Moving from overseas - looking for under-subscribed outstanding state secondary school

[Claire0808]

Hi everyone. I'm living overseas and plan to move back to the UK in the summer for a Sept. school start for my three kids. I don't have an address yet and with places for next year already allocated, the children will have no chance of getting into many excellent but oversubscribed schools.

Is anyone aware of any excellent, under-subscribed state secondary schools anywhere in the country where they would have a chance of getting in if we applied in early Sept? (I'm not sure if these even exist). We can't afford private schooling so that's not an option but we can live anywhere in the UK so location is not an issue.

If anyone could make some suggestions of schools/areas where this could be a possibility i would really appreciate it. Thank you

No, sorry. I've never heard of an outstanding school being undersubscribed. However bear in mind not all outstanding schools are excellent.

I very much doubt you'll have any luck with that one. Your best bet is to move here first, get them in a school then start to look around. In Year school,admissions are notoriously difficult in terms of getting the school you want. I think an undersubscribed outstanding school is very much an oxymoron.

I'm on the app and can't pm atm but I can recommend one if you pm me

I think that your better bet would be to identify a location where the schools are all generally good, so whatever school you were allocated you'd be OK.

e.g. say you moved to Winchester in Hants. That has 3 v. good secondary schools (and a good 6th form college too). Winchester is £££££ though.

You may want to look at an all comp area (e.g. Hants again) to avoid the problematic issue of grammar schools creaming off the top sets as you are entering outside normal admission points.

If you can genuinely live anywhere then think about the type of location first. If it is a town or city then one where all the schools are generally good is a necessity. Otherwise, in many rural areas, there is one school that serves the entire community. If that schools looks good enough and it is in a lovely place that you want to be in, then I would choose that option. But then I like living somewhere remote.

Chances of getting three of secondary age into same exceptional school are slight. Just pick an area where there are a number you might be happy with, even if they need to travel a bit, apply for those and and see where is allocated. Once one is well placed you can appeal for others, but this will take time. What year groups are you looking for? Can you afford an agent to do the ground work for you?

I suspect rural or small town in rural area is your best option if that's the highest priority. If there's only one school within reasonable distance, then you might well get in on appeal. I used to work in the only secondary in a town, and you'd often hear the receptionist on the phone saying "I'm sorry, we're full in that year group, but the number for the appeals office is...", and three weeks later the child would appear.
The other possibility is a new development with a fairly new school. They often have more capacity than is needed until the development is completed (particularly if they're not too close on other areas, or other local schools are good). You would need to check they cover all the year groups you need; they often open with just year 7, as most people moving into new developments have younger children.

I think you need to consider budget for house purchase first. This will impact significantly.

These two good heading towards outstanding schools will have capacity in some years. Both are state comprehensives and have a combined sixth form. Market town often in good to live for quality of life lists.
files.ofsted.gov.uk/v1/file/2781581
files.ofsted.gov.uk/v1/file/2781581

Catchment area is tight. Example of house in area
4 bed 800k conservation village
6 bed barn conversion 700k
5 bed modern

@Claire0808 a good bet is to rent or buy a place very close to your school of choice, so you go straight to the top of the waiting list, and to choose an area where lots of families go private (because eventually they'll give up their state offer) and where there are lots of cosmopolitan families moving in and out. In those places there is likely to be lots of waiting list movement right up to September and beyond.

Richmond upon Thames is an example. It's an expensive borough, but all of the secondaries are either Good/Outstanding or rapidly on their way up from RI. The school places were all fully allocated on National Offer Day, but there's usually lots of waiting list movement before September and places also come up after the start of term, even in the most popular schools. Once you get one child in, the others would probably get sibling priority (but do check the admissions policies carefully).

As a previous PP has asked, is it definitely price no object? You are looking at huge differences in budget for a house in Richmond (lovely as it is) for the five of you than in rural Wales. Are there any work considerations at all for either of you - will you need to have the odd meeting in London for example? As others are said, undersubscribed & outstanding is going to be hard to find. Add into that equation, one that really suits all of your DC and that’s a tough call! I think you can rule out Kent - we are a Grammar County and the few outstanding Comps we have are over subscribed. Good luck OP, must seem a bit of an tough task when you’ve so many areas to weigh up from afar.

North London has some great state schools: selective and non-selective. Thinking of only non-selective, I would think of moving into the golden strip in Muswell Hill (Fortismere, Alexandra Park, Archer), Finchley (Archer, Compton, Wren) or Barnet (QE Girls, East Barnet).
If any child is of selective ability, you may be in catchment for 3-4 selective schools, although it's too late for Sept except at 6th form.
In all three, you can get cheap flats or houses that cost millions, whatever your budget is.

Also the Ark in Barnet which only opened in Sept so will have 2 year groups in the coming Sept and has places.
Nearby the Totteridge Academy is London's most improving school and now rated good. Fantastic head and staff.

Hexham - Northumberland.

QEHS gets some of the best results in the North East.

Almost anywhere in Scotland. Welcome

Cambridge secondary schools (many village colleges) are almost universally good. BUT Cambridge is expensive.

I would recommend Sutton over Richmond - not as expensive, lots of good housing stock and very good schools (including five super-selectives). Most of the comps are very highly thought of too.

IT is however really unlikely that you will slot three children into the same school unless it's not very good.

Not sure there is any such thing as an excellent but undersubsribed school - remember at the moment the 'baby boom' of the early mid 2000s are placing increasing demand on secondary school places.

Good luck.