Glasgow primary schools

[TheFullMinty]

Hi all,

We are moving to Glasgow very soon and will be in the southside area.

We've a 7 year old boy to find a school place for. I've been told that Pollocksheilds primary isn't all that great so was hoping to put in a placement request for either Glendale, Shawlands or Langside. However I haven't been able to find much info on these schools and as I can only look round once I have a place and can only apply for one at a time I was hoping someone might be able to give me some insights!

Anyone have any experiences of any of these? Any knowledge at all would be really appreciated so I can try to make some sort of decision as to which to go for.

Alternatively any other advice on the Scottish education or Glasgow in general with kids would be fab!

Thank you

[WaverleyOwl]

Sorry, don't have any advice as I'm no longer on the southside, but you could try posting in the Scotsnet section as that might get you an answer more quickly.

Good luck

[nulgirl]

Don't know about Glendale but both the others are apparently good schools. I have friends who live in Pollokshields whose kids attend and they are very happy with the schools. If it was up to me I'd probably go for Shawlands as it's closer for you and the school looks like it has more outside space.

[TheFullMinty]

Hi,

Thank you for the replies,

Pink That's what I figured, I can only try! I'm a little baffled though, what will his DOB be important for? Presumably regardless of what year he will be going into the process is the same? Or am I being really dense and missing something?!

Waverley Thanks for the heads up, I'll pop it up in that section too, wasn't aware of it and I'm sure it's got loads of good info in it

Nul glad to hear that it's generally a good area for schools, think i'm just a bit overly anxious as it's a big move and I'm due in two weeks!

Glasgow looks absolutely brilliant so fingers crossed all will fall into place.

[nulgirl]

I think Pink is meaning his DOB will affect which school year he goes in to. Our cut off dates are different to England - 1st March. They start school between 4.5 and 5.5 years old. You may find he is "put down" a year compared to the school year in England if his birthday is between March and September. My ds is one of the youngest in his class with a November birthday but in England he would be one of the oldest.

[Trooperslane]

I'm SS and have friends who's kids go to Shawlands - that's where DD will probably go.

Also kids who go to Pollokshields which doesn't have the best rep, but they're happy so far.

(SS is awesome BTW. You'll love it)

[nulgirl]

Yep. SS is definitely a good place to live. We've been here 15 years and are very happy. Loads of parks and green space. My mum lives in Pollokshields and we spend lots of time in Maxwell Park. Happy to meet up with you in the park with my almost 7 year old son when you arrive.

[TheFullMinty]

Ahhh, I see. He will be moving from being the youngest in his class to one of the oldest, this is I suppose 'redoing' a year which is part of why I'd like him in a good school. But really there isn't much I can do, it's just a byproduct of moving between systems.

The whole SS area seems like my cup of tea and I'm so looking forward to exploring it and getting to know it. Would absolutely love to meet up in the park!

Thank you again for the advice, it's really appreciated.

[nulgirl]

Send me a PM when you want to meet and we'll arrange something. My ds is always keen to meet other boys. He can then probably show off like crazy and embarrass me. .

[techgirl]

My son has just started at pollokshields primary and I have no problems with it. Have lived here 14 years after moving up from England, happy to pass on any advice re living up here, love Glasgow and think pollokshields is great for kids.

[Trooperslane]

Oh nulgirl we're there every day

[nulgirl]

Trooperslane - my kids are there most days as well with my mum and her dog. It's a fab park and always so clean. Have you seen the terrapin in the pond? Someone released one a few years ago and it has thrived and can often be seen basking in the sunshine in the reeds at the pond.

[whiteagle]

Have you bought a house? You can still be in the southside but be in East Renfrewshire rather than City of Glasgow - Muirend is the closest bit of East Ren and still very much the southside imo. Your DC will then be going to one the best schools in Scotland (Williamwood high school) which Netherlee primary is a feeder.

Personally I would be looking outwith Shawlands, Langside, Pollokshields to live with DC if i had the flexibility to do so, as none of the Glasgow City high school (except Jordanhill) rank anywhere near the East Renfrewshire schools.

[prettybird]

Glendale Primary School is a brilliant school (search on my user name and with Glendale in the text and you'll see me waxing lyrical about it). It's just about to move into a new, larger school (with a Gaelic Medium unit attached to it) so you may get luck with a place.

We'd assumed that Pollokshields Primary was our catchment (and wanted Glendale) but there is a strange "dogs leg" in the drawing of the catchment area so we're actually IN Glendale's catchment.

Don't let people put you off about secondary schools either. Shawlands Academy is very good - although we did have to put I a placing request (this year apparently about 15-20 from Glendale went and all the placing requests were accepted).

Ds would probably have been fine at Bellahouston Academy - but one of the teachers at Glendale said, "There would have been more kids like ds at Shawlands".

Ds is in S4 now at Shawlands and doing really well - on course for good results in 8 Nat 5s. And he's very much not unique amongst his classmates in being expected to achieve those good results.