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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

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Original poster

Moving to Uk and schooling

22 replies

NDlog · 03/04/2025 09:03

Hi all

We are planning to move to Uk in Aug 2025 from Zurich . My girls will be in year 7 and year 3 in UK next Academic year.
we have not given any assement for Year 7 . Now we are in talks with Sutton high school and Walthamstow hall .
we have got acceptance in Sutton high school and they want us to commit this week . While we have assessment with Walthamstow hall at end of April when we will be visiting them .
I don’t want to commit without seeing the school and feeling the vibe. Please help with suggestions and review of both schools as I’m purely relying on their top school guide listing
thank you in advance
Nandini

OP posts:

CarshaltonMum · 03/04/2025 09:11

I live locally. I don't have personal experience but Sutton High has a good reputation locally. It has good academics but also meant to have good pastoral care. They have good facilities like a swimming pool too. If we could afford it, I would definitely apply for my DD.

It is a big decision to make without visiting though. I assume you know that you usually have to give 1 term's notice on fees, so probably before Easter for a Sept start. So if you accepted the place and changed your mind, that could be costly.

LIZS · 03/04/2025 09:15

Where do you plan to live, as they are not close together and very different areas. I’d not heard of WH but Sutton is well regarded.

tennissquare · 03/04/2025 09:24

Yes agree with @LIZS , where do you want to live / work because trains from Kent and Surrey arrive at different stations in London, where is your work destination?

Original poster

NDlog · 03/04/2025 09:28

We will be working in London . We would prefer to live near to school . For Sutton , we would live in Surrey and for WH is in sevenoak so then will live there

OP posts:

CarrieOnComplaining · 03/04/2025 09:31

Fly over for a day trip and visit?

tennissquare · 03/04/2025 09:34

Sutton High will be breaking up for Easter this week so I would say you tell them you can't accept until end of April, 2 x dd is worth a lot of income to the school so they will probably wait for you.
FYI, parents holding places for all private schools will be giving notice from now up to 21st April to avoid committing to autumn term fees so there is always movement but schools need to recruit teachers to meet the schools enrolment numbers so it's a balancing act for the admissions teams.

LIZS · 03/04/2025 09:50

Whereabouts in London is your work? Sutton is urban , Sevenoaks not. Do the school hours work with your commute times, especially for younger dd?

Original poster

NDlog · 03/04/2025 09:54

I have planned to fly after Easter break so we will be visiting UK April 26th and meeting the school .

I have asked Sutton to extend acceptance window till end of April . But they have refused and I feel they are pressuring us to accept as the over seas acceptance fees is double of the local one .

what would help me is to understand if there will be openings in schools if we let go of Suttons offer .
Given that 20% of VAT increase I heard from some friends that schools will have few availability as there are lot of movement expected to Grammar school from private

OP posts:

Original poster

NDlog · 03/04/2025 09:58

when we move my husband will be working from home 3 days /week and his office is based in Canary Wharf and Bromley . I will be taking summer off and then exploring my work options

OP posts:

tennissquare · 03/04/2025 10:01

@NDlog , yes I would say there will be availability because both schools are located in areas of excellent grammar schools and top performing private schools, ie Sevenoaks, Wimbledon High etc so every time someone on a grammar school Waiting list gets an offer there is a small shuffle in the private schools with Wally Hall and Sutton High losing pupils, this is why they are so keen to tie you in.

Original poster

NDlog · 03/04/2025 10:11

Thank you for all the support .. I would go back to Sutton that we can’t accept till end of April and we would like to visit them. Given our Visa to live UK is still not approved it feels like there are moving parts and committing to a school with huge overseas deposit is not option for us .

OP posts:

tennissquare · 03/04/2025 10:40

@NDlog , yes I would agree esp due to the visa situation.

LIZS · 03/04/2025 10:42

Commuting from Sutton to Bromley is a pain. Have you tried Bromley High,
Farringtons? How are Sutton prepared to offer spaces before an academic assessment and is it guaranteed, given they will have a waiting list for year 7. Alternatively look at prep schools which go to 13+ as they are often keen to fill year 7.

HawaiiWake · 03/04/2025 10:54

Have you check other London schools? Travel time is not something to leave last minute. Fulham prep with Wetherby Pembridge or Thomas schools? They used to international families. Fees should be the same. Checkout goodschoolsguide.co.uk and londonpreprep.com.

Original poster

NDlog · 03/04/2025 12:28

My both my DDs have given assessment with Sutton high and have been given an offer to accept. My husband’s work is quite flexible that’s why commute is not my top priority .

other hand we are still working with Reigate grammar , walthamstow hall for which kids will have to take the assessment when we visit .

I have reached out to many other schools in top school guide and were told no availability.
I will look at some of your suggestions and reach out to these schools

thank you
Nandini

OP posts:

LIZS · 03/04/2025 13:20

I’d be surprised if Reigate Grammar has a year 7 vacancy, which school are you looking at for year 3? Do you have a good budget for housing?

Original poster

NDlog · 03/04/2025 16:28

Reigate has expressed that chances are low and they are willing to make an exception for a bright student with good academic and rich extracurricular abilities. We hope that our daughter will meet it . For the younger one will consider one of tw feeder school

OP posts:

LIZS · 03/04/2025 16:32

But bear in mind that one of their feeders is not in Reigate itself but a good 15 minute drive away, the other side of M25 and traffic in Reigate can be awful.

Gloschick · 03/04/2025 16:34

I have a relative who goes to WH and is very happy there. She moved there in a year 7 mid year transfer and settled in well. Mum has no complaints.

TheSharpQuail · 03/04/2025 19:07

Hi All,
My DD is deferring her GCSEs due to an unfortunate situation.
I would like to know if any parents have home schooled their child for the final year of GCSEs. What are the best online schools you have come across?
Also, if you have done Art privately, how did you manage it? My daughter has her portfolio from the past year.
Thank you in advance for any advice you can share!

LIZS · 03/04/2025 21:27

TheSharpQuail · 03/04/2025 19:07

@TheSharpQuailbetter start your own thread with a clear title to get more specific replies

Marie0511 · 04/04/2025 04:03

Although you say commute isn’t a big deal, you don’t want to have to travel too far from home. You have to take into consideration if they have activities after school, factor in homework. A lot of the schools start around 8.20am so if a school is over an hour journey that’s going to be a long day for your children. I suggest you look into schools that have a prep and a senior school attached it will make the drop offs a lot easier for you. So bickley park school, Fulham prep & senior, st James prep and senior school to name a few.

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