Urgent suggestions for state/private schools for GCSE/Yr 10 - SW London

[Putneyparent]

Dear fellow Mumsnetters,

My son has been at school overseas but will be returning to London to do his GCSE's/ Yr 10 and 11 this September.
Can anyone suggest some good state schools within a few miles of Battersea/Wandsworth that he has a chance of getting him into?

Also considering independent schools. He's not super academic so don't want one where he'll be under huge pressure. Would love some suggestions of ones there aren't super expensive and super academic.
I'm thinking of Cedars in Croydon. I know that's not near Battersea but we are a Catholic family and I've heard good things about it.

Many thanks in advance for any suggestions.

You need to find out which state schools have spaces - call Wandsworth council and maybe Hammersmith and Fulham & Merton

Kids go to Cedars from Battersea so it's worth a look
Also consider Royal Russell

Catholic St. George's Weybridge

Wimbledon College is RC and everyone I know with DC there loves it.

Private, there's Ibstock Place, Kew House which are not particularly academic. Also Harrodian but that's a bit of a celeb fest, which isn't everyone's thing.

You will need somewhere that doesn't start GCSE courses until year 10. Many (?most) start them in year 9 now.

London families come and go all the time, you should call every state school you would be interested in as you may be surprised at what places are available. The Oratory, CVMS etc all would be worth a call.

You do need to look at school websites and judge for yourself whether or not the school would suit your DS. For example, Harrodian's GCSE results in 2018 were 68% 9-7or A/A, and Ibstock Place's 84%. To put this into context Tiffin Boys, a superselective grammar achieved just under 80% A/A or 9-7 last year. These are obviously very academic schools getting very good results. but with a far wider range of abilities than schools like Westminster.

Kew House is a developing school and their results are currently much lower, 45% A*/A or 9-7, but their results should improve.