East Dunbartonshire secondary catchment maps

[randomsabreuse]

DH has a new job at Glasgow Uni. So we'll be moving up from England at Easter.

Glasgow City and East Renfrewshire both have nice online maps of school catchments on the local council website but East Dunbartonshire doesn't- and we'd like to try to buy in catchment for one of the "good" schools if we can... does something like this exist??

DH's job means East Dunbartonshire is easily the most convenient place to live - he'll need to get in to Garscube and out to the countryside to the north and East mostly..

Not too worried about catchment primaries at this point although the fact that ED has early entry to P1 as a possibility could be handy as DC1 will have completed 2 terms of reception in England but would strictly speaking need to join P1 next year - she is very keen on school so far.

Also, are there any non-rightmove websites for property?

Thanks!

[prettybird]

Can't help with catchment maps but if it reassures you: P1 is the equivalent of Y1. The confusion is because the age cut-offs being 6 months apart (+/- depending on which direction you are moving )

If you count it back from Y11/S4 when you sit GCSEs/Nat 5s, followed by 2 more years schooling in both systems for university entrance (although technically you can go to a Scottish Uni after just one more year ), you'll see that P1 = Y1.

We just don't have a reception year in Scotland - pre-school/nursery fulfils nearly the same role.

We then have 7 years at primary followed by 6 years at secondary in Scotland - compared to 6 years at primary (+ the optional reception year) and 7 years at secondary (or 5 at secondary + 2 at 6th form college).

[DecemberDays]

You can enter the postcode in the ED council website and it will tell you the local schools in catchment.

www.eastdunbarton.gov.uk/residents/schools-and-learning/school-catchments/school-catchment-areas

Be aware that the council are currently consulting on proposals for if catchment schools are over-subscribed, though - also on the website.

[Biscusting]

Rightmove is probably the best bet to cover the majority of properties, otherwise look to estate agent websites. Purple bricks is becoming more popular, maybe also worth a look.
Do you know which schools you’re interested in?

[randomsabreuse]

@DecemberDays I'd seen that bit but it's a bit backwards to look at a house then plug in the postcode (if available) to the website. Think we'd be ok with any of the Non Denominational schools possibly other than Kilsyth seem ok from the stats and obviously schools might change before we get there!

Not entirely wedded to East Dunbartonshire but most of it looks good for where DH needs to be - and commutable to the centre if that's where I end up.

Definitely not South of the river due to commuting fun for DH. Happy to be convinced on other areas though- early stages as need to sell in England before we can offer safely and have a 3 month notice period.

[DecemberDays]

Well, whatever

[FREEM]

I think there is no map available as they 're consulting re changing the catchment. possibly from postcode to primary school attended.
All a bit up in the air.

[randomsabreuse]

Sorry @DecemberDays - what I meant is that if you have a postcode it's great- if you're already in a position to narrow down locations or you know the area in general - but for someone new to the area it's really inconvenient- if you have a map you can just check the borders but unless you know local postcodes it's a pig to check every house that has a postcode on their listing.

It's all a bit complicated because of timing - as we'll be a late application for P1 next year by the time we've moved, plus the hassle of switching house buying systems means we can't go from owned house to owned house...

Would be amazing to just draw the catchments onto the custom area search in rightmove and get notifications of everything that comes up!

Have accepted can't afford Bearsden/Milgnavie... Bishopbriggs looks good (train to centre options/decent school) but need to watch authority boundary for school purposes. Also marginal for budget. Lenzie/Kirkintilloch could work but need to check Google maps traffic for am rush in January. Could also look Torrance way but again pending traffic check!

@FREEM that probably is it - the maps on Glasgow City and East Renfrewshire make choosing areas to plug into rightmove so much easier than just putting in area names and checking the place is actually in the area!

[randomsabreuse]

OK have also worked out that we don't really want a Secondary School a long way in the wrong direction for work! Unless provided transport is flexible and reliable (optimistic I suspect) it would make life difficult if it could be avoided so probably don't want the bit around Mugdock/Strathblane as guess placing requests into East Dunbartonshire unlikely and secondary school is in Balfron!

[MakeMineALargeProsecco]

Do you have a rough budget, OP?

[randomsabreuse]

Hoping under 250k but might manage to stretch to 300 with help/bravery!

4 bed or 3 with a separate dining room.

We're currently in a small English market town in an ex council end terrace - so not very fussy!

[PineappleDanish]

I'm in East Dunbartonshire. If you give a general idea of where you're looking then we can give more help with the catchment secondary. Lots of people working at the uni live in Bearsden/Milngavie and the dividing lines are along major roads, for secondary at least.

