Meadowhead School Sheffield

[Ermintrudewasinnocent]

Hello, any thoughts on this school - moving from London in-year transfers. I've noted the catchment is very "mixed" but I like large schools and they seem to have a lot of options and new buildings. I've also noticed they offer a lot of BTECS so was wondering particularly how they might be able to support More Able Learners at GCSE?

If anyone has any recent experience it would be great to hear

Where are you going to live in Sheffield?

Somewhere in the south west - its the only school with any space so far as I can tell.

Yes, all the good schools are oversubscribed and there are waiting lists.
What year is your child in?

2 kids - year 6 and year 8 (so looking for year 7 and 9 places from Sep).

Its year 8 that seems really difficult - many schools have long waiting lists in catchment in that year group. Not quite so bad for my younger child.

Yes, what junior school is the younger one going to?

Sorry, I've just seen they're both going to secondary. What catchment are you living in?

Relocating - moving into area and trying to find where there might be space! Feels incredibly hard as so little school spaces available.

Unfortunately, that's the trouble. The best performing school is Mercia, but it's not for everyone.
You'd really want High Storrs, Tapton, or Silverdale. Notre Dame is also excellent, but RC.
All of the above have waiting lists.
I have not heard good things about Meadowhead, but mostly that's about the area it's in. I did know someone who worked there and there were some social problems, but the staff worked well with them.
Are you living in S10 or S11?

Wanted to move into S11, have found a property there (Silverdale catchment).
There is no waiting list in catchment for Silverdale at the moment for year 7 so maybe my youngest can still get a waiting list place but the school told me they have little to no turnover in year 8/9 so its not clear my older child would ever get a space there. And not even certain my youngest would.

I'm not sure how anyone moves in, unless they can afford private education. Its really hard to cope with the stress of moving with no certainty or availability on schools.

I completely understand. We moved up from London when ours were in year 2 and 3, so we were able to buy in catchment. They went to Ecclesall and then Silverdale. That was 25 years ago!
I thought there was a waiting list, but I will check.

https://www.thestar.co.uk/education/sheffield-schools-hardest-secondary-schools-last-year-national-offer-day-2024-4537779
Some detail here from the local paper.
Have you visited Meadowhead?

No, I've not visited (we are still in London).

I've looked at that link. They all have long waiting lists but Silverdale had no-one waiting in catchment for that year group. But they did for year 8/9. I was really surprised that all SW Sheffield schools had long waiting lists in catchment for years 8/9. That suggests to me that there are just not enough places and / or people moving in cannot get a space. Meadowhead are not full in year 7 from Sep though they are in the higher years.

We were too, and never visited - arrived the day before they started! So stressful.
If you can get them both into Silverdale, it really would be the best thing. If you can get a yr 7 place, maybe the yr9 get in as a sibling?
In all honesty, I wouldn't choose Meadowhead, but I'm fully prepared to listen to any parents on here who have had a good experience.

Lots of people have moved to Sheffield. It's grown enormously in the last 15 years. 30% of houses sold last year were to people moving up from the SE. Prices have risen.
The schools with places available are in the less popular areas.

I still think that if one child gets into yr7 you could appeal for the other for yr9?

Thanks - I thought about that but could not get a sense from the school or council whether there might be movement for year 7 Silverdale over the summer i.e. would those near the top of waiting list still have a realistic chance of getting a place?

I doubt it. There seems to be little movement and I know people who have been on the waiting list for years.

Yes, I was afraid it might be quite stable (in London, if you are near the top of a waiting list in the summer its really likely someone won't turn up in September and you will get a space...). Do you know have any idea where in-year transfers are being offered, if there is no space in SW Sheffield?

Right across the city, but really the less popular northern part. We had neighbours move up from Hammersmith and they couldn't get a place in a school locally, so the girl has to travel.

Which school? How long does that take her?

I think King Edward's is good too. It's in S10 and is split site - lower school is right next to Tapton, upper school is in Broomhill. Might be slightly less "in demand" than Tapton, Silverdale, High Storrs - but still a good school in my opinion.

Parkwood - it's quite a distance, if you look at the map.

King Edwards, true. Not as sought after.

I would avoid Meadowhead. Any chance of Dronfield Henry Fanshaw or King Teds?