Surrey grammar schools - best place to live?

[testbunny]

We are considering a move to Surrey (Croydon area) to TRY and get our DS and DD into one of the grammars. I've looked at catchments and I am a bit confused as to best place to live as we have one of each. Can anyone help? Thanks!

Croydon isn't real Surrey it's a London borough. There are no Grammars (state) in Surrey.

I know someone who got into Sutton Grammar from Worcester Park.

Yes there are, Tiffin boys & girls. Both in surrey

Sutton Grammar School for boys catchment includes KT1 to KT17 post codes... close enough to Nonsuch Grammar School for girls so Cheam, Epsom & Ewell, and surrounding area. Otherwise in Wallington: Wallington Boys Grammar + Wallington Girls Grammar & Wilsons Boys Grammar.

Tiffins are both in a London borough. I suspect mummytime meant there are no state grammars in Surrey LEA which is true.

Tiffin Boys & Tiffin Girls are further away in Kingston but they have very tight catchment area since last year. You must live within 14Km to get in I think. I might be wrong here. However, both of these schools have great bus and train links. Bus stops outside school gates and just 3 minutes walk to train station.

Tiffin Boys & Tiffin Girls ( Kingston-upon-Thames) are close to the town centre so first I would go and visit. Sutton Grammar for boys not so close to other Girls Grammar school in the area, therefore you might have to think about Wallington area or Kingston area if you want both children to travel together?

Year Kingston may have a Surrey postal adress but its not in Surrey LEA (actually Surrey LEA's headquarters are also not in Surrey, and lots of school appeals are held at said headquarters, also not in Surrey).

As these are super-selectives (certainly Tiffin ) make sure that there are also good non-grammar schools that you would be happy for your DC to go to in the area that you move to

Thank you for all your comments! Wallington area sounds like a good bet, although not easy maybe easier than Tiffins?? I have heard Woodcote is a good secondary as a back-up, is that right? Also, if we move we will probably have to move them to a private primary because of timing, then try for a grammar. Do people do that??

Thanks!

Coulsdon would be a good base for the Wallington grammars, and to have Woodcote as a back up. It is usually oversubscribed, so check last distances offered. Woodcote Primary next door is Ofstead outstanding ( report just published), 3 form entry so you may get some in Year vacancies. Chipstead Valley primary is also Ofstead outstanding. 2 form entry most years, bulge for reception this year.

Thanks Merlottime! What's Coulsdon like? I have heard Sanderstead is nice, but maybe a little far out? Purely Way?

oops, I meant Purley Way!

I like it :) we have 3 train stations if commuting to London is important to you (2 separate lines), plenty of green space, a Waitrose and an Aldi, on the M23 (on junction north of M25) in 10 mins, so we'll located for road transport. purley way is easily accessible if you need IKEA or B&Q but not on your doorstep. There are a few restuarants and 1 pub in Coulsdon - not exactly cafe culture, but very nice pubs in nearby villages. Very close to the North Downs and Banstead Woods if you like walking. Feel free to PM me if you want to know more.

Sanderstead is a bit further away from Wallington. I expect there are kids who do it, but it is probably multiple bus journeys, so not as straightforward as Coulsdon. It's just residential, no centre to speak of. Lots of people rave about it so definitely worth a look, but personally I prefer Coulsdon.

Am a bit confused by the advice you have been given here, if you want the best chance of your ds and dd getting into a grammar (which are single sex so different schools for each) then you need to be within the 'in catchment' boundary for Nonsuch which Coulsdon may not be. Sutton Grammar also has a catchment of sorts for some places.

I would be looking in Sutton/Carshalton and Wallington (but not as far as Beddington as that's where the Nonsuch boundary ends).

I wouldn't want to be out of Sutton Borough in case any of the rules change either.

Some of Worcester Park may be in catchment for all of the schools (Kingston and Sutton) so investigate that too.

Omni my advice relates more readily to Wally Girls, Wilsons and WCGS; I didn't say that this was closest or give the best chance. Lots of Coulsdon children that I know attend these schools; some also go to Non Such so it is clearly very possible. It's a balance isn't it, as you want to be in with a shout of getting into the school given the likely scores required for the different catchment areas, but also find somewhere to live that suits.

Thank you! It sounds as if Croydon borough will be a bit risky. Shame as we have family (of sorts) in Sanderstead

I think the biggest risk of all is that these schools are super selective, so if your DCs are not in the top 2% it will be out of reach for these reasons. Fingers crossed for you. Riddlesdown would probably be the non grammar choice from Sanderstead - it's very big, but is an excellent school.

Children from Sanderstead certainly go to Wally Girls and Boys, as well as Wilsons's. I have seen a few in Sutton Grammar uniform too.
Journeys are not ideal, and I think many do rely on lifts.
Riddlesdown and Warlingham are the main secondaries from Sanderstead, unless you are religious. Riddlesdown is big, bus is organised into 4 separate Colleges which really act as school in their own right, so kids aren't lost in the system.
Agree though that the grammars are very competitive. Several kids in DDs year who I would have thought were obvious candidates, did not even get through the first round of tests, whilst others who did passed exams for one school and not others etc. Even that does not guarantee you a place though. It's a tough process for everyone.
Sanderstead is a nice place to live though!

Sanderstead is a bit further away from Wallington. I expect there are kids who do it, but it is probably multiple bus journeys

Only 2 buses. The same number as it takes my DSs to get to school in Croydon from Sanderstead.

The question is: Are you DC grammar school material? As others have said, it is very competitive (although I've only done it for boys so far). You do need a balance between chances of getting into grammar and chances of getting into a good comprehensive if your DC aren't in that top 2%.

Chipstead might suit you. Still very pretty and peaceful and an easy and safe walk to the train to Purley and Croydon with their communications to the places you want to go, and a few minutes away from the two primaries mentioned. Chipstead (on the hill) is a lovely place to grow up, but more expensive than Chipstead Valley. In terms of communications for work the M25 is five minutes drive and the train goes to London regularly.

Or you could move to proper Surrey, get great countryside and send your DC to a Comprehensive which sends children regularly to Oxbridge or even a Comp followed by a Sixth Form college which has Harvard recruiting there.

What percentage of children who live within the catchment of eg. Wallington Girls get into it? I assume more than the top 2%? I'd heard outside catchment it was top 5%.

Sutton Grammar's catchment is KT4 and KT17, not all the KT codes referred to above. Also SM1-7 CR0 4-- and CR4.
You need to decide first what your back up plan will be - there is a selective stream at Greenshaw which many of the Grammar parents in Sutton put as a back up on their forms. There are plenty of locations that are in catchment for Wally Girls, Nonsuch and SGS. The implementation of the catchment area at SGS seems to have significantly increased the number of local boys getting places.
Locally Wally boys is ranked third in the pecking order for boys, but that could change with the new head.

From our local Sutton primary the number getting in has been more like 25% this year.