Secondary schools east of Swansea

[ThanksForYourHelp]

My husband just got a position at Swansea University (Bay Campus), and we'll be moving early summer. We're from the U.S., so we're figuring out the U.K. educational system in addition making sense of which schools might be a good fit for our daughter--who is currently in a small, Montessori-type middle school here and will enter Year 10 in the fall.

I'd originally focused more on Swansea proper, and I have an appointment set up with Helen Murray at Olchfa School when my daughter and I make an exploratory trip to Swansea in March. We're also going to visit a few independent schools: Ffynone House, St Mike's, and St Clare's.

I'm wondering if I'm missing something obvious, though. Are there state schools that go through Sixth Form on the eastern side of Swansea? If so, what do you think of them? It appears that housing is cheaper to the east than to the west, so I don't want to miss anything interesting.

Thanksforyourhelp!

West of Swansea is a much nicer area and Swansea is quite a small city so although there is rush hour traffic like everywhere else the better schools are not a million miles away. I would not live there if I could avoid it.

There's a reason the west is more expensive! I went to Bishopston, back then it used to get better results than Ffynone - don't know whether that's the case now, but a couple of years ago it got the best results of any comprehensive in the U.K. Doesn't have a sixth form so generally students either go to olchfa sixth form or gorseinon college.

I'd live in Swansea in a heartbeat but not the East side. I'd prefer Killay, Gower, Caswell. Or you could live Cowbridge, Vale or even Cardiff. The commute is not bad heading West to Swansea as opposed to heading into Cardiff. In distance its nothing compared to the USA.

I wouldn't personally want to have to contend with Fabian Way or the M4 at port talbot at rush hour in either direction if it can be avoided.

Olchfa's a great school. The west side of Swansea is much nicer in every way, really!

West side is lovely, Olchfa is one of the best state schools. The private schools are nice too.

Things to honestly consider about Swansea, it has a huge homeless problem and drug issues. Injecting drug use is high, even Fynone house school shares the same street as WACADA drug services.

Poverty is a issue in Swansea,and many areas are deprived on the east side.

However having said the above and I know it doesn't paint a pleasant picture overall Swansea is ok. The west side is lovely, and you have the Gower peninsula on your doorstep.

The city centre is half closed down, so shopping is best done in the larger shopping centers such as Fforestfach, Morfa and MC Arthur Glenn designer outlet is only 20 minutes up the road to Bridgend.

There are however as more students arrive, more restaurants and a "vibrant" night life of clubs and bars.

Swansea nights out aren't the tamest of nights out, and wind street is a bit of a jungle, but on the whole learn to be a bit street wise on a night out you will be alright.

St Mike's is a trek, but a lovely school. If you go East side, then Bishop Gore is an obvious choice... Depends on travel because Singleton hospital up to Jersey Marine is one of the 7 circles of hell in rush hour.

If you go West, which is a much nicer area, I'd stick to Gowerton, or Pontarddulais. I wouldn't go any further West...Morriston isn't clever at the moment, Birchgrove definitely not, and then your into the valleys. Maesydderwen is a lovely valley school, with staff that care and have excellent value added, but definitely a mixed intake, and further travelling.

Is it just the housing cost you were looking at East for?