Dover's Green Primary School, Reigate. Feedback please asap

[Kidhands]

I'd really like to hear any and all feedback on Dover's Green Priory ASAP. My DD is not yet 2yrs but we are in a position where we would like/need to move house fast as we have a second baby due imminently and have sold our house and a purchase just fallen through after many months. Schools were not an issue as we would have been within the catchment area of 2 I would be very happy sending DD to. Now having to very swiftly research Dover's Green. I see Ofsted rate it highly and what I can see online actually looks excellent. Why does it have this bad rep I keep hearing and reading about? Can anyone put my mind at rest? All info very gratefully received, especially from any existing parents of the school. Thanks in advance!

[Kidhands]

And....is the idea all Dover's Green pupils go to Sandcross at 7? We are a fraction closer to Reigate Priory which also starts 7+. I am assuming far enough though that we would not get priority.

Are there options to join another school from 7 even if that school takes children from 4?

Sorry. Finding it quite confusing. Apologies if these questions are a little dumb. I'm still a novice!

[LIZS]

I believe you could apply to Priory which starts at Year 3 or apply to other local schools with junior department such as Wray Common, St Johns, Sandcross etc. There was a proposal recently to give priority for entry to Priory from feeder schools , so those at schools without a junior such as Reigate Parish and Holmesdale would get priority, not sure if Dovers Green was also among that list but the proposal has not gone ahead yet. If you look at the Surrey CC applications booklet either online or from the library the number they can intake at that age in addition to existing pupils. Also there is often movement at Year 3 into the local private schools which frees up state school places across the borough.

[Kidhands]

So helpful. Thank you!

[racmun]

I live in Reigate with a son stsrting recrption in september and from what I hear Dovers green has a good reputation. A friend sends her son there and he really enjoys it. A couple of people I know attended the open day with a view to September 2014 and both loved it and have put it as their second preference, second only due to distance.

I'm guessing the other 2 schools are Parish and Holmesdale. I have only ever heard lovely things about the Parish but differing reports on Holmesdale. These two schools are as you know in the more expensive parts of the town and dare I say it Dovers Green is the wrong side of the tracks, so I suspect some of the rumours are due to snobbery.
Also bear in mind that Holmesdale is a massive infants school and has twice the intake of any other infant school in the town and by virtue of the sheer numbers there is generally a lot of chatter about Holmesdale and its virtues!


The feeder link for the Priory has, after a huge furore, been dropped by SCC and they have just consulted on the possibility of breaking down the sibling Priority which I suspect will be pretty much supported. The results come out next month.

If you are closer to Priory than Sandcross then you will rank higher. As the pp says look online at SCC to see what the admissions criteria are.

Schools in Reigate are pretty much a nightmare for everyone!

[racmun]

Also Wray common and at johns don't have a formal intake at year 3 it is luck if ac

[racmun]

Sorry
If a place is available. The main intakes are Priory, Sandcross and Earlswood.

[Kidhands]

That's brilliant. Thank you

[Kidhands]

Ooh and and do update us in a few months once you DS has started and let us know how he's getting on. Really pleased to hear from people who have seen it and are excited about it. That's a real relief, thank you. It does sound very sweet.

[ChocolateWombat]

Dovers Green perhaps doesn't have the reputation of The Parish and Holmesdale because the catchment is more mixed. It is by a big council estate. They do very well in adding value to all children, but the no.s achieving the top levels are likely to be lower than some of the more middle class schools. It depends if you want your child to only mix with the middle classes! I think you could be confident they would meet your child's needs and abilities whatever they are.
Beyond that, you could apply to either Priory or Sandcross. By the time you do, where you have to live for either may have changed. Priory is likely to remain the more popular though, although Sandcross is increasingly popular.

[Kidhands]

Thank you again. All really helpful. Keep 'em coming, love to hear more from anyone familiar with it/the area or maybe with children there. Thanks