively over-subscribed so look at the admission criteria very carefully and live as close as you can. In answer to your question, Trafford are very strict on catchments, don't know about Chorlton.

The motorway network is very busy too so take that into consideration when you do get a job.

We used to live in North Manchester ? not as good for transport links (no trams) but good trains and more relaxed / more laid back. Lived north of Bolton. Bolton itself isn't great but (some of) the outskirts are lovely and the Christian secondary school (Canon Slade) gets better results than most of the comps in the whole of Manchester. Your money would also go much further in north Manchester than it would in south Manchester.

Thanks Mandy, some great info there. Appreciate you, and everyone, taking the time out to help. Is great to get some different viewpoints :)