South Cambridgeshire/Essex primary schools

[Chaosonthehorizon]

We are currently in an area in london with outstanding schools but want to move for various reasons. Unlikely to be able to move in time for a reception 2021 start for number 2 as have DT’s arriving next year. Planning to target outstanding/(very) good schools (visit etc etc) but is there ever any movement in reception-year 2. Having kittens at the thought of the two eldest in a less than ideal school, a drive apart (but starting at the same time) and coping with DT’s as well. Have no idea how to navigate this. One child will be starting reception in 2021 and the other year 2. Any recommendations would be good too. We want a better quality of life for our children but not to compromise their education. In the end we will sell our house but we could possibly rent and rent. Thinking it might be better for a child to start a new school year 2 and life to start in September so to do that for 2021 we would need to be in place by June 2021 but actually Jan 2021 for the reception child. The logistics just totally daunt me! Thanks

[sleepismysuperpower1]

were you looking at any particular town? Colchester (Essex) has quite a few primary schools, many rated good or outstanding. i would start looking for housing and at areas you might want to move to, to have more of an idea and so more of a solid plan. all the best x

[Chaosonthehorizon]

Hi, concentrating more on the larger villages near saffron Walden and south of Cambridge itself. We also need to consider secondary and sixth form (long term move) so interested in views on saffron Walden county high, comberton village college, hills road sixth form etc

[ihatethecold]

Bourn primary school is an excellent school. My kids went there and then on to Comberton village college.
Both outstanding schools and in a lovely friendly area.

[ihatethecold]

Hills road is for A* pupils. Comberton also has very high results at 16 and 18.

Good pastoral care at cvc.

My DD is in year 11 and goes part time due to MH. She has been well supported by the team at school since year 8.

[Goodnightjude1]

My eldest DD went to Hills Rd and loved it, my DD2 went to Long Rd and loved it. Both sixth forms are brilliant. Hills Rd is slightly harder to get in to. DD2 did Graphics and Photography at Long Rd and loved every second.

[Chaosonthehorizon]

Thanks all, we are going to do some more research on the primary schools over Christmas but do need to choose one whose catchement would also cover a good secondary school if hills road isn’t an option for them. Has anyone transferred in from elsewhere after reception or for reception (and an older child as well?) that is the bit that is really worrying me. Thanks

[Leiasbuns]

Bourn Primary and Comberton both fantastic

[RockNRollNerd]

If you are looking at Saffron Walden then be aware that the catchment area is getting smaller and smaller each year as more new homes are built in the town itself and surrounding villages. I’m not sure which villages still get kids into the school but you need to look very carefully at this, especially if you are a few years off applying for secondary.

[SWCharlie]

Good schools in the areas you mentioned are always full but you can be lucky. I know of people who have moved into the area and got places in their local primary and some that haven't (and in one case there was a place for one sibling and not the other but they fought their corner and got them in, albeit with 33 in the class). Unfortunately until you have an address you can't apply and it makes it hard to plan, I know as I've been in the same situation. Clavering village school is outstanding and many of the junior schools in Saffron Walden are very good. Ashdon village school is supposed to be really good. Great Chesterford and Duxford are middling. Newport primary school doesn't have a great reputation. Saffron Walden County High is a great secondary school but as mentioned above the catchment is getting smaller, unless you live in SW you are unlikely to get a place there. Joyce Frankland Academy in Newport is the next nearest secondary for the Essex villages in that area, my children went there. It's much smaller than County High and doesn't have great facilities. The sixth form is tiny and, as such, doesn't offer many courses. Saffron Walden County High sixth form is much bigger and has a great variety of 'A' level and BTEC courses. One of my kids went there and is now in Y13. My other child is in Y12 at Hills Rd. Hills Rd is a college and as such the students are treated like adults from day one and attend just college for their lectures. My child there has more freedom than the one at the County High sixth form where there is more structure and more of a school feel. There is also Long Rd in Cambridge if the child is less academic. I would recommend looking at housing fairly near to a station if the plan is for them to go to a Cambridge sixth form. Any questions just shout!

[Chaosonthehorizon]

Thanks very much all. SWCharlie I will definitely be in touch if that is ok. Interested in your comment about Great Chesterford as the results look great (I know it isn’t all about the results). A friend has children at Clavering which they loved but she cautioned against moving their because the secondary option isn’t great. It is a total minefield when you throw in application deadlines, it is really worrying me.

