Moving to Woking - advice pls

[refizade]

Hi there
I already posted this under primary education but thought i'd try here too.
We are thinking of moving (from Dubai) to Woking and need advice on schools and areas to live.
We will consider state and independent but may not be able to afford independent for more than 2 years...
We have boys who will be going into year 10, year 5 and year 4.
I havent had much luck finding good secondary schools in Woking and other than RGS no recommendations for Guildford either. Someone did mention Winston Churchilll tho...any others? Fullbrook? What is Freemantles? is Philip Southcote any good?
so much to consider!
many thanks in advance!

[refizade]

Any views on Broadmere Community School and New Monument? They are both previously rated good?

[Unexpected]

All I know about ACS Egham is that it is extremely expensive! And there are a lot of extras for transport, trips etc - all of which seem to be at the upper end of what other schools are charging. However, it is a "typical" international school and your son would probably feel quite at home there and they are very used to integrating students at non-standard entry points.

ISL in Surrey which has been mentioned several times and which would be convenient (if you lived in Pyrford your son could probably walk to school) is a very different kind of school. For starters it is tiny and every time I drive past (which I did this morning), I wonder what kind of facilities they can offer in this one small building from age 3-16. In 2012, they apparently had 146 students in the entire school so you would need to speak to them very carefully about everything from facilities, subject range, team sports etc.

New Monument is a school which has had huge problems in the past although seems to have improved dramatically in the past couple of years. It is predominantly Muslim. I don't know anything useful about Broadmere.

[mary21]

You mentioned Hampton school previously as a possible for your older son. Their feeder Denmead seems to often have space and shares buses with Hampton.
If you are thinking Kingston ,Radnor House in Twickeham says it has space in current year 9 and 10 on its web site. Relitively new school

[holidaysrcoming]

Howard of Effingham is still outstanding I think...Raleigh is fantastic, prob missed outstanding by a whisker under new ofsted criteria. Those who don't go on to Howard successful at getting places at selective Gford indies.

I would have thought Ripley Court school has vacancies - indie prep to 13.

[mummytime]

For State school, Surrey CC will have to find you a school place for each of your children! regardless of whether the schools are "full". Also after Key stage 1 eg. After year 2, classes can have more than 30 pupils. So you may well get into a school on appeal. Some schools operate with up to 33 as a normal class size (it may sound horrendous but in my experience it means they have money for TAs and extra teachers).
Howard of Effingham is a great school, and for your younger children it may well move to a new site and maybe even expand.

[harrison1999purple]

This
This is the sort of thing which would be ideal.
Near Woking High and Horsell Junior/St Andrews. Lovely village atmosphere and walkable to Woking town centre...Swimming Club on other side of town, but remember that woking dont just swim at Woking, Pirbright/Notre Dame Cobham/Cranmore are all used..
btw you will get more for your money in Woking than Guildford plus better train service into London.

[refizade]

Oh dear :( ISL was kind of my back up plan, possibly for all 3...thanks for the tip Unexpected. Do you think it would be ok as a temporary measure for the younger 2? Pyrford, West Byfleet, New Haw have no spaces and neither do the Indie Preps in the area :( Would it eg be better to put them in ISL initially rather than putting them in a not so good state primary?

I agree harrison1999purple, re Guildford vs Woking. I dont want a smaller house just cos its near fancy shops. Def no Dubai Diva! ;)

Not sure I like the sound of New Monument...even tho we're muslim

City of London Freemens sounds good but seems a nightmare journey from Woking (no school bus, 2 trains etc) Any views?

Hamptons also far but at least they have a school bus to Woking.

Heard mixed things about Radnor...but will check

holidaysrcoming, which outstanding secondary in Horsley?

[refizade]

p.s. love the house harrison1999purple :) That little country lane looks amazing! Read the report for Woking High and it sounds quite good actually...one of the criticisms is that kids who wear already weak in maths are not getting enough help...def not a problem for DS1 as Maths is his strength.

[holidaysrcoming]

not in Horsley - but Horsley is catchment for Howard, which is outstanding secondary. Children travel quite far for City of London Freemens I'd be surprised if they had space in year 10. Quite competitive academically they usually have wait lists for each year, any place going to whoever scores highest in exam.

I can't remember if they've been suggested but doesn't St Andrews in Woking have space at prep level? or Ripley Court? I have friends with children at both extremely happy.

on a different note, I really think Woking town centre has really improved....!

[mummytime]

Just to add if you are Muslim then Woking's Mosque is a real architectural gem, one of the very first Mosques in the UK.

[cece]

That house is nice and I like that road - it is called Cheapside but it isn't iyswim. Walkable to Woking High - probably has playing fields to the back of the house. Plus you can walk to Horsell Common rom that road really easily. I liked Woking High when I visited - really nice atmosphere.

