Primary Schools in Leytonstone / moving house

[mia1972]

I hope someone can help me with this. We currently live in Leyton and we are thinking of moving, into a larger home possibly to Leytonstone / Wanstead. Given our budget and commutes into the city we thought that Leytonstone would be a good option (as in Wanstead we hardly see any property for sale and it's much more expensive) I know that there are excellent nurseries in Leytonstone... and it's really close to wanstead flats where there are the green spaces...Schools however seem a bit hit or miss or maybe it's just because it's really hard to tell from Ofstead reports. Does anyone have experience of them ? I realise that it's still early as my baby won't to go school for another 5 years but buying a house is such a daunting thing and schools are indeed important ...Any suggestion would be greatly appreciated...If I was to move to Leytonstone could I get my child into a school in neibouring Wanstead?
Any advice is greatly appreciated, thanks

[Blossom8]

The good schools in Wanstead are mainly the faith schools such as Lady of Lourdes, Wanstead Church schools. You can get your child into the neigbouring borough school if it is it not over subscribed. If Wanstead is too expensive, have you thought about South Woodford as I have heard Churchfields is mean't to be a very good state school?

We live in Leytonstone and in the catchment for Gwn Jones primary school which has been rated good by Ofsted and hit and miss with the SATS tests. We are contemplating of sending our child to a private preparatory school in Redbridge instead.

[mia1972]

Hi Blossom,
Thanks for your reply. I also had the same thought the other day knowing that there is at least that option and it might be a cheaper investment than moving to a hugely more expensive area. Where do you search for private schools? South Woodford I know has a few good schools and I know that Nightingale in Wanstead has also been rated outstanding by ofstead. It's real hit and miss around here and I am terrified of making the wrong choice.

[Blossom8]

The private schools we are registered with are with Snaresbrook College and Forest School. St Aubyn's, Woodford Green Prep and Bancrofts are other options not far from Leyton/Leytonstone. You need to bear in mind not only the fees but also the travelling time too and after school clubs would be extra. That's my dilemma.

Ilford is a cheaper area to live and has an excellent primary school (Christchurch primary school), both in terms of their academic achievements and Ofsted report which has been rated outstanding. It is also the highest achieving primary school in the whole borough of Redbridge. I think the primary schools in Leytonstone are slightly better than Leyton.

We looked into the area of Highams Park too. Handsworth primary school is mean't to be good in Waltham Forest. Chingford schools generally perform better in Waltham Forest. Chingford Hall Community Primary school have been rated outstanding and performed really well in their recent SATS.

Overall the state primary schools arguably does better in the Borough of Redbridge than Waltham Forest. What you need to think about also is where you want your child to go secondary school unless you are willling to move again when the time comes.

[mia1972]

I am looking at houses in the catchment area for Davies Lane Primary School which has also been rated good but I am not sure about the academic achievements there (I am still learning how to read the tables).
I was also looking at forest school and snaresbrook college - here a good friend of mine is teaching there as a placement after retraining as a teacher. He seems to think that it is a really excellent school with small classes of 9-12 pupils, a really good and human atmosphere on top of good academic achievement.
Beyond Wanstead / South Woodford I won't be moving as both of our jobs are in central london - mine has just moved to paddington and the commute on top of picking up and dropping off would just be too much.
How old is your child ? When did you start registering? Beyond the school dilemma, are you happy living in Leytonstone? Do you feel there is a good atmosphere?
Thanks for your replies so far...

[Blossom8]

Look at the BBC website under the education section for the league tables of primary and secondary school results. For primary schools, the results are based on the percentage of pupils achieving Level 4 and high achievers receiving Level 5 (equivalent to standards of a 14 years old). Davies Lane primary is okay but not fantastic. St Aubyn's overall has alot of their pupils obtaining Level 5 over Snaresbrook College. We are off to their open day on 25 February. Which school does your friend work at? Forest or Snaresbrook College, just interested which one he thought was an excellent school.

For Snaresbrook College, it is non-selective so best to check out their website, register and attend their open day. They select the children during the open days. Unfortunately we missed out on the open day so we are fifth on their waiting list. For Forest, my daughter has her assessment this October for entry the following September. My daughter is 2 years and 8 months.

