The schools admission process has increasingly become a significant factor for many people when moving home. A trend we often see in Surrey is young families moving out of London before the children begin their schooling. With great commuter links back into London, proximity to major road arteries such as the M25, M3, A3, M23 and A23, as well as Heathrow and Gatwick airports, it is easy to see why Surrey 'ticks the box' for so many families. And whether your budget stretches to private education or not, the county is blessed with some excellent schools.
With the 2018 admissions process coming to a conclusion, we look at some of the local schools in and around Ashtead, Leatherhead and Epsom, reflect on the outcomes in 2017 and examine the housing stock available within the vicinity of each school. At the time of writing, the 2018 admissions data had not been published.
In this article, we have tried to focus not only on the school, but also on the housing options within the vicinity. We have included local schools in the state (including faith) and private sectors.
We have noted the most recent Ofsted or Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) report details as at April 2018. In the case of the ISI, the reports only establish whether a school has 'met' or 'not met' the regulatory standards required.
Ashtead is very fortunate to have a number of Ofsted rated 'Outstanding' schools, which have not always been oversubscribed. If you are thinking about where you want your children to go to school, there is a lot to recommend Ashtead and the surrounding areas.
If you would like to have a confidential conversation with one of our team about the housing options near your chosen school, please do get in touch.
St Giles has its own unique admissions process, with 'nearest' to the school criteria applied only as a last resort. In 2017, it was not oversubscribed. It is a church school, with close links to the local Anglican parish of St Giles and St George. From September 2019, the Published Admission Number is 30 pupils.
Independent Schools Inspectorate: The school meets the requirements.
Freemans (as it is mostly referred to locally) is a co-educational day and boarding school for pupils aged 7 to 18. Set up in 1854, it moved to Ashtead in 1926 and remains under the ownership of the City of London. The range of facilities and opportunities for the children is exactly what you would expect from a school of this calibre.
Barnett Wood Infant School is situated in the village of Ashtead. The building is Victorian having benefited from significant modernisation. The school admits children between the ages of 4 and 7, predominantly from Ashtead. There are six classes with around 150 pupils in total. The school benefits from spacious hard and grassed play areas and has a purpose built outdoor swimming pool. In 2017 the school was oversubscribed and the furthest distance at which a pupil was offered admission under the general criteria was 2.523km.
Despite the Leatherhead address, the school is located in very cose proximity to Lower Ashtead, inside the M25. In their own words, "St Peter's is an 'Outstanding' Catholic school where academic excellence is valued within a highly inclusive ethos. We offer a broad education which fosters our pupils' spiritual, personal and social development, preparing them for life in 21st century Britain." The school was not oversubscribed in 2017.
St Andrews is a voluntary aided school in the Diocese of Arundel & Brighton. The school is a Roman Catholic Comprehensive School for students aged 11-18. It is a vibrant and dynamic school with high expectations and great ambitions for every one of its students. The school was oversubscribed in 2017. There are named feeder schools which have some priority in the admissions process. St Peter's Catholic Primary School is one of the named feeder schools.
St Johns School is an independent fee-paying school located on the outskirts of Leatherhead, just the other side of the M25 from Ashtead. St John's offers a wide range of opportunity. Every pupil is encouraged to choose their own pathway, informed by his or her interests and ambitions. They are encouraged to perform to the best of their ability, academically as well as outside the classroom. An emphasis is placed on participation: from sport to community service, from music to the Combined Cadet Force.
Rosebery School is a highly successful girls' comprehensive school for students from 11-18 years old. Our students are a pleasure to work with; intellectually curious, empathetic and fun, they continually challenge themselves to achieve demanding objectives which leads to great personal success. Rosebery School participates in the Local Authority Co-ordinated Scheme and has a Published Admissions number of 240 in 2018-9. The school was oversubscribed in 2017 and the furthest distance at which a pupil was offered admission under the general criteria was 3.474km.
The school highlights its excellent academic results at GCSE and A Level over recent years which has included GCSE results that continue to exceed national expectations as well as AS and A2 results that are in the top 25% of the whole country. Therfield School operates as part of Surrey County Council's coordinated scheme for secondary admission with a published set of criteria for deciding places. Ultimately, distance from the school plays its part in admissions but in 2017, the school was not oversubscribed and this was not called upon.
Epsom College is an independent private school offering education to secondary and sixth form pupils. It describes itself as "One of the country's leading independent co-educational day and boarding schools for 11-18 year olds." Alongside its academic facilities, the 85-acre campus provides space for exceptional sporting facilities including chalk-drained traditional grass pitches, two AstroTurfs for hockey and tennis (one floodlit), a 25-metre indoor swimming pool, indoor shooting range, nine netball courts, and a Sports Centre complete with fencing hall, squash courts and fitness suite.