[cece]

The only thing I know about Broadmere is that it is in the middle of a council estate...

[RandomMess]

I know parents of pupils at ISL and are exteremely happy with it. There is a massive building programme going on so the facilities will improve. Certainly good enough as a back up plan.

Yes the shortage of school places is dire...

How much would a tutor be for all of them - LOL!

[RandomMess]

I think with moving into year 5 you may find people above you on the waiting list may not want to actually move their child at that point in their education.

[AliceInSandwichLand]

New Monument has a catchment which is predominantly Urdu speaking, to the point where the classroom assistants are all bilingual to help the teachers with new arrivals that don't yet have much English. It's very good at what it does by what I've heard, but it's directing its resources at particular needs.

[refizade]

thanks for all the info again :)

randommess, fingers crossed that you're right re year 5...

mummytime, I do like Woking mosque :) one of my best friends got married there. Its the first purpose built mosque in england i think...Local mosque is not a must have to be honest but its a nice bonus

City of London Freemens have said they do have a space for DS1, provided he passes the assessment. its just so tricky to get to and no bus...if I had a uk license and no other kids to worry about then I'd happily drive him there and back every day. Anyway, he's got to actually get an offer first...

Salesian don't offer D&T which is one of the subjects he is confident he can get an A* in :(

[mummytime]

If you lived conveniently for the Horsley's your son could get train to Ashtead and lots of pupils walk from the station to school (or I think there is a minibus too) - for City of London freeman's.

[wakeupandsmellthecoffee]

Fullbrook match Heathside exam results and Heathside has just lost its outstanding in Ofsted.

[cece]

Has it now?!

Had DD's parents eve tonight at Fullbrook and it was all glowing. So a happy parent here this evening.

[springrain]

What subjects is eldest looking to do at GCSE? Re Horsley/Howard, there are school buses from Horsley to Howard so you only need to worry re school run for the primary school. Raleigh is very popular, but it has 2 classes per year and there are some expat families so there is some movement as a result. If you didn't get DS2 & DS3 in straight away then they would most likely be offered places in Effingham or Bookham and provided a seat in a shared taxi for this.

Have you tried calling Howard re eldest? It is a large school and so does have some movement as well. Plus being large it has a very broad range of subjects including D&T. You might actually find that it would get you a closer fit to the subjects eldest needs than some of the indies, and it would involve far less travel. Whilst they would not be able to give you an offer now if you are moving in summer next year, you would get an idea of what is achievable.

[wakeupandsmellthecoffee]

Nice to hear cece

[refizade]

Will do springrain, thanks

At the moment its looking like DS1 may have a few options (indie and state) if he passes the assessments for the indies...fingers crossed!

Am really struggling re DS2 and DS3 :(

Are Sythwood Primary, Barnsbury Primry and Goldsworth Primary any good? Am moving away from Pyrford/West Byfleet in my search but perhaps I can still move there if any of the above have spaces for kids outside catchment area...

Would sending the younger ones to ISL with a view to moving them to St Andrews be an option do u think? As randommess was saying I will struggle to find a year 5 space in a school that only goes upto year 6 but as the prep schools go upto year 8 it might be worth putting them somewhere for now with a view to move them...just worried about ISLs curriculum being too different.

A friend suggested homeschooling till I get the school i want! Am having nightmares thinking about that!!!

[cece]

Sythwood Primary - I think this are of Woking isn't really to be recommended.
Barnsbury Primary - don't really know about this one

Goldsworth Primary - very difficult to get into as very popular I believe. I know some boys who go there but never spoken to their parents on their views on the school.

[springrain]

DS1 needs to be the priority given his age and GCSEs looming, so that is great to hear. When will you hear whether he has passed assessments - as might be better to wait for that info, as would inform where you are likely to want to live and therefore choices for DS2 & DS3. I don't know the primaries you mentioned above - I live in Howard catchment so know that area (Horsley, Effingham, Bookham and also Cobham) best, plus Guildford a little. If you end up looking in this area I can help you more.

For state school places for the 2 younger boys you will get places, as the ages you are looking for are not constrained by infant class sizes and as someone else said, once you live here the council must allocate you a place. I would suggest aiming for an area where all the primary schools are pretty good and there is a good secondary as your back up in case you can't fund indi secondary for 4. But work this bit out once you know DS1's school.

[refizade]

Thanks again cece and springrain :)

DS1 is now registered for 3 schools and will prob register him for 2 or 3 more...assessments can be anytime for the schools who have agreed to send the papers to his current school. For the school which is insisting on him being on site, it will be 2nd week of Jan...fingers crossed!