Where is a strategic place to move to in south London for secondary options

[LDNmeetsSurrey]

We're currently in Purley (Croydon Borough) and will have outgrown our home in a couple of years; right about the time we'll be picking a secondary for our DD (our DS will be a couple of years behind).

We're trying to assess where is not completely bonkers financially yet is well placed for single sex (one for DD and DD) or coed options.

From our current location in Purley, we'd maybe (catchment has narrowed)) get into coed Riddlesdown Collegiate which seems fairly well respected, "outstanding" but is placed at 866 academically by Locrating and is quite a large school. Yet last year we would have been one street out so not certain by any means.

By comparison, Wallington girls (Sutton borough), is no. 192 and Wilsons (also Sutton borough) no.13 we could just about drive to (would be a pain of a commute though.)

We would still (I think) be included in the Sutton Grammar catchment from where we are, but I'm wondering is there somewhere else - Kingston perhaps - that would be more strategic to move to that would offer us some coed state options that are well regarded (Eg Grey Court School, up at no.335) as a back up but leaves the grammar option open, eg. Tiffin? The Croydon borough is also really struggling with a failed transformation of the town centre, a bankrupt council and crime that makes the headlines - so growth on a property here is smaller than almost everywhere in London meaning that gap will only widen if we delay moving for a few years.

Kingston is much pricier than Purley - but it's not as costly as missing out on a decent school and feeling compelled to go Independent (which it would be a real struggle to afford for two kids). Would that be a good location for multiple school options? Where else? Feel like I've scoured every league table and catchment map and now can't see the wood for the trees!

They also have a pool which is unusual outside of private schools.

What about the Harris at Banstead? Too far? Think a very small catchment. My friend has gone private from close but not close enough, moved in yr6 to guarantee yr7

Bexley? Good grammar schools in the Borough itself but also easy to get to Dartford grammars and the super selectives in Orpington.

That's great to hear another experience @Boomboom22 re Warlingham.

Appreciate the ideas

Have you looked round Woodcote before dismissing it? I only ask it's now in the same trust as Riddlesdown and quite a few changes are being implemented. As mentioned higher up in the thread, we must be quite close to you so have done the debating about schools in the area.

@lovelibrary Thanks - I'll look into the changes you mention.

I remember doing lots of armchair searching - I even debated moving closer to Riddlesdown to get into catchment as it's so impressive on paper. But actually looking inside a school, talking to pupils and staff etc gives a very different impression sometimes. I guess what I'm saying is that you can look at lots of published data, but then form different impressions when you look round schools.

My friend lives in Purley and her kids go to Wallington and Wilson's. They are very doable by public transport. Fwiw they are pretty happy with Wallington but less so with Wilson's, despite its chart topping results. I get the non-selective concerns though. Riddlesdown seems ok but I never hear great things about Warlingham.

Turing House has much much better results than Teddington. Look at the GCSE results. It also has been marked as potentially Outstanding in the intermediate report by the very strict Ofsted as it is these days.

I think it is risky. Toolworth and Hollyfield or Chessington are not good schools.

If not grammars then there is not that much good choice there

These are super super selectives without catchment. Hardly anybody gets in and there is no need to move immediatly until you accepted.

I think it is risky. Toolworth and Hollyfield or Chessington are not good schools.

If not grammars then there is not that much good choice there

Aren’t Glenthorne & Cheam good? I don’t know anything about the others you mention.

Turing House only have 2 years of actual GCSE results to compare

Well to some of those I named the police is called. Maybe the other schools are better but she would need to move next to them to get in

Turing House only have 2 years of actual GCSE results to compare

It is unlikely they will suddenly drop down as it all depends on the cohort

Last year results. And this year was even better

@RedFluffyPanda You’re confusing me. WP is in Sutton so why would a dc there go to Chessington? Where is Hollyfield? There is a specific catchment thing for the two schools I mentioned with regards to WP so you don’t need to live next to them…

@LDNmeetsSurrey One thing to definitely do (because lots of people have outdated info) is look at every school you are interested in admissions policy.

I mean 2022 results.

You mentioned New Malden- yes? Holyfields and Toolworth schools are exactly catchment for New Malden area. If somebody lives in New Malden, the best option is to become a catholic ( Holly Cross and R Challoner) as there are not many other good schools that they have a choice of unless they are incredibly talented and will surpass 16 candidates in the race to Tiffin or Sutton Grammars.

Or would need to live just in Kingston to get to Kingston Academy or Greycourt
And if it is a girl that is the best option for Tiffin Inner Circle catchment. If not then in Richmond are good schools and still in catchment for Tiffin and some get to Sutton schools too with the pain of commuting there.

@RedFluffyPanda I already said the Catholic schools near New Malden were the best. Do you mean Tolworth girls when you say Toolworth? I've not heard anything bad about there but it's in Surbiton. People I know from New Malden always went to the Coombe schools

also not always

Do you mean Tolworth girls when you say Toolworth?

yes

>People I know from New Malden always went to the Coombe schools

The GCSE results for Hollyfield and Coombe are similar and GCSE at 5+ are in a region of 57-60% It is not amazing just ok and there are schools with better results e.g those catholic there

Yes for the third time I said the Catholic schools are the best, they are some of the best in London probably.

My point was Tolworth & Hollyfield are not the only schools or the closest ones...

I wouldn't call a school with 60% with 5+ and a good progress school just ok though but you can disagree. 🤷🏻‍♀️

I live between Teddington and Turing House schools and there's no world in which I'd send my child to Teddington at the moment. It has a fairly blessed catchment and yet seems unable to get on top of behaviour. I went to a comp in a northern mill town in the early 1990s, so I am not naive or sheltered, but the behaviour I see around the school and at bus stops etc is absolutely atrocious.

As a cohort, the Turing House intake is much more mixed but the atmosphere seems great and the kids I know who go there are happy, safe and thriving.

I wouldn't call a school with 60% with 5+ and a good progress school just ok though but you can disagree. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Here the OP has a choice of schools that have measure at 75% + and those that are not grammars e.g. Holly Cross and few other schools