Help - Tell me about Secondary Schools in Preston

[RandomMess]

Relocating with work, obviously our choice of which school the dds go to is determined by spaces but what are your recommendations and avoids and your reasons why? Same with 6th forms/colleges.

We are planning to live in north Preston.

Oh and state school!

Thanks people

Are you religious? Many of the better schools are Catholic or CofE. Those I've heard good things about recently are Archbishop Temple in Fulwood and Our Lady's also in Fulwood.

Not religious!!! I really hope there are some decent schools with places I really don't rate ofsted reports for actually being that useful unfortunately.

I come from Preston and went to Queen Mary in Lytham and dsis went to Penwortham Girls.

Where in Preston will you be?

north - fullwood and nearby area are where I've been looking.

Anyone else?

I would go with Our Lady's, or All Hallows although it is Catholic. Will you be able to live further out, say Lytham or St. Annes, and commute?

And calzone Queen Mary's is in St. Annes .

Nope, dh has to be in cycling distance of places.

Well in that case I think it would have to be archbishop then as the best schools do appear to be Catholic, sorry for the rubbish advice just thought I would give my view.

All advice welcome their current school is truly awful so believe me even if there aren't any places at the best it will still be an improvement!

Is Fulwood still on the main bus routes for the semi rural schools outside of Preston? Broughton and Garstang are outstanding schools (directly on Preston to Lancaster bus route) and Longridge high is a good school and there used to be a bus that did a circular route from fwood (royal Preston hospital) to Longridge and back.

Also, no schools with sixth firms around Preston. Main choices for post 16 are Preston College (largely vocational), Runshaw college (leyland, buses rundirect from all ober preston - including Fulwood) and another in the city centre whose name escapes me for sixth form. Myerscough to the north of Preston for animal/agrictural.

Cardinal Newman, that's the city centre sixth form.

I think eldest liked the look of Cardinal Newman! Good to know Runshaw College is doable too.

Oooh I am from Fulwood! You bought a house yet??

Oh yes Newman is the place to go if your eldest is wanting to do A-levels (instead of something more vocational), it is Catholic although all mine have had/been offered places even though we are not Catholic .

Just had a thought - there's also Hutton grammar for sixth form - don't let the name fool you it's a boys 11-16 comp with a mixed sixth form. Might be better if you think your children would need a more 'traditional' school environment rather than sixth form centre.

Archbisop Temple - Catholic, always good in results table but known locally as an exam hot house.

Broughton High School - good school, strong community feel. Would be my first choice.

Our Lady's - Catholic, the odd hours put me off. They shut early on Tuesday afternoon (2 ish I think) and I didn't want my yr7 home alone that long. I know it is a short term problem but I would have the same again if younger one went there.

Fulwood Academy - attracts children from the questionable area of town. Transient management. To be avoided. The behaviour of children going into/out of school is appalling.

Penwortham Girls - good reputation, high ethnic intake due to single sex.

Hutton grammar - boys only - attracts boys interested in rugby as that is 'there thing'. Good academic record. Bus goes from Fulwood.

Corpus Christi - used to have not a great rep but not sure now. The problem is, there are 3 strong schools in close proximity, so others are going to struggle to rise up.

Cardinal Newman for A levels, always posts good results.

Again there are great primary schools.

Good luck in getting places for your children in whichever schools you choose.

I went to Hutton Grammar for sixth form way back in the 80s. Was very good back then very competitive to get into Sixth form for those coming in but seemed to be policy of letting all boys from lower school who got the B grades to transfer automatically.

Very good academically got about 10 a year into Oxbridge and lots into medicine. Other poster was right about rugby it was almost a religion in the school! Also very strong in hockey.

Lovely old historic buildings too if you like that sort of thing ( founded by Henry VIII I think)

However it is to the south of Preston centre on the road towards Southport so may be a bit out of area. Lower school had church attendance criteria in my time, sixth form just academics.

Queen Mary's is in Lytham St Annes, not to be confused with St Annes on Sea

It's also independent, and has now mixed with King Edwards and Arnold School from Blackpool as they were all struggling.
Which must have been thankful for all the girls who no longer have to wear that beautiful uniform. Although I believe they tried holding out for King Edwards to wear the same, they failed.

There's Carr Hill in Kirkham if you're going down the estuary, but unless it's had some radical improvements the words don't, touch and bargepole come to mind. This was a long time ago though.

Carr Hill has improved in recent years very slightly but as it would mean a longer bus journey for the DC's I think I would only take it as a last resort..

DeWee....I wore that stunning uniform....could spot me for miles!

I grew up in Fulwood in the 80s and in those days the best non-Catholic school was considered to be Broughton, where I went, which was 2/3 full of people living in Fulwood rather than the villages round Broughton.

It got reasonably good exam results, and individually some teachers were great - but some were not. In those days bullying was quite a significant problem. There was a general sense that the school was very interested in promoting its own reputation rather than actually much in individual children.

Things have probably changed hugely in the last 20 years, but just some things to ask around about perhaps. I ended up wishing my parents had sent me out of district to Clitheroe or Lancaster girls' grammar schools instead.