Talk

They have a great website, and PSA has a section on it. Check it out if you haven't already. We didn't go to this school, but one nearby, and when I asked them about fundraising they were really really lovely and helpful. A friend also worked there, in the office for a while and loved it. I think the parents can be a bit full on, but really supportive of the school. A great area to live in. We really miss it.

Have they appointed a new head yet- maybe the deputy who resembles Alaistair Darling?

Yes the new head is confirmed - suppose you could see a resemblance of Alastair Darling - was deputy and then acting head - top man.
You will need to live VERY close to the school gates to get a reception place, tho' by Y6 there are spaces because quite a few seem to leave in Y5 to move closr to a good secondary School summer fair is 19th June, why not go along? If you are considering the school good idea to go to the local school summer fairs, chat to parents, get the vibe, meet the head!

You might also have a look at East Sheen and Marshgate primaries, which are on either side of Sheen Mount at the eastern and western ends of Sheen respectively. I've heard good things about Marshgate and I know East Sheen is excellent, with fantastic head and deputy (Sheen Mount's new head was deputy at East Sheen for a while). All these places have Ofsted Outstanding, so you can't really go wrong at primary level.

As MrsGuy says, pressure on reception places is huge so it's a good idea to visit a number of local schools. We would have been happy with any of them.

One of my friends rented in Sheen and Barnes while her DS1 was 3 and 4 and she researched primary schools in the area extensively, by going to school fairs, among other things.

Her theory is that when they ask parents to bring a bottle for the tombola, that tells you a lot about the catchment area. Sheen Mount is Sainsbury's own brand fizz. We are not quite up there, and a litre of bubble bath is more our style

Not good news if you get a bottle of Lambrusco then .
I have won a bottle of tomato ketchup (!) from our own school fair- a "leafy" area to boot.

All the primary schools in the area are excellent. The catchment area is shrinking for all of them though they do have a rotating bulge reception class (Marshgate this year).

lol @ the bottle stall!

My son went to St Mary Magdalens RC Primary. I have my heart set on Sheen Mount, or East Sheen primary for when we return to the area. Preferably Sheen Mount. St Mary Mags is really good if you believe strongly in the Catholic Ethos.

Oh, St Mary Mags is a Chablis kind of school, or MS own brand Petit Chablis....

I'll have you know that SM tombola is cutting edge. I won a decent bottle of red, a jar of carrot chutney, a can of diet pepsi, a bottle of elderflower flavoured sparkling water and (much rejoicing) a bottle of Pimms on the bottle tombola last Saturday. Sainsbury's own brand fizz, I ask you.

(Admittedly I may have a gambing problem.)

Or even a spelling problem. Meant gambling.

thousand apologies willow. My source is admittedly 5 years out of date now. The rumours about credit crunch forcing people to (shock) contemplate the state sector for their infants are clearly true, and driving the SM tombola upmarket....

I was told by a friend whose son joined four years ago that the school is not amazing and her son was not very happy there. The standard of education is high due to all children being on tuition fees but no much teaching effort is done at school. Parents and their children are very anti-social and do not accept any new comers, it is more like a private club for people living around and who know each other from childhood, the school is not doing anything about it. New children joining are struggling of ignorance by children and teachers and sometimes of bullying from old children at school. the governing board is 70% of these parents and of the school teachers, so where to go if you have a problem. what a shame on a school at such location and with such reputation.

Its a state school in a "very expensive area" where min price of a house around £1.5mil around the school where you could be in catchment. We love Sheen though. Its a peaceful area where people live till they grow very old and next to Richmond park(Sheen gate). The school is nice and fun but because its state so no special support for able children