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Secondary education

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Original poster

Non selective state school for girls in London?

32 replies

B2S · 26/10/2025 23:02

My girl has attended private schools, but coz of unexpected financial problem, we're thinking about moving her to the state school system.
Could you recommend the good non selective state secondary schools for girls or good school areas in/around London?
Of course, we'd like to find academically outstanding ones, preferably in SW London area as we live in Putney. But, we're very much open to move elsewhere in/around London as we're currently renting.
My girl is in Year 8, shy and sensitive, but once gets familiar, she turns to be very friendly and outgoing.
She is very happy with a nice friend group in the current school, but we can't afford the school fee any longer. I am feeling so terrible to move her in the middle of school year, but, I want to do my best to find a possible best school for her. Will very much appreciate if you could help.🙏

OP posts:
Hels20 · 26/10/2025 23:31

Have you looked at Saint Cecilia’s or Lady Margaret’s? Both excellent schools for different reasons. We have been very happy at Saint C’s in Southfields - nurturing, strong in maths and music , great careers lead. Lady M’s is probably a bit more academic

theunbreakablecleopatrajones · 26/10/2025 23:35

People say good things about Waldegrave in Twickenham and the Sacred Heart in Hammersmith.

If a reduction in fees would work then do also talk to the school - I'd imagine they would want to help you allow her to at least finish the year if they can

Travelmad777 · 27/10/2025 13:19

The tricky situation unfortunately, is finding an outstanding school that still has places available. Most will be full or have waiting lists I suspect. The best place to start would be finding out which schools have places available.

Nkmama15 · 27/10/2025 18:09

The schools mentioned are church schools so unless you the OP has the church paperwork , will be tricky ….

CForCake · 27/10/2025 18:29

OP, sorry to hear about your situation.
In-year admission are tough. There is much less movement from secondary schools than from primary ones.

If you are in Putney you probably already know that Wandsworth has a mix of very oversubscribed state schools (most of which partially selective in one way or another) and very undersubscribed state schools. But even the schools which are undersubscribed on national offer day may not have place at Y8 if they form all the classes by accepting the kids which didn't get a place anywhere else.

The first thing you need to do is contact local schools and ask them about the waiting lists. Your choice may, realistically, be very limited.
Do check the criteria for in-year admissions.
If a school has, say, 30 kids ahead of you in the waiting list for criteria you cannot meet (eg special needs, or faith criteria you don't meet, etc), then spending a fortune to move opposite the school may be a waste of money.
Distance from the school tends to be one of the key criteria, but it's typically after special needs, siblings and a few others - do check the details.

You mentioned you are open to moving. It's good that you are renting, because selling a house may take a while, and if you rent near a school while still owning a house elsewhere, the council might see it as potential fraud.

If you want to genuinely move near a school to be as high as possible in the waiting list, do your research. You can find a house near St Cecilia in Southfields, but good luck finding one near Graveney.

Appreciating that choices may be limited, what is, ideally, important for you?

  • Where do you stand on strict vs nurturing? Eg Ashcroft is a Marmite school with a reputation for being very strict; St Cecilia for being more nurturing, but results are not as good
  • do you want a girls only or are you open to coed?
  • How important is it if they use sets, when and for how many subjects?
CForCake · 27/10/2025 19:00

PS As far as I know, all state schools in the area are non-selective when it comes to in-year admissions like yours. Those which use tests, be it for partially selective places or for banding, do so only for Y7 admissions, not for in-year admissions, like yours would be. But do check the admission policies of the schools for details.

Wandsworth's official stats are: https://www.wandsworth.gov.uk/schools-and-admissions/admissions/school-admissions-statistics/

These are the admission results as of March and as of August. Other schools / councils may publish only those as of March.
But I am not sure any school publishes what the waiting list is like for in-year admissions in Y8 - you will probably have to contact each school for that.

Original poster
B2S · 27/10/2025 19:01

Hels20 · 26/10/2025 23:31

Have you looked at Saint Cecilia’s or Lady Margaret’s? Both excellent schools for different reasons. We have been very happy at Saint C’s in Southfields - nurturing, strong in maths and music , great careers lead. Lady M’s is probably a bit more academic

Oh, I've heard of those names in my girl's local music club. Will look for them right away. Thank you so much!

OP posts:
Original poster
B2S · 27/10/2025 19:04

theunbreakablecleopatrajones · 26/10/2025 23:35

People say good things about Waldegrave in Twickenham and the Sacred Heart in Hammersmith.

