Advise - Good Boys Secondary Schools, Kent/Essex/Out London

[ichayan]

Hope everyone is doing well. Is there any area preferably outside London, doesn't matter east, west, north or south, which anyone could recommend with good secondary school for our son and eventually for his two little sisters? I know its last minute, our son is in year 6 and daughters in year 4 and year 1. Only thing to consider is my husbands commute to London for work. Catholic schools are also preferable as it will give us some advantage.

We live in east London and our son wrote the 11+ exams in couple of places. Two of the results came which he didn't make. The only remaining is Essex and Kent which I am not too hopeful at this point. I always wanted to move out of London and was hoping to move where my son would get selected and doesn't seem to go that way.
Thanking you all in advance and looking forward to some helpful advise to reach a decision.

[mad?]

If you seriously want to move away from London and still be commutable then
https://www.bohunt.hants.sch.uk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
https://www.thehoward.org" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
https://www.maidenerleghschool.co.uk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
https://www.stgeorges.herts.sch.uk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
are brilliant schools, but there are loads more in London also
https://www.alexandrapark.school" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
https://www.fortismere.haringey.sch.uk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
and lots of others.
But, think about where you might want live, work from that onwards, there is more to life than the school your DC goes to, being happy makes the world of difference.

[ToadMum]

Also consider that if your application to the schools in your new area ends up being classified as late, then the likelihood is that you will be allocated the nearest school with spaces still available after all on-time applications have been dealt with. Sometimes the reason they are undersubscribed is just down to local demographics. But sometimes it isn't... You need to check very carefully what the relevant dates are for people moving into the area - and if any different rules re residence apply for any specific school that you apply to.

[ichayan]

Thank you @mad? @ToadMum - I will make a shortlist and check with the schools for the deadline. I hear that in Kent you can amend the application before December and wouldn't be considered late. All I am after is to find an area where I can find a spacious house and good schools. I couldn't narrow this down in time and was too hopeful that my son would make it for one of the 11+ and left it too late.

[ToadMum]

Re schools in the Essex CC area, you should have a read of these documents (Note- the Westcliff High Schools and the Southend High Schools come under Southend on Sea Borough Council, not Essex County Council, so if you are considering those schools, you have to consult the equivalent documents on the Southend on Sea website):

https://assets.ctfassets.net/knkzaf64jx ... 2-2023.pdf
https://assets.ctfassets.net/knkzaf64jx ... 2-2023.pdf