Good state secondary schools in Virginia Water/Surrey area

[abroad]

I'm starting this thread on behalf of a good friend of mine who will be moving to Surrey area in Summer 2012. We are both currently living in netherlands and her two boys aged 13 and 11 have attended the international school here since they were tiny.
She is very worried about finding a good state school for her boys to attend - can anyone make any recommendations please? Her husband's company will not pay for international schooling any more. They haven't found accommodation yet but her husband is happy to commute into London from anywhere in Surrey. She had her eye on Virginia Water because she has two friends living there (but they are no help on schools as their children attend international schools in Surrey).
Any advice most welcome - I feel really sorry for her as she really doesn't know where to start and I've been out of UK for 7 years so feel unable to really give practical help.

[sugarfoot]

Heathside School in Weybridge? Charters School in Ascot? Both very good.

[grovel]

I'll second Charters. Only 15 minutes from Virginia Water.

[pastoralacademia]

i would think twice before choosing Charters:(

[abroad]

Why would you think twice with Charters - any feedback very welcome!

[pastoralacademia]

very low expectations. Sport is good...the rest not so good.

[alice15]

Are they Catholic? There are some very good Catholic schools around - eg St John the Baptist in Woking. If not, George Abbott in Guildford, Fullbrook in Byfleet, Howard of Effingham in (surprise) Effingham all have good reputations (and consequently small catchment areas).I don't know the Virginia Water area so well. Or there are the grammar schools, a little further into London/Surrey borders - eg Tiffin Boys (very competitive, they would need to be very bright).

[mumsneedwine]

I'm a bit surprised about the low expectations at Charters - 2 kids got 13 As this year at GCSE and loads got fist fulls of A/As too. There have Latin for top sets in English, have 60 kids in each year taking maths a year early and give points out if your top button isn't done up.
Not sure what you are looking for Pastor but for a comprehensve school it seems to expect a great deal of all it's students. Oh and the sport is amazing too !

[pastoralacademia]

I have friends who have children there. They told me that some years are managed better than others. Points are a joke as far as their children are concerned; it is cool to have points. Results? Private tuition maybe. What subjectes? 2 OUT OF 250? I am not sure that's what I have heard from their own children and a lot more.... .

[mumsneedwine]

2 out of 240 got 13 As (and I know they didn't have any extra tuition) and another 120 got mainly A-B grades in 13 subjects - old style traditional ones too !! It is a comp so not everyone will get top grades, but everyone is expected to do well and are given the opportunity to do so. Points are NOT cool as they stop you playing in sports teams and going to Tirabid. Schools will never please all parents, but the reason it is so over subscribed and people move to get into the catchement area is because it gives kids the opportunity to reach their potential. I'm sure if your friends would like to send their kids somewhere else the places would be snapped up the same day.

[pastoralacademia]

What's going on mumsneedwine? It is a forum for opinion! A family we know very well moved from Virginia Water to get to Charters and now are looking to move out of the area because they are not happy. They shared with me their concerns and I am sharing them with abroad. I know they wish they knew then what they know now. By the way how come you know a lot of details about the school(If what you say is true!) I don't believe they publish the details of their results! Do you work there?

[mumsneedwine]

Sorry didn't mean to upset you but the orignal OP was asking for a school recommendation and I wanted them to know that, in my opinion, charters is worth a look. I don't work there but have 4 kids there and have been very happy with it. The school do publish their results (on the website) and also in local papers - along with all the other schools they have the pics of smiling kids and the best results. It's more than results though - the kids I know (and it's a lot with 4 lots of friends) are all polite, articulate and caring and all are having a great time at school.
I hope they find a school they are happy with and I'm sure your friends house will sell very quickly if it's in the catchment.

[mumsneedwine]

Don't know if OP is still interested but hopefully this is the link to the website with the GCSE results on the web. There is an a level page too.

www.chartersschool.org.uk/gcse-results

[abroad]

Thanks so much for the feedback - actually my friend called Charters and they are totally full with waiting lists so very unlikely her sons will get places there :(

Thank you anyway...

[mumsneedwine]

Good luck to your friend for finding a good school. If she is a church goer then Ranelagh is a fantastic school in Bracknell. But again, very full.

[mummytime]

Surrey schools (if any good) are very full, but if you move next to the school you want then you jump to towards the top of any waiting list. I'm sure the full issue is true of Berkshire too.
Next as it is not infant school, she can appeal with a reasonable chance of her sons being accepted if she can find strong enough reasons (look at special facilities the school has, languages offered, the need to become part of the loca community, after school clubs etc.).

Basically if you are moving into an area in the South East, you need to not be put off by schools being full, but be fully prepared to appeal. Also people do move all the time (although most try not to in GCSE years).

[abroad]

Thanks mummytime thats a good tip - my friend is visiting in 2 weeks time (looking at housing/schools etc) so hopefully she will also have a clearer picture of what she would like to do. She is now wondering whether she might be better off saving on housing (i.e. going for cheaper accommodation) and sending her boys to one of the international schools in the area (they have only ever been to international school here in holland). The state schools in the area seem to be telling her she has no chance/too late etc. plus she is worried about how they will adapt to a different curriculum (British as oppose to International) but I will tell her about appeals and/or moving as close to desired school as possible ;)

[mummytime]

The international schools are good (especially ASC) but they are very expensive, even more so than normal private schools. So she needs to think carefully about her Maths.