live in Caterham valley - what are realistic secondary options

[shifferBrains]

From experience here dies anyone live in Caterham valley whose child has got into oxted (not using a sibling rule)?

Other than that what are my realistic choices living here I do?

Thanks

De stafford, Oasis Coulsdon, Warlingham, small chance of Riddlesdown.

Ok thanks ladymuck much appreciated

I wouldn't choose de Stafford...check it's last ofsted report..would you be able to get him to warlingham?

I would have thought that all non selective schools take the excluded pupils of neighbouring schools don't they?

Woodcote High in Coulsdon? Not as over subscribed as it used to be and it's a good school.

How would the dc travel from caterham valley to woodcote high?

407 bus to Purley and walk down.

Oh is it walking distance from Purley? I wasn't sure exactly where it is. Will look it up. I suppose train is another option then as traffic can get quite slow along the A22 to Purley in the mornings. I don't have high school aged children, so can't really comment on the schools, but have looked around a few of the schools mentioned and am thinking Warlingham at the moment. There is a bus that goes from the bottom of Burntwood Lane near Wapses Lodge roundabout straight to Warlingham, but only once in the morning and once after school.

The school was taken over by a "superhead." He turned the school around, but then moved on to a school in Putney to turn that around I believe.

Just checked and he left in 2010. en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Stafford_School

To be fair the number of children getting 5 A-c gcses is still about 20% higher than I remember it being before the superhead came. The current head had only been there a term when they were ofsteded, so not long to have much influence. There have been a few changes and hopefully things will settle down.

The kids there seemed pleasant, polite and well behaved when we looked round last September. Although I've thought that about all the schools I've looked around, which doesn't help in making a choice

The male head took over from the headmistress last September I believe. He seemed a nice chap.

Woodcote is still massively over subscribed. Over 800 applicants for c200 places last year. I expect someone living in Caterham may struggle to get in based on distance alone.