New To Area, need advice on moving Secondary Schools

[LisaluluH]

I am new to the area and would really appreciate some honest advice on secondary schools in Morden or Sutton area. Glenthorne and Greenshaw have no places available. Any info would be most welcome

May I suggest reposting this thread with the areas in the thread title? Otherwise people won’t spot what you are asking :) Also, do you have boys or girls? Many of the schools slightly further out from Morden (eg in Wimbledon) are single sex schools

Thank you

What schools do have places in the years you need? When I looked recently there were very few places in Sutton secondary schools. The positive are all the schools are pretty good, but you might not get much choice. I don't know about Merton.

Thank you

Without more detail of area is hard to say. What year do you need a place in, have you moved yet and do you have a preference?

We applied as an in year transfer nearby in year 8 to a school with no spaces and many on the waiting list and there was suddenly a big churn and we got a space within about 5/6 weeks.

Last year transferred DC in year 7, again no space when applied and then immediately offered space as top of the waiting list.

I would recommend looking at the schools you would be likely to meet their high criteria for first (either nearby or faith or other criteria) as you would most likely leapfrog to top of the list.

Year 7 can be harder as the LA may still manage the Admissions process, other years are managed by the school's/Trusts themselves.

Am in Croydon btw, with a dearth of school places.

Finally, are you being offered any places? Depends how desperate you are but taking something then initiating a transfer may work better than holding out for one you really want

Thank you we are having to travel to and from North London from Merton atm.
I am applying for 3 , all of which have waiting lists. I'm very stressed and could do with a list of great schools most particularly ones to avoid, 3 of my choices are great but am not sure about any others. Some advice would be greatly welcomed.

I am sorry this is not what you want to hear but until you give a bit more info really can’t help much, it’s a vast area with many school.

I would reiterate for now you should focus in applying for schools you’ve got the best chance of getting a place in, then if after a while you are jot happy you can try and transfer.

The school year makes a big difference too

Ok I see, so I am living in the merton council area, am applying for Glenthorne, Greenshaw and Harris Academy all have stated they have a waiting list....am stressed and do not want to put her in a crap school

After they your nearest schools? And what age group/school year??

I need year 8, Glenthorne and Harris are nearest but Greenshaw is a little bit further but not much

Cheam High shouldn't be too much of a journey for you. Oversubscribed too but worth going on their list too just in case? Some are more sought after than others of course, but I can't think of any terrible schools to avoid.

Harris are really marmite, some love them some hate them. I'd recommend having alook.

I know people at both Cheam High and Greenshaw and both are happy.

I would imagine places would come up quite quickly, can the schools tell you how long the waiting list is and where you'd likely be on it? That's your main priority

Ricards Lodge, Raynes Park High, Ursuline, Holy Cross? I would add yourself to the list of all schools even slightly near by for now and see what comes up.

Or even Rutlish and Wimbledon College if you have boys. Add St Philomenas if girls.

All this information has been really helpful for me, thank you

Do you mean the Harris in Merton - you cant mean the Harris in Sutton (Belmont) as then I cant work out where you live re what you have said about nearness.

To answer the question as you know, Glenthorne and Cheam are seen as very good schools, Greenshaw comes after them. People try to avoid Oaks Park and then Car boys/girls after that but that is a way away from where you are as you must be further towards Morden.

I dont have any info on the Merton schools really other than Raynes Park High was trad seen as a bit rowdy.

I think if you are doing an in year admission then you wont have that much choice unless you are prepared to sit in a wait list and home school or can find the money for Sutton High.

There’s a new(ish) Harris in Wimbledon as well.

Yes, just found that, thank you

The vacancy checker for Sutton shows that no schools had a year 8 place on 21st Jan. Of course someone could leave tomorrow, so it's always worth applying. I couldn't find Merton information online. Possibly a lack of places could work in your favour as there may be grounds for a school to take an additional pupil if there are none with spaces.

I would say Carshalton Girls (and Boys, but not relevant for you) have become more popular recently so I don't think you need to try and avoid them.

Hi - places in those boroughs are pretty tight and you're best off applying to all boroughs - there is nothing stopping you applying to Sutton, Kingston, Wandsworth & Croydon as well as Merton.

If you are living in Merton, they have a responsibility to find your child a place. In reality it is likely to be St Mark's Academy or Raynes Park High School unless you are particularly lucky and there are spaces in the school you want.

The issue is that Merton won't tell you were the spaces are - they are likely to just say that the schools are full to name what you want and see what they can do - if not they will offer a suitable alternative (which will be St Mark's or Raynes Park).

Try speaking the academies direct to see if you can get them to tell you if they have spaces and that way you will have a reasonable idea of whether it is worth naming them. You may be lucky with Ricards Lodge - that is a popular school and apparently very good. But I would also take a good look at Raynes Park as it is actually a good school and one you are likely to be offered. Ursuline will be full unless you are very Catholic.

also - personal opinion I would never recommend a Harris - DD went to one and many of my friend's have sent their to Harris Academies (they have a high number of schools in South London) after looking at results. No nurture, no pastoral support, no interest in arts - very much exam factories with everyone pushed to take EB subjects whether capable or not.

SEN kids often treated as naughty and schools run to the Harris formula so if your child doesn't quite fit, has talent, has a personality etc they will struggle.

They faked good results by playing the system and messing about with where kids were on roll - registering at different sites so their results didn't count etc.

Many of my friends have moved their children since starting - in fact of 4 friends who all started at 3 different Harris' the same time only 1 is still there happily - 1 moved away to get away from the school so younger sib wasn't faced with a choice of Harris, 1 transferred, 1 having a terrible time and the family have applied for a another school and are waiting for transfer to go through... only 1 remains happily.

Their once size fits all approach doesnt work for all.

Where we are in Croydon for most it was their only choice until a new secondary opened. 40+ from our Primary we're going to Harris, since the new secondary opened its been less than 5.

It seems to work for kids that need a huge amount of roles and structures, but they make their money by employing non qualified teachers to teach ( or newly so they've not progressed up the salary scale).

It would have finished off my kids

Yes I have heard those Harris stories, interesting some of those points could be levelled at the super selectives as well.