Opinions and info on secondary schools near Chigwell, Essex

[prairiegirl81]

Hi, my sister is moving to Chigwell and has asked me to find out about the schools there. Her daughter is currently in year 4, and will stay at her current primary school until the end of year 6. We live in Waltham Forest at the moment, so know next to nothing about Chigwell and the surrounding schools. I know about Davenant through work (I'm a teacher), but my sister is not at all religious, so that's not really an option. All opinions and information would be gratefully received! Thanks

[pippop1]

I live in South Woodford which is not too far. If she is thinking of private schools there is a fab one in Chigwell (there are scholarships for secondary) called Chigwell school. There is also Bancroft's schools (again there are scholarships although not as generous) and there is Forest School which is good too. Generally academically from best to worst it goes Bancroft's, Chigwell, Forest (although they are all pretty good).

Chigwell is in general a wealthy area so many of the children will go to private secondary schools. Her DD would need tutoring for entrance exams but it's not too late. I think she would be able to try for Woodford County High School (girls' only grammar in LBof Redbridge) too. She would have to take the 11+ exam for this. Find out via Redbridge Council about this one.

Sorry but I don't know too much about the comprehensive schools in the area but hopefully someone else will.

[prairiegirl81]

Thank you for this. I am aware of Woodford County as we have a few girls each year trying out for there - no grammars in Waltham Forest. This is not really a route she plans on taking as my niece is able, but not able enough for the 11+. She probably could be tutored for it, but don't think she would be happy in a hot-house environment and my sister doesn't want that either. Private schools are not an option as she could not afford the fees. Thanks for your input, though.

[pippop1]

OK.

Beal School in Redbridge/Gants Hill is supposed to be a very good state school. It's v large if that's important and there's also Westhatch school which is near Chigwell tube station. I believe that's pretty good too. When I was interested in it for my son the school secretary laughed down the phone at me when I said that I lived more than one mile from the school gate as there was no hope of getting in. That was more than ten years ago though so things might well have changed. If your niece will be near to that one then it must be worth a look.

Other schools nearby include Woodbridge where a friend of mine used to work. Your sister needs to familiarise herself with the admissions process in the borough that she moves into. It might be Redbridge depending on which bit of Chigwell the house that she lives in resides. She should carefully check dates and perhaps make sure that she gets post to the address as soon as she has moved in so that she can prove dates if necessary.

Sorry not to be a little more helpful. My boys are both at Uni now.

[circular]

For Woodford County High, it would be more of a case of just being able to pass the 11+ - more like being in the top 0.5%. There are at least 10 x applicants as places, and most would be from kids above 11+ standard.

The three privates mentioned are all excellent. Forest could be a problem travelling by car, as you would be going in the sane direction of City commuting traffic. All three have 7+ entry (I believe Forest start at 4 also) with around 4x applicants as places. This is higher at 11, although more would be making a higher number of applications as more choice at 11. Of the three, Bancrofts is definitely the most academic. Chigwell are excellent on music and sport, as well as being good all round academically. I have also heard that there are higher numbers of students getting into medicine from Forest due to connections - not sure how true this is.
If your sister is interested in independent, then it could be worth enquiring about starting in the juniors - some will have places come up in yr5 through kids leaving. Is there any reason she wants your neoce to stay at current primary?

Quite a few Epping Forest parents send there kids to St.Edmunds in Ware, Herts. Quite a few that don't make the grade for the 3 above. Although down as a Catholic school, it is not only catholic intake. Ther is also a school bus, that hoes through Loughton and Buckhurst Hill AFAIK - not sure about Chigwell.

The only state comp in Chigwell itself is West Hatch. Although in Epping Forest, it Borders Redbridge, so the intake is from both. It is generally up to a mile straight line distance. Siblings are higher priority, regardless of distance, so "catchment" will vary. So this mainly covers Chigwell, Hainault, parts of Buckhurst Hill and Woodford.
Davenant is in Loughton, but there needs to be ~7 years of church/synagogue attendance proved.

There is also Roding Valley in Loughton which mainly takes kids from Loughton and Buckhurst Hill. Averagish on the league tables, recently changed head which I have heard has been an improvement.

Both West Hatch and Roding Valley are generally heavily oversubscribed. For 2010 WH 724 app for 189 places, RV 586 fir 240 places. This is straight from the admissions booklet.

There is also Debden Park in Loughton, which was under special measures a few years ago, but appears to be on the up. 357 app for 180 places in 2010.

King Harold School in Waltham Abbey is the one most Epping Forest parents appear to be avoiding - 145 app for 220 places in 2010.

There are also v.good Grammars further out in Essex, which should be less competitive than Woodford as there are more of them. Not sure how feasible the commute would be though.

[prairiegirl81]

Thank you for all the information, especially about bordering Redbridge for application purposes - we didn't know that. Someone elsewhere has mentioned St. John's in Epping as a possibility, depending on whereabouts they move to. If anyone knows anything about that, it would be great to hear.

Circular: the move is taking a long time due to problems selling the current house and by the looks of it, won't be complete until my niece is in year 5. She is very happy at her current school and my sister just feels it would be best if she stays there to finish primary.

Those admissions applications look quite scary - had no idea they would be so oversubscribed! We will keep investigating! Thanks again.