Sheffield Schools, areas and so forth

[OwlAndCake]

Hello we are a family with a DD in Y5 and a DD in Y2 looking at relocating (after many years in London) to Sheffield to be near family.

We are looking at schools in the Ranmoor, Crosspool, Botanical Gardens area - what can anyone kindly tell us about the schools, parents, kids at Tapton, Westbourne, Sheffield high etc?

Where are people used to London like us likely to find a best home in terms of places to live? Thanks in advance for any stories and opinions! :-)

Are you looking for private or state schools? Are you Catholic (or practising in another faith)?

Hi. There are some really nice areas in S10 (the area you are thinking of). If you are considering Tapton then Crosspool, Ranmoor, Sandygate and Lodge Moor are in catchment. It is a large school and, though highly regarded so far as league tables are concerned, it is possibly something of an exams factory. The kids are great but the school feels a bit like a machine where individual children can be lost. I am hearing good things about High Storrs at the moment. I think for that school you would be looking around Endcliffe, Fulwood or Bents Green but I may be wrong. You'll find lovely houses in any of those areas and all are near large parks or open countryside.

So far as parents are concerned, in most of those areas you will find a large number of people who work in the local hospitals, universities and schools. This neck of the woods has very low child poverty I think; the S10 area is, in general, privileged. I am not sure how any of this compares to London, having never lived there.

The High School had a reputation for being something of an academic hothouse but I have heard recently that it is better pastorally than it was. Girls certainly do very well there. They have a new head starting soon. Westbourne is mixed and less academically pressured, I believe. Its reputation locally seems to be on the up and I know of many students who have been happy there.

I hope this helps a little. It is a great place to live and there are lots of good schools to choose from. I suppose it all depends on your budget and what kind of school you think will suit your children.

Good luck with the move.

Tapton and Silverdale are top notch. High Storrs a little bit below, and and King Edwards a little below below again.

You are spoilt for choice.

Hi bumbletoes thanks so much for your useful reply! We've gone exploring a bit around those areas and what you say chimes. Its interesting that a few of the schools have reps as exam factories or pressure cookers, but having looked at some of the schools in London the Sheffield ones seem fairly chilled out to me. :-)

Hi Barbarian, either one! Not Catholic though.
:-)

I'd rate Tapton, Silverdale, High Storrs and King Ecberts (in Dore). Notre Dame is excellent but as a Catholic School it might not be possible for you. Henry Fanshawe in Dronfield (just south of Sheffield) is also excellent and takes pupils from the villages out that way and the southern fringe of Sheffield.

All these schools are over-subscribed so be careful where you move to, check catchments carefully and try and avoid the fringes.

There is a brand new school opening in September called Mercia School on Carterknowle Road, first intake is just Y7 & school will fill up over next few years.

Avoid Meadowhead School if you can, my son is there & it's frankly an awful school, bullying is rife & the school don't seem to care, a uniform infringement is given the same punishment as getting caught bullying & SEN provision is poor, unfortunately we are having to put up with it as the only school with places fall even further below this school.