We live in Upper Leytonstone. The area is okay, has its up and downs. Personally, for me Leytonstone is really handy to commute to the City where I work, Tescos nearby, hospital etc. but ideally I like to live in Wanstead which is where I grew up. Has a nicer feel to it but of course it depends what you budget is.

[mia1972]

My friend works at Snaresbrook college, his overall impression is of a less rigid approach compared to the school were he was before (I need to check which one). The previous one was a large school in Redbridge rated 'outstanding' by Ofstead and that in his words 'ticked all the boxes', but very much a textbook approach to teaching, memorising etc.
One thing to keep in mind is tough that with private schools is not just the fees, on top of that every extra curricular activity needs to be paid for too, and that can add up.
We are looking at places around Leytonstone / Bushwood area today and next week. It obviously depends on the house we find too.
Thanks so much for your precious advice, good luck with getting a place for your little girl, i hope you get her into your chosen place.

[Blossom8]

Thanks. Hope you find the right house and school. Bushwood is a nice area, nicely located between Wanstead and Leytonstone.

[mia1972]

Blossom, not sure if you are going to read this but I have to provide a correction, my friend works at forest school not snares brook college. apologies for the mistake ....all the best

[Blossom8]

Thanks Mia. We are off to Forest School next Friday to tour the pre-prep school so I'm hoping it exceeds my expectations bearing in mind how much fees are. We went to visit our local primary school (Gwyn Jones) together with some other parents last week. It's quite scary seeing 30 pupils in a class. One of the other parents on the tour also toured Davies Lane primary school, she said Davies Lane school gave a friendly welcome but she did no believe the learning standards was as good as Gwyn Jones. I'm off to see another state school later this week in Redbridge just to compare the standards of state schools. Hope your house hunting is going well. There is a lovely house in Upper Leytonstone on the market at the moment (Fladgate Road).

[TCOB]

Dawlish Road in E10 is rated outstanding but has tiny capacity. We're selling a flat in catchment if you are interested .

[mia1972]

Thanks Blossom, I think we might have a look at that house in Fladgate Road actually! I am getting desperate as I have a now found a buyer for my house and not found anything to move to, things are getting snapped up right away.
Regarding schools still: did you have a look at Barclay? The results seem marginally higher than the other schools but then again it's hard to tell...

TCOB thanks for the offer but I am looking for a house!

[Blossom8]

and they say the house market is slow! If you can afford the property in Fladgate Rd (estate agents: Douglas Allen Spiro, Wanstead), then it is worth checking out Wanstead as the prices are similar although you will get more for your money in Leytonstone. I have not seen Barclays primary school, Ofsted has rated it good. It is a large school. If you decide to move to the Upper Leytonstone area, the local schools are Barclays and Gwyn Jones. They are both more or less the same in terms of SATs results but Gwyn Jones is a community school, less pupils than Barclays. However GJ have not performed well in their recent SATS but their previous results have been around mid 70s% to 80%. Gwyn Jones also has an after school club until 6pm. I'm in a dilemma whether to send my daughter there but it's a decision on whether private primary or private secondary school. Nightingale you mentioned before previously had a "satisfactory" ofsted and their recent one is outstanding so it can vary especially if there is a change of headteacher.

[mia1972]

Hi Blossom!

Wow what a week, we ended up putting an offer on a house in Forest Drive East just behind the GJ school actually. Whilst the house on Fladgate Road was nice it would have been too much of a stretch financially (just before having a baby maybe not such a good idea) so I am feeling happy and comfortable with this decision and I know I'm not going to panic. Yes the housing market in Leytonstone is mad, houses sell before they can even put the photos online ...

In terms of the decision between private primary or secondary, I don't know what secondary schools are like in Leytonstone, that would be a major factor in the decision. All my girlfriends recommend being more discriminatory about secondary tough. They say that with primary schools if parents are very involved results are likely to be still really good, whilst a good quality secondary is essential.

I read the full report for GJ primary and I have to say I was quite impressed, i like the fact that it is a smaller school than for example Davies Lane or Barclay. I am curious to see what you think of Forest School and what your decision will be in the end...best of luck....do let me know ....