[Chaosonthehorizon]

‘there’ not ‘their’ of course! No edit button for posts it seems

[ihatethecold]

unfortunately one thing that is important is your budget for housing and what your requirements are. central Cambridge is very expensive, esp near Hills/Long rd 6th forms

[SWCharlie]

Yes Clavering feeds into Joyce Frankland Academy and sometimes Great Chesterford does, it depends on the area year size. Last year GC Y6 all got offered Saffron Walden County High to their complete surprise but the previous year not. Schools can change quite quickly though and Newport primary has a new head teacher. Joyce Frankland beat County High in some GCSE subjects last year. Big schools vs small schools, teachers and classmates all play a part in making it a good fit for your child and you can't always know in advance. It might be worth ringing the schools in the areas you are interested in. When I was enquiring about places for my children they were very helpful, if not sometimes brutally honest (we're full!). They can tell you info about maximum class sizes, projected forecasts etc. In one school my child would have been number 34 in the Y6 class. He ended up in a village school (Clavering) in a class of 26. You can apply for any school, not just in your catchment area. The only downside was I had to drive there every day. Y2 and reception might be easier for obtaining places though. Good luck with everything!

[EmmaGrundyForPM]

Will you need to commute to London for work? That might narrow your search area.

I'm another big fan of Bourn Primary and Comberton Village College. Both amazing schools. Our eldest had MH issues and CVC gave amazing pastoral care. Plus There are some lovely villages in the catchment area. But not great if you need to commute into Liverpool Street. Saffron Walden is on the Liverpool Street Line.

[Chaosonthehorizon]

Yes, work is nearer Liverpool st but kings cross is also fine as he will cycle both ends. Sadly I think bourn and cvc are maybe too far north for commuting. Also we would rather be able to get the train to Cambridge as our nearest town rather than rely on bus/car

[EmmaGrundyForPM]

We live in Bourn and lots of people here commute from St Neots which has fast trains into Kings Cross. But it is a 15 minute drive. However the trains from Cambridge take much longer so the commuting time is the same.

if you can afford to live in Cambridge then look at catchment areas for Parkside and Chesterton secondaries. There is much more movement in school years in Cambridge schools as academics are often here for a couple of years before moving on so places become free in primary schools in a way they don't in the village colleges.

[Chaosonthehorizon]

Thanks very much that is really helpful. We are worried about bad connectivity into Cambridge itself from bourn and surrounds though. Ideally we won’t live in Cambridge as moving out of london for more space and village community rather than a city. Take your point about school spaces though, that is rather my worry. There just might not be any.

[ihatethecold]

I also live in bourn and my Dh has commuted from Royston into KX for years.
as I said upthread Bourn and CVC are fantastic schools.


waves to Emma

[Silencedwitness]

SWCHS is generally the school people want but you’d really need to be in SW to get in. It’s a good school though.

Primaries you’ve got Katherine Semar, RAB and St Mary’s. RAB is the biggest (it’s three form entry). All good schools. There’s also a catholic primary.

Linton might be worth a look. They’ve got Linton Village college. Very good school but smaller than swchs.

I have a friend who teaches at Comburton and really likes it. I’ve supply taught there but preferred swchs where my son is due to go in September.

[Chaosonthehorizon]

So the view seems to be cvc or swch for secondary so living either in SW or to the west of Cambridge. Any views about actually getting into Cambridge from the west? Have heard horror stories about driving and there is no train?? What is living in SW like compared to south west london? Ideally we wouldn’t buy a new build (we would rather build our own). Thanks

[EmmaGrundyForPM]

I'm not going to lie, driving into Cambridge in rush hour is a nightmare whichever direction you come from. It's okay at other times.

You can look at somewhere like Foxton which does have a train station, the catchment secondary school is Melbourn VC.

[ihatethecold]

Emma. We always seem to meet each other on these threads. 😂

[EmmaGrundyForPM]

@ihatethecold I will.greet everyone I see in the village with "What do you think of the weather today? Do you hate the cold?" and give them a meaningful look!

[Silencedwitness]

Cambridge from whatever route is pretty dire. If you’re working which part of cambridge would you be in? You might be wise to visit. I’m not sure what SW london is like but SW is a market town. Sunday’s are quiet so I wouldn’t bother visiting then. It has a small cinema, waitrose, Aldi and tesco, a few pubs but it’s a market town. It’s fairly busy as a lot of people move from London.

[SWCharlie]

It also has a leisure centre with a pool and a common with a recently refurbished playground. It's got lots of cafes and places to eat and some lovely shops. The Audley End estate has nice grounds and a cafe and hosts concerts in the summer, and there is a miniature railway for little ones. Controversially the site of the closed Friends Independent school, the second largest green space, was recently sold for more housing development desite the growing need for more schools. It is becoming harder to drive around with the increasing volume of traffic, especially during peak times.