Secondary school in Merton vs Richmond boroughs

[MammaK78]

We are currently abroad and are moving back the the UK in July. We have the option to move to the Richmond borough or the Merton borough and although both my children are of primary school age, my DD is going to be going into Year 6 in September which means we need to have a little foresight into where the best secondary schools are...

So far my research has shown the Richmond borough to have more options (Waldegrave, St Marks Catholic School, Orleans Park and The Heathland School) - has anyone have any experience or opinions of these?

Merton doesn't appear to have any good secondary state school options...

Thanks all in advance for any help!

I have three at Waldegrave. They all love it, and are excelling academically. However, catchment is getting quite tight, so you'd need to live close to be sure. Have a look on the Richmond borough website for maps showing first sweep offers from last year.

Is your second child also a girl? If not, but you are Catholic, St Richard Reynolds seems well liked locally. Orleans is also very well liked by those who get in. Again, a tight catchment. I think the Heathland School comes under Hounslow, but could be wrong. If it is, Hounslow have just announced that they had twice as many applications as spaces, and that the surplus is all out of borough.

I can't help with Merton, but believe anecdotally that some of the schools are very highly thought of.

Oops. Just realised that the well thought of schools I had in mind aren't in MertoN! Sorry.

Thank you so much slicefinger - our house is right round the corner from Trafalgar Infant School so I would hope that is close enough! Sometimes I do understand that the catchment area can be tighter than this .

You're absolutely right that Heathlands is in Hounslow. Oops - do you happen to know what the issue would be with applying outside of your borough?

Unfortunately (although of course I love him very much - ahem) I have a son as for my second. So of course Waldegrave would be out for him - and we aren't of a religious persuasion so that might St Richard Reynolds or indeed St Marks Catholic School (which is also Hounslow I've just realised). So Orleans seems to be the way to go... Looks like a good school - although DS is only 6 so have a little ways to go for him. My DD is more the priority what with her turning 10 soon....

If your house is near Trafalgar you should be fine for Waldegrave. Secondary for your DS would bemor tricky but luckily you have a few years. Orleans isn't gaurenteed from where you are. But there is Turing a new free school which seems to be doing well but only 6 months old. There also will be a new secondary on the/Richmond college site. Hopefully Twickenham Academy will have improved by then. Waldegrave and Teddington are "taking it on".
St Marks is a Hounslow school and Catholic. If you are RC consider St Richard Reynolds. Recently got an outstanding from ofsted. I think you are unlikely to get either St Marks or Heathlands from the Trafalgar school area.
Don't know the Merton schools.
Primary for DS you would be closest to Trafalgar or Archdeacon but dependant on them having space. Both are over subscribed. The new Twickenham primary academy is reception only this year.
hTH

Waldegrave is great. Orleans coasts on the basis that it has a very MC catchment (no guarantee of good behaviour or lack of low-level disruption that erodes teaching time), but does not add much value. Look at the DFE added value criteria on DFE website.
(I am a supply teacher with current experience working in all the Richmond secondaries, and also Heathlands and StRR)

Hi there, I have a little knowledge on Richmond v Merton. Merton schools are on the up, but state options are limited, and the better ones are single-sex. Children do travel to Wandworth/Kingston and beyond for secondary school. You will get a lot of useful info on MN, but you sort of need to know what you're looking for/what questions to ask.

I wonder if a consultant might help you - I have not used them, nor know if they are any good/their approach etc, but if your relocation comes with some expenses, it could be money well spent. You're coming into a very competitive schooling area and it would be shame not to have all the info and miss out. I have seen this one on a local board in Wandsworth, of course there are others.

www.jaderbergkrais.co.uk/

Hi Mrs Guy
Your opinion of Orleans matches with ours.