Greater Manchester

[3pickles]

Hi,

Really looking for some guidance on secondary schools in and around Manchester (in areas of the tram or frequent trains to the city centre).

We are relocating and my main priority is getting schools right for my children, secondary and primary aged.

I am looking for recommendations for non-selective secondary schools that have excellent pastoral systems that are caring yet have robust systems for dealing with behaviour and bullying. I find ofsted reports and schools websites are quite limited in getting a true reflection on a school and would love some personal recommendations!

Thank you ☺️

Sorry north is what I meant

That’s helpful. I currently drive my youngest 2 to school, so I have no issues with continuing to do school runs like that. Just need reliable public transport links into the city regularly.

I'd consider North Manchester and have a look at the high schools on the Bury tram line.

Prestwich and Bury probably have the biggest choice for high schools.

Thank you. Do you know any that you can recommend?

I've heard good things about Bury Church, Elton and Parrenthorn. Elton is a bit further out from the tram line though.

Parrenthorn I think is more diverse and seems to celebrate that- their posts often pop up on my Instagram.

Generally good primary schools too I think - St Mary's (CofE) St Philip's (Catholic) mentioned as being excellent.

Friends moved from London to Stockport in time for their DD to start at Stockport Academy in Y7 They have been very impressed with how well the integration to Senior School has been managed. Lots of support, huge number of after school activities and contact with parents.

I was just going to mention Stockport Academy as a recommendation.

OP - you mentioned being worried about how your DH would get into town from Stockport, well the train takes ten minutes. Generally speaking, you’d also get more for your money there house-wise than in some parts of Trafford and south Manchester.

Have you considered Stockport? In particular the Heatons? Heaton Mersey/Moor have some wonderful primary schools (great pastoral care) and the catchment secondary school, Priestnall is part of the Laurus Trust alongside Didsbury High and Laurus Cheadle Hulme. Transport links are fantastic, East Didsbury Tram Station is walking distance from Heaton Mersey Village and Heaton Moor has a very reliable train station (confusingly called Heaton Chapel!). Great bus routes also.

if you like Trafford then Wellington sounds like your kind of school. Quite strict, good results and non selective. It has a small catchment though and is always oversubscribed.

HUGE variation in house prices across GM. Compare a 4-bed detached in Didsbury to one in Tameside and you’ll see what I mean!

Personally I really rate the church schools in Oldham but you do need church attendance to get in. Tameside - if you can get your girls into Fairfield, Droylsden or Laurus Ryecroft they’ll do well. Either way you’ll be a 30 min drive/tram ride from the city centre and have a much bigger house for your budget.

Yes Bluecoat and Compton House in Oldham are both good schools.

This is only helpful though if you’re applying for a place in reception during the normal application cycle. I have children in two of the most oversubscribed Manchester state schools, both with tiny catchment areas for reception/ year 7 admission, but I know that they both have spaces in other year groups. People move away or move schools for all sorts of reasons and that leaves places.

This is also unhelpful unfortunately. If you’re in Manchester then your chances of getting a place at a Stockport school are limited, and vice versa. I used to live on the border and moved house because of that.

I would definitely try for didsbury area. My kids went to a girls school mentioned upthread and the culture and behaviour of the school wasnt the best but better than many others that ive heard about.I wont lie, a lot of the behaviour in Manchester high schools isnt ideal at all. I would definitely avoid loreto Cholton, many of my dds primary friends went there and the behaviour is dreadful. The behaviour also seems to influence CHS and CHS South kids, which are very close (this is from personal experience and word of mouth, may not be accurate!).

Fantastic thank you ~ adding to the list to enquire about!

That’s really great to hear, as is a big move for them at that age, especially starting secondary school too!

Yes more just about the reliability of the trains. 10 minutes is fantastic if they are consistent in arriving and not impacted too much by weather, strikes etc.

I hadn’t considered it because was unsure of train reliability, but given it’s also so close to the tram too. This certainly is an area to consider along the others. Thank you.

Great thank you ☺️

Yes, very consistent. Very occasionally they don’t run so in which case he can get on the very frequently running 192 bus to town, which takes 35 minutes.

Well this is certainly something to factor! As a family of five, I never feel like we have quite enough space 😂

I am correct in thinking Tameside is east of Manchester above Stockport? Are the 3 schools you mentioned single sex?

I don’t think the church schools would be the best fit as we don’t attend church.

That’s good to note. I think I may need to print a map out and contact schools/authorities about spaces, that might at least give me an indication of which areas have spaces close by.

Yes I can imagine and thank you for sharing that. Behaviour certainly is a concern for me. I have been a teacher for 20 years and previously HOD in an inner city school in Nottingham.

Currently my children attend rural schools, which are not without their issues, but generally behaviour is very good. My year 7 boy was assaulted last week by a Year 10 which was completely unprovoked. But those incidences seem to be exception rather than the norm.

Great that there is a back up plan if the train isn’t running. Thank you.

@3pickles do you have an approximate budget for what you would be spending on renting/buying? As you have had lots of suggestions for areas with good schools, but house prices between these areas are going to be very different .