[Blossom8]

congratulations on the the property at FDE. It's a lovely street, close to the shops, Whipps Cross and tube. There's also a medical centre/doctor's nearby. I used to rent in Forest Drive West. Secondary schools are not great but things can change by then! I'm off to Forest school tomorrow for a tour with the head of the prep school. I was hoping if I put my little girl in private primary she would have a better chance at passing the 11+ for Woodford County High as the grammar school is very competitive in terms of pupils getting in or getting a scholarship at privat secondary. However, if I support her well at primary age she may pass the common entrance exam to go private when she goes secondary but it's such a dilemma. Gwyn Jones is so convenient for us as it's just down the road, free and have an after school club which will cost next to nothing when using childcare vouchers. I'm just hesitate with their recent low SATs results. I guess I can see how GJ do this year when the results are published in December. I think my daughter is bright for her age and I want her to challenged at school and not held back. Of course with plenty of "fun" time too.

[mia1972]

Thanks!! I am quite excited now about moving although I am likely to be past seven months when we actually move ....but that is life...At least I don't have the spectrum of nursery in the middle of the high road and failing schools.

Good luck tomorrow, i am sure the setting and facilities will be amazing (pool, fields it's really lovely there). I still wonder about state school tough, in primary often is down to individual teachers and how the child responds to them. I also wonder if it's possible to enlist the help of a private tutor in order to help her pass these exams? Personally, if I had to pay for something, I think I would be more inclined to pay for secondary than primary, but I am only saying this now when the prospect is still quite far away. Either way you still have time to think about it, and it sounds like you have a few options which is always good.

Let me know your thoughts, I can always ask friend if you had extra questions, although he teaches secondary there.

[Blossom8]

Hi Mia1972, the tour of Forest school this morning went well. Both my partner and I thought it was an excellent school and so did the other parents who went on the tour with us. It presented itself as a caring school and the pupils were well behaved. It was such a contrast to see a class of 16 as opposed to a class of 30 at GJ. But obviously the catch is we need to pay for it and I don't think there are any subsidy with childcare vouchers for the after school club!

If we decide to go for GJ, there is no doubt we will enlist the help of a private tutor when my daughter is older to help her pass the 11+ to get into Woodford County High or the common entrance exams for private secondary school.

I posted another thread on here and it seems like a majority of the parents would go for the state sector for primary schooling. I think now that we have visited both private and public sector schools, I am going to sit back and relax as there is nothing we can do now until we see how our daughter come out in the 4+ entrance assessment for Forest which is not until October.

BTW, there are some really good nurseries in Leytonstone now that you will be moving into the area! My daughter is currently at Sunshine Day nursery at Wallwood Road. Good luck with your pregnancy, your new house will be very close to the hospital.

[mia1972]

Hi Blossom,

I think you are right all the after school and also the extra curricular activities are extra ...so it's quite a bit. My friend told ma that, in terms of environment, many of the pupils come from wealthy backgrounds at Forest but by all means not all of them, there are also normal families that are making the sacrifice.

At any rate, it sounds like you have done all the research you could and you should do just that, sit back and relax! Good luck with your choice of school, and thanks again for all your advice that you were so kind to share, I have to say I would have been doubtful about buying where we have if I hadn't heard all your analysis.

And thanks for the tip about the nursery, Sunshine day is one of the ones I was going to check out...I am now excited about moving to the area now and cannot wait to be next door to hollow pond for nice sunny walks.

[roggio21]

Hi my son also goes to Sunshine Day Nursery in Leytonstone, he started when he was 6months and is in the baby room and loves it. All the staff are lovely and it has a lovely family feel to it. It has recently been inspected by ofsted and got rated Outstanding. I looked around many nurseries within Leytonstone and knew straight away Sunshine was the best for my baby.
The nursery organises a yearly trip for all the children and their parents to go to paradise wildlife park with takes place tomorrow which I'm really looking forward to as it will be a really lovely way to meet all the other parents.
Thank Sunshine you made going back to work so much easier knowing that my son is very very HAPPY.

[mddt]

hello,
I wanted to open an educational tution centre in leytonestone/leyton area.Is it a good area to open? Are there many tution centres around ?

[Blossom8]

mddt - there's a tutorial centre in Leytonstone on the high street. I think there will be demand for it with the 2 local grammars in Redbridge and indepedent schools.

[mddt]

Blossom

Thanks for that.Just trying to gather information and prospects before that.

Thanks again.

[Isabellapetch123]

My children go to Davies lane primary school in Leytonstone
My daughter is in year 4 and has already got a level 6 Davies lane provides fun for all of the children and
It has been rated the best primary school in Waltham Forest so I hope you make a wise decision