Bromley/Sundridge Park primary schools, anyone?

[HappyAsIAm]

We moved to Sundridge Park nearly a year ago, and I'm not tuned into the local grapevine at all in relation to primary schools. DS (3 yo) goes to a pre-school in Bromley Common, so I'm not in the loop at all about what's what on local primaries. All I have seen are the Ofsted reports, and they're not that recent.

I understand that our 'catchment school' is Scotts Park, and DS would have been offered a place at Scotts Park in the last 2 years, but he would also have been offered a place at Parish CofE.

Does anyone have any current or recent experience of these schools please? Or does anyone have any experience of local private schools? The nearest one to us is Bickley Park. I would rather not have to pay for prvate primary - wouldn't we all!

[MayDayChild]

Im not Bromley boro but bexley
Really I don't think any Bromley school would be bad, nice middle class area equals nice middle class parents
I would only consider private in Bromley if you believe your child to be super bright and able to get St olaves or newst woods place.
Hope a more local comes along!

[HappyAsIAm]

Thanks matalot, that's really helpful. I see what you're saying about the head at Scotts Park - I would have shared your view.

Bickley Park has an Open Morning this Friday, so we're going to take a look. Its the first school we'll have seen, so I hope I don't fall completely for it - I need to make a more controlled and informed decision. I'll make sure we see as many schools as possible. Its such a big decision. Did you see any others? And what do you think made you plump for private, as opposed to another state school?

MayDayChild, DS seems quite average at the moment, if I'm honest. He's only just turned 3 though, so who knows what he'll achieve, or not. He has a penchant for playing hairdressers and is infatuated with nail varnish, so maybe my efforts should be targetted elswhere in any event!

[MayDayChild]

Lol!! My DS is almost one and infatuated with doors cue lots of he'll be a doorman when he's bigger jokes!!
Well don't forget you can also apply for bexley grammars when time comes!!
Hope you are pleased at the end of the day. My DD starts our local primary this sept so i understand where you're at

[Gilnahirk]

We chose Parish 11 years ago mainly because we were so impressed with the Year 6 children who showed all the visitors round at the open day - they were polite, confident and self-assured. We are now coming to the end of our involvement with the school (DC2 is in Year 6) and have no regrets about our choice.

All the children are encouraged to achieve their potential academically, but there is no undue emphasis on SATS. The school has always had a good reputation for music (has about 4 choirs and an orchestra at the moment), but sport has now become equally important. Several teachers devote a lot of their own time to running lunch-time and after-school clubs. There is a very active PTA at the moment and lots of events (school disco next week, summer fair on 18 June).

My only real criticism would be that communication could be better; we often don't get much notice of class assemblies and other events. But the same could be said of many other schools.
Good luck with your choice!

[HappyAsIAm]

Thanks Gilnahirk for your reply. Its great to hear that you and your children have had such a good experience of Parish. A friend told me that maybe I shoudl consider asking prospective schools how many of the Year 6 leavers have got into state grammars, as that could be a good indicator of academic performance. Hoe does Parish fare, would you say?

We went to Bickley Park last friday and saw around the pre-prep. As I knew I would be, I was seriously impressed. Amazing displays, resources, facilities, lots of extra curricular activities, 13 to a class from reception to Year 2 etc. But I wonder whether it is just too academic, and whether that would translate as pressure for my DS.

[Gilnahirk]

I wouldn't say that's necessarily the best indicator, as I know there were some girls this year who passed the Bexley 11+ but opted to go to Bullers Wood (all ability) School in Bromley.

However, as far as I know, about 5 were offered places at the Bromley superselectives, though 2 of these have chosen to go private instead. I don't know exactly how many sat/passed the Bexley test, but at least one child is going to a Bexley grammar.

These figures will vary from year to year, depending on the particular cohort, but usually 2-3 will go to the superselectives and a couple more to other grammars.

[headingsouth]

DD1 starts at Scotts Park in September. We looked at both Parish and Scotts Park and both seemed to be excellent schools and according to their past few Ofsted reports both have been improving steadily over many years.
The pupils at both schools gave tours and were confident and impressive.
Parish is a church school and doesn't offer any after school care and is in a very old and characterful building over several floors. Scotts Park is a single storey Seventies build school with big playing fields and woods and has breakfast and after school clubs.
I'd agree with Gilnahirk that grammar entrance is not the best indicator of how well a school is performing in educating its pupils but if you are interested it states in the brochure Scotts Park provided that last year out of the 55 pupils 4 went onto Chislehurst and Sidcup, 2 to St. Olave's and 3 to Newstead Wood.
Good luck with your decision!

[HappyAsIAm]

Thanks headingsouth and sorry for being so late in seeing your reply. We are visiting Ashgrove and St Christophers The Hall in a couple of weeks' time.

I will look at the state schools when they resume in September.