Best London state secondary school in your opinion?

[Simplegal]

I’m overwhelmed with school choices for a Year 10 entry for my DD into an Co-Ed state secondary school. We have a last minute, frantic move to London from abroad and looking for entry for my DD. Somewhere within 30-60 mins travel to Canary Wharf? Open to faith schools as she has been in a traditional catholic school previously. We haven’t even started the accommodation hunt just focusing on schools first! Please comment if you love your school! Thank you!

I’m not trying to be rude.
Facts:
May 2023, Whitechapel 2210 crimes
May 2023, Woodford 274 crimes

7 times as many violent crimes in Whitechapel compared to Woodford.

source:
https://www.crime-statistics.co.uk/postcode/IG8%200AN

https://www.crime-statistics.co.uk/postcode/E1%201bj

I used to live off of Commercial Road. It was fun and exciting. Now that I have teenaged daughters, I want them to have some independence and freedom. And, that’s a lot easier to do that in a more benign environment. A 16 year old girl wants to be able to go out and about independently, even on winter days when it is dark at 16:30.

It’s not about the religion of local people, or their superior morals. It’s about urban density, poverty and the proximity of gangs with Zombie knives. Yes, it’s unlikely that anyone will be the victim of a knife crime. And it’s even more unlikely in zone 4.

The OP may or may not be risk averse. But she deserves to know the facts to make a choice.

In that case they must have been undersubscribed? Their oversubscription criteria puts baptised catholics 2nd (after looked after children).

How do those figures look measured against the relevant population numbers @EmpressoftheMundane?

The population numbers are irrelevant in this case. The OP’s DD will always be one person against the total number of crimes.

Not sure that logic really stacks up, in terms of probability.

I’m sorry but that is nonsensical. Are you suggesting that a place where there are 100 violent crimes but a population of only 1000 is safer than a place with 500 violent crimes but a population of 20,000? You have to compare it per population or the figures are meaningless!

We are not judging the rate of violence within a population. We are judging how much total violence exists for an individual to potentially encounter within an geographical area. That is what will be germane to her parents’ risk assessment.

But the larger the population, the smaller the risk of an individual encountering one of the violent events. I'm assuming Whitechapel is more densely populated.

But the larger the population, the smaller the risk of an individual encountering one of the violent events.

Please explain how that works. I don’t believe that to be true. Are you saying there are 10 times as many violent events, but having more people around acts as some sort of buffer or forcefield?

Basically, individual risk is calculated by the number of events / number of potential targets. The bigger the population, the lower the statistical risk per person.

Even if those stats weren't meaningless, I'd rather take my chances in Whitechapel than live in Woodford any day

Woodford population 12, 833
Whitechapel - population 18, 841

So Woodford violent crime per head = 0.00007792
Whitechapel violent crime per head = 0.1179738

But that doesn't tell you anything about your likelihood of being a victim of violent crime, as it does not describe what sorts of crime they have aggregated. They won't all be stranger muggings - they will include the numbers of armed robberies of shops, drugs "wars" and gang related activity.

But yes, as a general rule, areas with higher rates of markers of deprivation tend to have higher crime. As do areas with more businesses and shops.

@GonnaGetGoingReturns Coloma is in Shirley (Croydon), not Purley. Purley is the other side of Croydon.

As has already been mentioned, you need schools with places. The most popular schools will be unlikely to have places, and most of the schools on this thread will fall into that category. Living close to any of these schools will put you high up the waiting list, but that isn't of any use unless a place becomes available. There is unlikely to be much movement now and you ideally don't want to have to appeal, as that will slow down her starting.

Flip things around and find out where has places. Ideally a school with a few places or a couple of schools nearby with places, so places will likely still be there once you move. You may just need to choose an area and get an address so you are ready to apply. As an aside if you are looking for rental, that is a competitive market, so I would get started on that and not overly focus on a particular school. If a school has a place and no waiting list, they will give you the place regardless of the distance you are living. Someone mentioned Haverstock had places, which might be worth a look. Hopefully there are other schools.

Not sure if you are aware, but Catholic schools are often popular even amongst those with no particular faith. This makes them more oversubscribed. Other areas known for good schools will attract families and also be more oversubscribed. For example the Borough of Sutton (not especially convenient for you) apparently has no spaces in any of it's secondary schools according to it's vacancy checker.

Given schools start in 5 weeks, I would start pretty quickly looking at rentals, find out about spaces nearby and apply as soon as you are able. Hopefully you will get a place you are happy with fairly quickly.

Check which schools have places. Good schools are oversubscribed and with waiting list.

Thank you!

Thank you. Will note that in case we decide to wait until Six Form for entry.

Thank you for your advice!

Good schools are oversubscribed and with waiting list.

It really depends on location. Many London schools have places where people moved out of London but you need to phone up the schools.

St Andrews is a good shout, excellent Catholic school. Living in somewhere like Worcester Park means you could be in reach of St Andrews, Ursuline & the New Malden one (Holy something).

Also there are less rules about headcounts so schools may be willing to squeeze another pupil in as it all adds up to extra money.

oh & St Philomena's

Hello, just to add to above about Woodford - Woodbridge in Woodford and wanstead high in wanstead (next door) are both considered very good schools, and trinity the catholic comprehensive is also very good. Plus great area/community and relatively underrated due to being in the historically unfashionable east. If you lived between there wouldn’t be a bad option. There’s also the grammar school Woodford county girls - you never know where might have spaces.

school admin will typically reopen around the time of A-level results in mid-august.

Thank you! With Catholic schools do you have to contact the schools direct and non-denomination it should be on the Borough website for vacancies?

Usually yes - but grammars will also be their own admission authorities. Schools may also know themselves. There will be a place somewhere I’m sure. Woodford/wanstead is a lovely community and very safe for teenagers - although so are some other places mentioned, like Wimbledon and Sevenoaks. St Alban’s apparently also good for schools and would tick many boxes, although your commute would be longer (it really is quick from East London, and you could drive!)

Actually, ime, the very best state faith schools often have vacancies after year 9. Their catchments tend to be leafy and parents tend to have had the noise to play the game to get their dc in. Many of those committed parents decide the schools aren't quite the ticket academically or socially for their DC and vacancies do arise further up the school, often at times when parents are less likely to uproot a child from another local school.