I would also caution against early entry to school. You are falling into the typical non-Scottish trap of assuming that reception is the same as P1 which it really isn't given the 6 months mismatch in ages of children and a totally different curriculum. FAR better to put her into nursery/pre-school for a term if you can get a place and then into P1 in the summer - allow her to find her feet.

Anyway, knowing what you say about your DH's job then in your position I'd be looking for a primary which falls into the catchment for Bearsden Academy - so Bearsden Primary, Mosshead, Baljaffray. Catchment for those three are a triangle starting at Canniesburn toll roundbout then north along Drymen road right up past the new Bearsden Academy, or along Milngavie Road as far as the McDonalds where it becomes Milngavie and a different catchment. The new houses being built by Cala and Robertson homes at the Allander are Bearsden Primary catchment

However, this is one of hte most expensive parts of |Glasgow and your budget isn't massive.

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-67184181.html - bearsden primary catchment

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-86951915.html - bearsden primary catchment and literally across the road from the school

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-66282567.html - Mosshead catchment but needs work

[prettybird]

I agree that early entry would not be good. Given the ability to defer in Scotland, she could end up being two (plus) years younger than her class mates - and being 17 (even after doing S6) for her entire 1st year at Uni (assuming she goes to Uni )

Ds, who has a September birthday and is therefore technically slap bang in the middle of the age range, in practice, because of deferrals, was at the young end of the year.

He still ended up, even though he did the full 13 years of Scottish schooling (ie he did S6 ), not able to drink in bars at least during freshers week at Uni as he only turned 18 after lectures started

He had one (non-deferred) friend who turned 18 in the February of his 1st year at Uni - and another, who had been deferred, who turned 18 in the January of their S6 year.

Not sure why you have discounted the Southside if your dh is working at Glasgow Uni. You mention Garscube, so that presumably means the vet school area. Travel in Glasgow is relatively easy (what we call traffic jams are nothing like the ones you get down south I've lived and worked in the South East, Bolton, Hull and Leeds )

Dh used to cycle from Pollokshields to West of Scotland Science Park (and I cycle-commuted to Bath Street/Elderslie Street).

There is also the subway which then links to the Scotrail services at Patrick.

Shawlands Academy is an excellent school regulars on here would be surprised if they didn't see me giving it a plug and you get a lot more house for your money on the South Side

....I don't have anything against Bearsden/Milngavie - I was brought up there and went (and did well at ) to Bearsden Primary and Bearsden Academy albeit a loooong time ago

[randomsabreuse]

Thanks @pineappledanish!

They look good!

Well aware it's an expensive area - but not in comparison to near the larger English cities, especially given the good transport links from further out!

4th bed/separate dining room is so we can put up the PIL without too much disruption to DC sleep!

DH is more pushing early entry than me - I don't think she'd be emotionally/socially ready but he's worried about how horrible she can be when bored! She's probably the youngest in her reception class but is more confident than most of them!

Main thing is that we find something for her for summer term! She was seriously cross to miss a week for Chickenpox so a term without "school" (or other time with teacher/peers) would not be fun for me!

[randomsabreuse]

Avoiding Southside because of need to get to out of hours calls evenings and weekends- and the extra 10/15 minutes is a pain for that. Vet school is the base/pick up location for students but all the non-teaching work will be north of the river!

[Elieza]

I agree with pineapple re Bearsden. Just keep looking. Plenty local estate agents so you can get a feel for the area. You could google things to do with “breach of the peace” or something to get a feel for areas within Bearsden or Milngavie which may be, er, noisier.
I don’t think there is much trouble in Bearsden but there used to be frequent trouble in Milngavie in the council area around, um, carbeth road I think it’s called?Or carbeth drive or something. Near the Milngavie fire station. Every week there used to be something in the Milngavie and Bearsden Herald (available online) Perhaps others can advise. Or perhaps the issues there have been sorted. I don’t know.

[ninaricciapple]

Just here to clear up a few things about Reception/ P1.

They’re typically ran very differently. Reception should be all about free flow play with some formal learning. P1 tends to be much more formal, even in councils where ‘play’ has been adopted. Play in P1 tends to be rotating around a series of tasks already set out by the teacher.

However, most children will leave Reception well able to read simple sentences and do basic arithmetic. From that point, OP’s DD probably would find she is repeating material in the first two terms of P1, at least.

Early entry is a strange beast. I’ve never known any child to be accepted for EE. It is not a choice and the child will be assessed by someone within the council who makes the decision (this used to be a HT or DHT). I also didn’t think you could request it retrospectively (I may be wrong). Socially I think she’d be far better off in her correct year. I think (looking verrrry far ahead), you’d be better accepting a little boredom aged 5 to trying to navigate high school a year or more younger than anyone else.

