Bexley/Greenwich border primary schools

[bitzermaloney]

DH and I are thinking about moving to the Bexley/Greenwich area. DS is only one year old but as this move is hopefully long-term we would like to pick the brains of MNers in the know...
Reading ofsted reports online there seems to be quite a mixture of state primary schools. If you live near the border of the two boroughs can you send your child to a school (primary or secondary) on the other side? And how do schools decide who gets in, if it's not a religious school? Is it always on distance?
And apart from knowledgeable MNers, where can I get information about it all?
At the moment the areas we are looking at are Eltham, Blackfen, Sidcup, Avery Hill.
TIA.

[MingMingtheWonderPet]

Yes you can semd your child to a school on iether side of the border
Rules are basically:
SEN
Siblings
Distance from school

Dulverton is good, as is Birkbeck (both Sidcup). I have also heard good things about days Lane (though with 90 intake it may seem quite big)
Most Bexley schools have a nursery class attached taht you can apply to send your child to, you are allocated 5 2.5 hour sessions a week, either all afternoons or all morninigs.

Two start dates in Bexley, September for older children, January for younger children.

Let me know if you want any further info.

[MingMingtheWonderPet]

Days Lane is in Blackfen

Don't know so much about Eltham and Avery Hill schools (ie Greenwich)

One further point, in Bexley the 11+ still exists. Therefore senior schools are split into grammar schools (for which you need to pass 11+) and non selective schools (for which you don't need to pass 11+)

[bitzermaloney]

Thanks v much MingMing, that's really helpful.

For the popular schools presumably it would be worth ringing them to find out their catchment area.

I had heard that Birkbeck is good; will look up Dulverton to see where it is.

Can I ask (presuming you live in the area) if you like it? I understand if you don't want to be very specific about your area on a public forum.

[MingMingtheWonderPet]

From my experience schools in Bexley are very reluctant to tell you what their 'catchement' area is. In effect, this changes every year. In a year where the numner of siblings is very high, then the catchemnt area might be very small, whereas in other years you might find that the catchment area is wider. The best a school could give me was the furthest distance that they had taken somebody from in the previous year.

For exmaple in year 2006/07 Birkbeck had 71 applications for 60 places, while Dulverton had 59 applications for 60 places.
See here

My DS doesn't actually attend either of these schools.
My friend has a daughter at Dulverton and she is very happy there, quite a lot of after school activities arranged aswell.
Advantage of high numbers of applications for places means that many children often live quite close to the school, which is lovely for friendships.

[Kbear]

I live on the Bexley/Greenwich border but north of the borough in Bexley.

DD's school is on the border and has pupils from both boroughs and distance to the school rather than which borough you are in is the criteria I think.

Agree with Ming, Bexley schools deny all knowledge of catchments but there must be a catchment or there would be no need to discuss distance from school right?

Anyway, have a look on the Bexley website for lots of school information.

Also, Greenwich doesn't have 11+ and Bexley does.

[TheOriginalXENA]

Its so hard this far in advance to decide on a primary school. I lived in and around Eltham most of my life and the desired schools changed quickly. (avery hill has always been one to avoid). Mingming mentioned secondary schools, the lack of decent comps was a deciding factor in moving.

[TheOriginalXENA]

Greenwich secondaries are pants though kbear, aren't they!

[Kbear]

Yoo hoo Xena!! We might be down your way later in August - we'll give you a wave.

Yes, Bexley secondaries are full of Lewisham and Greenwich children.

[TheOriginalXENA]

Are you camping kbear? Lovely weather for it atm! How are your DC's doing? I can't remember the times when DD1 wasn't at school full time I bet it is the same for you and your DS??

[Kbear]

Yes, camping hopefully but we need to buy a new tent first. Went last week and the tent leaked - typically this week is forecast hot and sunny and I have to go back to work. Am not happy about that.

Yep, DS just finished Reception year, can't believe it. He loves it though so all good.

Sorry to hijack !!!

[pooka]

Schools really can't say for certain what their catchment is. For example, my house has been more or less within the area for my local school since I was born (I lived here as a child).
But this year, the catchment was only 300ish metres. And I live 400ish metres away.

Last year, the year before that, and so on, dd would have got in. And who knows, people further away may get in next year. Wasn't even an exceptionally high siblings year.

All depends on how many 3-4 year olds there are in the area when the applications are made.