Independent or state secondary - girls with ADHD? Old Palace Croydon?

[EarlyPlanner]

Planning somewhat early as don't need to think about secondary for another year. But I'm a planner so keen to gather advice.

Really liking the look of OP for my daughter.

She's very bright, but has ADHD (undiagnosed as CAHMS is a slow process at the moment, but I'm diagnosed and she's a small me)

It causes her quite a bit of anxiety, and means she is in many ways more mature than girls her age (very much an over thinker) but also can seem young in others (when she's excited she's very excited, when worried/upset that's heightened too)

I have no worries that if she sat an 11+ she'd pass. We don't live in a grammar area (Tandridge) but DH and I both went to Grammars so would consider moving/applying for ones she has a chance of getting in.

Old Palace has really caught my eye. The results are outstanding, pretty easy for us to get to and in time easy on public transportation if DD wished to use it.

But my concern (knowing nothing about independent schools at all, let alone OP) is how they would be for neuro-divergent kids.

I did well at GCSE and A Level - but had I been better supported I definitely had the intelligence of my friends who got straight A*. But my then undiagnosed ADHD meant I was deemed disorganised and lazy and left to my own devices pretty much.

That is what's making me consider independent schools, smaller classes, more support. But I wonder if that can also be a drawback when it comes to ND?

Would love any feedback if any of you made it this far please.

Don't know about the ND aspect, but we weren't keen on Old Palace due to its location an the fact that the buildings were across public roads from each other etc, and they had to travel to get access to green space for games.

We opted for Croydon High School in Selsdon (which is probably just as accessible, depending where in Tandridge you are). Lovely modern facilities in large grounds. May be worth a look?

@Seeline thanks for your reply.

DD isn't sporty but very big on dance. So OP seemed to tick some boxes there for her. And it was the A Level results that made me find it.
Haven't look at CHS to be fair. Is it selective?

I was looking online at Woldingham too as that's a pretty short drive for us or very short train for DD and seems great. Very impressed reading about the Academic scholarships so while it was due to it being academic

Ive never looked at independent schools at all as we both sides working class families and DH and I both the first to go to University. So just seemed so "other" to us. But am very impressed by what I've read so far.

Really though would need a scholarship or bursary to make it not wipe out the savings for her future. (We earn below the threshold for the bursary.)

But then I wonder if it would make more financial sense in the long run.

YEs it is selective, but not ridiculously so. It is part of the GDST, so has financial backing from a large organisation rather than having to cope on its own. Scholarships and bursaries are available. OP is part of the Whitgift Foundation so also offers financial assistance.

I would be cautious about relying too much on A level results - many girls prefer to go co-ed by 6th form.