[WaxOnFeckOff]

I know one child who was a late march birthday who was an early entry. He was a fucking nightmare. Apart from the fact his arse hole dad had to drag him into school every day, he ended up bullying my son. I'm convinced it was done to save nursery fees and the nursery recommended/supported it to get rid. He wasn't particularly academic either. For various reasons, he's ended up in the English system and is still in school whilst my Ds is in 2nd year at uni and the year he would have been in here are now in 1st year uni.

[randomsabreuse]

Thanks! Sounds like consensus is do not touch early entry for an early August birthday!

She's been in her current classroom since just turned 3 - nursery is one end of the room with free flow play - half days. Reception is more structured and gets more formal as the year goes on with more expectations about sitting quietly in assembly. They already sit for whole class lessons on phonics and letter formation - maths activities are more choice I think - but I find myself being asked about a million questions about number bonds to 5 and 10, and starting to think about lots of! She asks me the question then answers it correctly if I repeat her question!

Physically she's among the fastest of the girls - won several races at sports day last year despite age/height. Has since shot up to above average height in class, although weight still among the smallest!

I think with enough deferrals in the year she should be ok - would be horribly overconfident if the oldest

[WaxOnFeckOff]

Honestly, even if the other DC have no reading or writing or maths before they start P1, they'll catch up quick. Neither of mine (July and August birthdays) were formally reading etc before school but still managed to self read, with full understanding, the first 3 Harry Potter books before age 7 and starting P3. There will be other bright DC and maybe some with similar levels of reading etc. It's not discouraged in nursery but generally only dc that are keen and interested get encouraged.

[ninaricciapple]

She will not be anywhere near the oldest, unless there’s a fluke year with no spring babies! She’ll more than likely be in the middle. Better off areas tend to have more deferrals so she’ll possibly even be in the younger half.

She’s also going to have a big move to deal with and she is still very young. We’re definitely far more relaxed up here (although any school worth their salt will still push her on) but I don’t see anything wrong with taking it easy academically at age 4 or 5, with a big move as well.

[prettybird]

As I mentioned earlier, ds, with a (mid) September birthday, was technically slap bang in the middle of the age banding for school but in practice was towards the young end of the year.

Your dd will be 15 when she sits her Nat 5s (assuming you stay in Scotland ), 16 when she sits her Highers, 17 when she sits her Advanced Highers (assuming she does. 6th year and sits them and doesn't go off to Uni after 5th year although that is less common nowadays ) and will turn 18 just before going to Uni.

So just right

[MakeMineALargeProsecco]

Just as an example, my April born DD was one of the oldest in P1. She started at 5y 4m & could read full books & write before she started school.

She has been totally fine in P1. There's a real mix of abilities & it's very much free flow - so her education has been quite seamless from private nursery.

I would put her in a school/nursery year in keeping with her birth date.

[randomsabreuse]

Thanks guys - I'm convinced!

I think DH is more pro as his sister sat and passed a scholarship exam for the year above as a December birthday in an English private school - and did uni as a 17yo in England.

Obviously we will be a late application for school to add to the fun, will aim for a nursery with spaces for summer term and see what is still on the market when we've sold out current house!

[prettybird]

I went to uni after S5 aged 17.5 (April birthday ) - to St Andrews, which with its high predominance of English students meant I was very much the youngest and most naive

I did struggle a wee bit initially (got teased a lot ) but at least, because it was a long time ago, I didn't have a problem with drinking and getting into pubs/the student union (no night clubs in St Andrews ). Nowadays ID checks are much more prevalent and thorough.

[PineappleDanish]

She won't be anything like the eldest or the youngest. I have an August child who would have been the very youngest in her year had we stayed in England, she's slap bang in the middle of the year here.

Scottish intake runs 1st March to 28th February. Parents of children born in January and February have the automatic right to defer and many do. So your daughter will have people in her year born between January and July all older than her.

On the early intake thing - that's really for exceptional children who have JUST missed the cut-off, so first couple of weeks in March. I have been living here 12 years, have had 3 children going through local primary schools and have not come across ONE child whose parents have put them into school early. It's just not the done thing. Even if your DH could convince the school to put your child into a class with children 18 months or more older than her, you'd be doing her no favours whatsoever, socially and in terms of making friends.

Furthermore, as many of the older children will be turning 5 between New Year and summer, any decent pre-school/nursery/playgroup should be tailoring the curriculum to their needs. My eldest is an early March birthday, he was reading fluently well before he was at school and was still not bored at pre-school as they had so many other things going on.