Williamwood or Mearns Castle? #Dilemma 😭😭

[curiousbenjammin193]

Hello mums! Pleased to be here I am new so.. I am terrible with introductions 😂

I actually needed some advice and help

I will be moving to East Kilbride by the end of this month... I started research in secondary schools and couldn't take me eyes off of Williamwood High School and Mearns Castle High school.

I need to know

a) Which school is better?

b) Can we do entrance exams in the middle of the session? Or they will give us a specified time if they do for how long?

C) What is the system of entrance exams (generally in Scotland)? can you send me some links for the curriculum

d) My daughter is in Year 8 does that mean she is in S1 or S2?

e) what is the take on religon in these two schools?

Last but not the least: How is East Kilbride as a place and how are people? What is their opinion on religon?

Please mums understand my situation.. I tried searching but didn't get much details and I am not satisfied with my research please reply ASAP! Don't forget to send me a message if you want to explain more stuff to me

With due regards :)

Picture didn't post.

dancemom thanks a lot for explaining :) can you please provide me the council link and the link from where I have to search catchment areas?

This page should help you out.. www.eastrenfrewshire.gov.uk/article/1819/Catchment-areas-and-placing-requests

@prettybird oh I see :) is it okay if I search online too and apply for one?

Thank you so much for the link can I apply abroad or once I reach East Ren? So overall the distance doesn't matter for the school?

Id phone them and explain the situation. The country code for the uk is +44. As I understand it they will not allow you to enroll until you have either a lease or title deeds plus council tax statement.

Scotland is divided into Council areas e.g. Glasgow City, East Renfrewshire, South Lanarkshire. Each Council has a number of schools. Each school has a catchment area of houses that allows automatic entry to that catchment school.
Put very crudely to get a place in Williamwood you really need to be living in Netherlee, Busby or Clarkston. It doesn't matter if you're 2 minutes further up out of Busby as the Council area will change from East Renfrewshire to South Lanarkshire. Equally as you head out of Netherlee towards Muirend the Council area will change to Glasgow City.
To get a place at Mearns Castle you need to live in parts of Newton Mearns, Waterfoot or Eaglesham or to have attended Calderwood Lodge Primary. The other part of Newton Mearns is in the catchment for Eastwood High.
*Prettybird is right - I've known of people moving into the area during a school year who haven't got a space in their catchment school. In that situation the Council has an obligation to place you in another of their schools until a place becomes available. It would be worth phoning the Council to discuss availability.

That's why I've suggested looking at Shawlands Academy (even if you end up outwith catchment - but there are plenty of nice places within catchment but a few to avoid) - even within the school year you should be able to get a place and they are used to pupils arriving mid year from overseas and dealing with English as an Additional Language.

Easy access to East Kilbride too

Here is the School website - I'm sure the office would be able to advise you/put you through to someone who can.

You could also consider Notre Dame High School, single sex state school with great results

Thanks for the information... It does seem like a great school will think about it 😊😊 Thank you so much

Mums I was wondering one thing for visas do we need one application as a family or do we have to write separate applications

I.e one for my husband and one for my children

I searched on internet but couldn't find anything will be grateful :)

Hi again,

I don't know anything about that I'm afraid.

You should maybe start a new thread specifically about visas. You'll probably get more responses to that if it's mentioned in your title.

No idea about visas. Maybe post in either _Chat (for traffic) or Legal Matters. There may be another topic that is more suitable but can't think of one off the top of my head.

Sorry mums shouldn't have asked that :( about the catchment areas I have a favour while I was looking at schools in school guide.co.uk I found a section called catchment areas will that help me? I checked using a random house address using right move and i got one place just wanted to know is this website okay for knowing catchment areas? Sorry for annoying you guys

I would use the councils own catchment guide to be sure

Hello Mums How are you all doing?

I would like to know the documents required for the schools please explain in detail. Thank you guys for your help

No idea what documents you're meaning. Are you talking about for admission or for the school to know what level your child is studying at?

I've never had to do an "In-Year" admission, so don't know the process. I did do a placing request for ds as he didn't go to his catchment primary - but that was simply a matter of filling a form in as he was already "in" the system.

When I enrolled ds for primary, I was supposed had to take along his birth certificate (I took along his passport as I've lost mislaid his birth certificate ) and a proof of address (can't even remember what I took - utility bill, council tax, bank statement?)