Cambridge primary schools - v confusing!

[Cambsnewby]

We are moving to Cambridge at the end of the year, I have a DD who isdue to start reception in 2018. Looking at our 'catchment schools' we have the choice of Morley Memorial and St Albans (DD is baptised). Any insider information would be great, neither schools have amazing SaT results, St Albans seems to be the worst in Cambridge in 2016, yet an 'outstanding' school?! We will be visiting the schools in advance but by then we will have moved so our choices will be limited to those two schools regardless..do you have/know children at each school? Are they happy/achieving etc?

[GrouchingTiggerHiddenSomething]

pop on over to the Cambridge local board - loads of threads about schools and people asking similar questions all the time.

[Allthebestnamesareused]

Why are there so many threads about schools all over the country but as soon as anyone asks about schools in Cambridge they are told to go over to the local board! I notice this in particular becauyse I live in Cambridge.

I know of a couple of families whose kids went to St Albans and who all passed and obtained places at The Perse for secondary school. Maybe St Albans concentrates on giving them a rounded education rather than focussing (school tables measuring) SATS which we all know post year 7 are pointless other than original streaming?

[CaulkheadNorth]

My friend taught at St Albans. She found it to be a school with a good staff morale, where everyone knew all the children, rather than just the ones in their class.
She left July 2015 so it may have changed.

[AlIsPoison]

It's been a while since I've been in Cambridge. St Albans was sought after - including by supply teachers which is usually a good indicator. I am also at an Outstanding school (different city) with poor 2016 SATs results - we didn't teach to the test enough and refused to collapse the timetable like all our cluster schools. Bit us on the bum, yes, but we felt the children deserved a rounded education.

What I'm saying is - don't judge on SATs results alone.

[glorious]

We had the same choice for 2017. Before 2016 St Albans got some of the best SATS results in the city. The SATs changed for 2016 and St Albans then did worse.

They will hold open days which I recommend attending because it's very individual.

St Albans is very much a Catholic school. We are Catholic but I was surprised quite how religious it seemed. Friends with children there have been very happy with it. City centre location on busy roads and small fairly cramped buildings may or may not bother you. One class per year which has pros and cons.

Morley seems to have a nice community around it. A bit more spacious and about to start some building work. Two classes per year. No uniform which might be a plus or a minus. Friends also happy with it.

If you're in catchment for Morley you are also in catchment for Queen Emma.

PM me if you want any further thoughts.

[Cambsnewby]

Thank you so much for your comments, and completely agree re posting on the local board, school areas/particular schools across the country seem to be discussed heavily here and the local board doesn't seem to get nearly as much traction! Very true about SATs and I certainly wouldn't judge a school solely on this, it just surprised me that they did so badly (lowest in Cambridgeshire) for a school that's outstanding, but interesting what you say Allspoison, would be keen to hear how St Albans responsed..Queen Emma looks like a great school from what I can decipher online, I wasn't sure it was within our catchment area, but looking online it serves the Morley catchment so it would be an option. It seems that with the choice of the three schools we will have, I should be happy with at least one! Do the schools in cambridge tend to have 'feeder' secondary schools or do children spread across the city? I've noticed that the 'catchment' area doesn't seem nearly as strict for secondary.