Are you religious? If RC, Sacred Heart in Whetstone is classed as outstanding by Ofsted and has some of the best results in Barnet. It gives priority to those in the RC parish of st Mary Magdalene first (Whetstone), then St Albans in North Finchley.

If COI, there is the All Saints Whetstone and St Andrew's Totteridge.

If Jewish, you're spoilt for choice though admission is very competitive.

If you want non-denominational, then Frith Manor, Moss Hall and Woodridge are your best chances, but they have very tight proximity rules. For example, it was 0.3 miles for Woodridge last year!

My son (now 13) went to Moss Hall school from age 4-11. There is also a lovely nursery attached to the school. It is a very popular and oversubscribed school with a strong multicultural ethos and a high percentage of posh and pushy MC parents. Academic results are very good and a reasonable number of kids go on to selective state and independent schools such as Henrietta Barnett, Dame Alice Owen, Latymer, Haberdasher's etc.

Lots of visits to museums, arts galleries etc and residential trips from year 4 onwards. Parents are encouraged to get involved with the school as classroom helpers, assisting on trips out, so I got free trips to lots of interesting places when DS was there, and ran a lunchtime computer club for Year 2 kids!

Nice leafy-suburb location right next to West Finchley tube which is very convenient for commuting parents. There is wrap around care - breakfast club from 8.00am and after-school club until 6.00pm.

Frith Manor is good.

We live in North Finchley, London N12. Does anyone have children at a primary school that they'd reccommend around here? it's so hard to tell what a school is life from its ofsted and even a visit to the school doesn't tell you much.