If a reduction in fees would work then do also talk to the school - I'd imagine they would want to help you allow her to at least finish the year if they can

Edited

Thank you so much for introducing new areas!!

The current school kindly offered the short term bursary for this term as we believed we could sort out quickly. But, now, we can't see a way out but only step back and restart...

OP posts:
ChattyGeePeaTea · 27/10/2025 19:07

I know people who are very happy with Ellen Wilkinson in Ealing. Not oversubscribed like some of the church schools either.

Original poster
B2S · 27/10/2025 19:09

CForCake · 27/10/2025 19:00

PS As far as I know, all state schools in the area are non-selective when it comes to in-year admissions like yours. Those which use tests, be it for partially selective places or for banding, do so only for Y7 admissions, not for in-year admissions, like yours would be. But do check the admission policies of the schools for details.

Wandsworth's official stats are: https://www.wandsworth.gov.uk/schools-and-admissions/admissions/school-admissions-statistics/

These are the admission results as of March and as of August. Other schools / councils may publish only those as of March.
But I am not sure any school publishes what the waiting list is like for in-year admissions in Y8 - you will probably have to contact each school for that.

Thank you very much for the tips. Yes, I was told to wait after registering my girl in the system when I contacted the council. I just hope to find a place for her very soon. Thank you so much again for your kind and detailed reply.

OP posts:
ACynicalDad · 27/10/2025 19:10

Perhaps consider a temporary move as close to the school you want as you can get to put yourself top of the waiting list, and then once you have it, move to something more long-term.

Original poster
B2S · 27/10/2025 19:19

ACynicalDad · 27/10/2025 19:10

Perhaps consider a temporary move as close to the school you want as you can get to put yourself top of the waiting list, and then once you have it, move to something more long-term.

Thank you for the tip. I'm also considering it but have no idea about schools as we don't have any close relationship with neighbours :(. But, thank for the advice here, I can speed up my research, I think!

OP posts:
Original poster
B2S · 27/10/2025 19:29

CForCake · 27/10/2025 18:29

OP, sorry to hear about your situation.
In-year admission are tough. There is much less movement from secondary schools than from primary ones.

If you are in Putney you probably already know that Wandsworth has a mix of very oversubscribed state schools (most of which partially selective in one way or another) and very undersubscribed state schools. But even the schools which are undersubscribed on national offer day may not have place at Y8 if they form all the classes by accepting the kids which didn't get a place anywhere else.

The first thing you need to do is contact local schools and ask them about the waiting lists. Your choice may, realistically, be very limited.
Do check the criteria for in-year admissions.
If a school has, say, 30 kids ahead of you in the waiting list for criteria you cannot meet (eg special needs, or faith criteria you don't meet, etc), then spending a fortune to move opposite the school may be a waste of money.
Distance from the school tends to be one of the key criteria, but it's typically after special needs, siblings and a few others - do check the details.

You mentioned you are open to moving. It's good that you are renting, because selling a house may take a while, and if you rent near a school while still owning a house elsewhere, the council might see it as potential fraud.

If you want to genuinely move near a school to be as high as possible in the waiting list, do your research. You can find a house near St Cecilia in Southfields, but good luck finding one near Graveney.

Appreciating that choices may be limited, what is, ideally, important for you?

  • Where do you stand on strict vs nurturing? Eg Ashcroft is a Marmite school with a reputation for being very strict; St Cecilia for being more nurturing, but results are not as good
  • do you want a girls only or are you open to coed?
  • How important is it if they use sets, when and for how many subjects?

Thank you very much for your kind advice. What an expert you are! I haven't thought of many things regarding the schools but only academic achievement. Now, I've learnt from you how much careless I was when I made a decision on the next step of my girl. Thank you so much again.

OP posts:
Original poster
B2S · 27/10/2025 19:34

Thank you all for the kind advice.
I've been easy going without thinking enough - I was happy with any school which accepted my girl who couldn't speak English at all as we moved from a non English speaking country when she was five. Even when she moved to the secondary school, I chose the current one as it was close to her elder brother's school... Now, I'm learning very much from you all about how to choose the school .
I'll contact the recommended schools here one by one to find a place. Wish me luck.
Thank you all so much again.

OP posts:
stichguru · 27/10/2025 20:00

ACynicalDad · 27/10/2025 19:10

Perhaps consider a temporary move as close to the school you want as you can get to put yourself top of the waiting list, and then once you have it, move to something more long-term.

This
You need to be looking at what the year 8 waiting lists of the schools are like.

