Oxford secondary schools

[Lynxlynx14]

Strongly considering a move to Oxford for my kids’ secondary education. I’m after any advice - we’re looking for co-ed, would consider both private and state. Neither kids are particularly academic, but great all-rounders who love school & getting stuck in to extra curricular stuff!

Also, any advice on areas - Summertown/Jericho are the dream, but probably not a reality! Would definitely consider towns around Oxford (commutable to London)

Any help or pointers would be very welcome

Cherwell (state) is highly sought-after.
St Edwards (independent) is an all-rounder.
Bartholomew (state) in Eynsham is good too.

Matthew Arnold is pretty good. Catchment covers west Oxford and some villages on outskirts e.g. Appleton. Good academic results, good pastoral care, fantastic music and theatre productions (in normal times!)

Friends have children at Cheney in Headington and are happy there too.

Both these are state schools.

Thank you for this. Does anyone know anything about d’Overbroecks 7-11?

2nd the Cherwell. It’s state so you might be able to afford the catchment - it’s very very oversubscribed & the catchment is expensive. It’s far and away the best school in Oxford for state.

The Swan is brand new, and just a few hundred metres from the Cherwell and serves a less affluent area and is INSANELY strict, but hugely ambitious, academically. Gorgeous new premises & brilliant teachers. I’m v interested in seeing how their sixth form pans out.

I’m not crazy about the Matthew Arnold, personally. It’s fine if it’s your catchment school, but I wouldn’t move to Oxford because of it. Cheney is a no for me.

The single sex schools are probably better and you have more choice, if you’re paying fees. Lots of great schools around.

D’oeverbrooks is good - maybe a bit expensive? I actually don’t know much about it because I was more interested in single arc when I was doing my research. It’s more laid back than the others.

D’oeverbrooks has a rather unfocused campus, if memory serves. There’s bits of it all over north Oxford. That might be a consideration.

so there are lots of options here.

Best for commuting to London = Didcot. 37mins into Paddington. Lots of villages to choose from if you don't want to live in Didcot itself. You could use the school busses into Oxford, or look at Cranford House school, Pangbourne, Bradfield College and also Abingdon/St Helens which are both selective.

Best state schools = Cherwell, if there's any spaces, Bartholomew, maybe Wheatley Park too?

Best co-ed private schools = Teddies (St Edwards)
Best single sex private schools = Headington/Abingdon

Areas to live in, Summertown = £££, Wolvercote is cheaper, with priority to Cherwell School, Headington is nice too.

Beware the traffic during rush hours.

If you can afford a house in the catchment area, Cherwell best bet. We couldn’t afford it! (Think £1million plus for family home)

Swan school reportedly very strict. It is new though so rather an unknown.
Cheney - heard very mixed things but overall I think is middle of the road comp.
Matthew Arnold - ditto.
I wouldn’t move for the 3 above.

I wouldn’t go for st Gregory’s/oxford academy/spires. I’m sure great learning happens in all schools but if you have a choice these are less academically strong and cover more challenging catchments.

Private
Super selective single sex ‘hot house’ type schools - magdalen and oxford high
Academic but much more ‘all round’ single sex - Abingdon, Headington. Both massive schools with lots of extracurricular options.
Co-Ed all rounder - st edwards. Academically strong (compared to average not super selective) amazing facilities and a zillion extracurricular options for the size.
The rest: wychwood is a tiny nuturing school which colleagues with girls at speak v highly of.
D’overbroecks - co Ed, ‘alternative’ type of private school, tiny 11-16 part with minimal facilities and big high performing 6th form on separate site.
Rye st Anthony : girls from 11, gentler , don’t know anyone there so can’t say more

This is all really helpful - thank you. I went to Headington in the 90s & then moved away, so my knowledge is pretty rusty now!