Amazing state secondary schools... Anywhere in the UK!

[RaRaRamen]

Hi all,

Our kids are still in very early primary school but we're thinking ahead to our next house move in a couple years time and would like to move somewhere close to good secondaries. Our local options are pretty dire. We'd be looking for jobs around good school areas so we're pretty flexible and can go anywhere in the country. Which is exciting but so open! Our budget for housing is around the 400k-mark so nowhere super expensive 😬 We can't afford private school.

I haven't seen a recent post like this so hopefully this will be useful for other people with a similar conundrum.

So please tell me, does anyone really rate their kids secondary school? Or know of counties with a high proportion of good schools? Most important thing to us is a nurturing environment rather than academics. I know schools can go downhill but a good starting point would be ideal!

Also please, no posts about how terrible all state schools are. I'm not interested and there are plenty of other threads to choose from for those. Thank you!

Look for a thread on Private schools
On there you will find plenty of people saying how unnecessary Private schools are and how they are a waste of money - you will find those people live close to good State schools.

what type of house for 400K S10 and S11 in Sheffield have some of the best schools in the county but for a 4 bed detached with parking you are looking at over 600K. A 3 bed terrace would be about 280K and there is the much in between in that area.

*not much between

That's true hah. I did think about asking those people but 1. I thought they wouldn't want to give personal info, and 2. They'll probably say London, which is where we are... But wherever they live, we won't be able to afford it 😅

Ideally 4 bed but 3 bed would be ok. Is Sheffield nice to live in? I visited once and did like it!

I grew up in Sheffield and the schools are excellent. It’s a great place to grow up with city and Peak District close….however the houses in the catchment for Silverdale/high storrs etc are pricey. I currently live near York in North Yorkshire. Again generally good and outstanding schools…but very pricey. I guess that’s the issue!

Ripon is cheaper and a beautiful small city next to the Yorkshire Dales which has a really well regarded grammar but obviously then have to deal with the 11 us. We decided we didn’t want that when we were looking as my kids were to young to be sure if they were academic enough to get in

Anywhere with a good non selective state school will have high house prices! That's what you're paying for.
Any idea of area? Did you say Sheffield?

https://blog.thinkacademy.uk/best-state-secondary-schools-uk/
Have a look.

Golborne high in Wigan.

Is Northern Ireland unrealistic?

House prices are cheaper than GB and schools are great. We have academic selection at age 11 in most of the country.

There are obviously negatives to living here. It can be pricy travelling to GB.

This is supposedly the list of the best Secondary schools, but bear in mind they are “best” according to exam results, not necessarily the best in terms of individual care or choice of options.

https://www.schoolguide.co.uk/league_tables/secondary

York has some great schools. Depends what you want from your house too.

You could get a 3 to 4 bedroom house in parts of Hampshire. I just checked RightMove - Alton, Eastleigh, Hedge End on edge of Southampton. Lots of good schools in all of those locations.

Balcarras in Cheltenham is outstanding.
You need to live close and maybe £400 is not enough.

A lot of the schools in the link above are grammar schools, so while many are excellent some are super selective.

I absolutely love the first/middle/high school system my children are working through, in the HD8 area of West Yorks. All the schools are good or outstanding, and people move to the area for the schools.

Scissett Middle School/Kirkburton Middle School (both y6-8), feeding into Shelley College. The middle schools 1- allow older primary age children a bit more independence, but 2- keep them separate fr

It's no different to a private school.

You just pay with house prices instead of to the school directly. It's a wonderful school.

.... posted too soon

... keep them separate from big, smelly teenagers until they are one.

You can sell your house at the end of it, so maybe worth it if you can stump up to buy one in the first place.

Plenty in Hertfordshire

Echo Northern Ireland

11+ done here at 11

Excellent grammar schools

I live in a 5 bed detached with garage that I bought for £275k and is now worth £350k

13 minute train from Belfast
17 minute drive to city centre

My local school is on that list (Midlands so not London prices) and a decent family house (4 bed, detached, bit of a garden) is £850,000. A 3 bed semi is £450 - £500,000. There is absolutely a massive premium for being in the catchment.

I can afford to live here because I live in a small flat with no room for children so the premium doesn’t apply.

The tricky thing is that what you are after is the best school for your child.

I would highly recommend Royal Wootton Basset academy near Swindon. Hasn't been OFSTED for a number of years but was outstanding, friends that work there think its still going from strength to strength.

Been recommended Bishop Heber at Malpas.