  • Your daughter won't be eligible for a place even on the waiting list until you have moved into the school's catchment area.
  • Once you have, she will be eligible, but she will only triumph others on the year 8 waiting list IF you move nearer the school than they live.
So, yes, by all means get school recommendations, but remember that you won't get on the waiting list until you have moved, and you will have to wait an unknown amount of time until a child leaves year 8, or possibly until a number of children leave, depending on your daughter's place on the waiting list.

You ideally need to find an area with a couple of schools that you'd be happy with nearby, otherwise you might move to find her

  • having to commute to her current school and having to continue to pay the fees while you wait for a place to become available
  • having to be home educated while you wait for a place to become available
  • having to actually attend a different, less highly rated school in the area because the waiting list for the school you moved close to is too long.
CForCake · 27/10/2025 20:45

@stichguru I agree.

In fact, OP, depending on the waiting list, you may have to do it in steps.
If only the schools which are usually undersubscribed, i.e. less coveted, are available now (Southfields Academy, St John Bosco, Ark Putney, etc) then you might have to move her there now, then rent somewhere as close as possible to a better school, and hope to move her there eventually, which could be after 3 months or after a year.

Moving twice sucks, but it seems that, in your case, you might not have a better alternative, if you cannot pay the fees for another term, and if you cannot home school.

Bear in mind that the Council has an obligation to find your child a school place, not to get you the school you want. Once they find you a school, they owe you nothing more, even if you don't like that school.

stichguru · 27/10/2025 21:00

@CForCake This too actually. You can make your child school-less, but the council's only obligation is to give your child a place that meets their basic needs. Has been used to private and doesn't want something too different, is not a need, so if there are no places in the schools you like and long waiting lists, your child has no option but to take whatever they are offered.

Strawberryhilly · 28/10/2025 11:52

Don’t forget private schools usually will want a terms notice. State schools will expect you to start pretty much straightaway if you get offered a place. It is probably worth asking current school if they would accept a rolling notice to commence ASAP. Get on the waiting lists of all the schools you like the look of. As you are looking for an ad hoc place (in year admission) it doesn’t have to be your closest schools. School places do come even n very over subscribed schools. People move and people on waiting lists turn down places if their child is settled elsewhere. However if offered a school place you like like be prepared to say yes even if it means forfeiting fees.

Original poster
B2S · 02/11/2025 21:09

@stichguru, @CforCake Thank you for the realistic advice.Very true. Nothing I can do but wait unless make my child schooless. I have contacted schools mentioned, but couldn't get anyone during this half term break😓. Will strat frech to chase the schools tomorrow, keeping your advice in mind!

OP posts:
Original poster
B2S · 02/11/2025 21:11

@Strawberryhilly Very True. Thank you for the reminding me of the T&Cs of the private schools. Anyway, I submittied in year application forms to two schools - one in 1.2 mile away and the other one in 2.1 mile away, which are obviously oversubscribed and have a long waiting list. We're thinking about moving close to one of them with a shorter waiting list after checking with those schools next week. To avoid two time transition, we decided to pay the fee for the next term, or until the end of Year 8, hoping the place comes available until then.😔

OP posts:
Trampoline · 06/11/2025 12:51

Ashcroft has an excellent reputation and is in Putney. Do you not know your local schools op?

Araminta1003 · 06/11/2025 13:00

Please do not panic too much. The way the state system works is that even if you are allocated a not very good school for years 9-11, she can still go to an outstanding school in Sixth Form (when all that counts are her actual GCSE results). As long she gets good results, she can go to the very best state schools all across London. So you just need to keep her happy and some people who are in not good schools now just hire tutors or sign them up to websites to do well academically. Personally I would just get her into a close ish state school and support her academically. I would move her as soon as you can so she hits the ground running beginning of year 9. You really also need them to assess her properly so she gets the right choices at GCSEs and is allowed to do things like triple science and in the right maths set (if she likes that kind of thing). If you have no state school data at all via KS2 results you need to make sure she is in the right sets. This can be more important than which school she goes to.

gerispringer · 06/11/2025 13:07

Greycoats in Westminster has some places based on aptitude in languages. Central London so accessible from all over London. Would be worth a look.

CForCake · 06/11/2025 20:04

The partially selective places apply for Y7 admissions only, not for in year admissions.

CForCake · 06/11/2025 22:20

@Araminta1003 It is true that changing school for 6th form is not uncommon, but it's also true that many schools give priority to existing students.

So you could be in a situation where external students need higher grades than internal ones to be admitted to certain A levels.

You mention sets. Not all schools use sets, certainly not for all subjects, so this is an important point to look into.