School daze

Before child, I would move to another area with very little thought - moves were driven by work opportunities and I just assumed that where I ended up, I'd fit in or find somewhere I did.
Bit different when you have a sprog to consider - now moves are driven by both where work is found, and where the good schools are. And of course, our wallets since we can only live within our means (livng beyond would be rather reckless methinks).
So I was a bit surprised when I was asked yesterday about schools in Greenwich borough that I could rattle off an impressive list of primary schools but the only secondary one I'm aware of is the Plumstead Manor Girls school. If we stayed in this area, I guess that's where our daughter would go. What the heck do you do if you have a son or prefer your daughter to be in a mixed school or even, gasp, want to encourage her in sciences rather than performing arts (not sure why but the feminist in me really baulks at the only school for girls being one that promotes performing arts, no matter how good it is)
Having said all that, last week's report in the Newshopper about lack of primary places has left me somewhat puzzled - surely with the army moving in the council would have had to do an exercise in predicting how many extra places would be needed in primary level, both now and for the next few years. We parents get it shoved down our throats how important the primary years are, that if we don't spend loads of time reading to our kids, feeding them nutritious food and generally pandering to their every need, they will wither away and be sub-educated future non employed and ergo non-citizens (rant rant rant) and then the reality is that our kids will be taught in sheds because someone wasn't able to plan adequately. That someone is having a laugh but it's at the expense of youngsters who won't have playgrounds to play in.