Roundwood Primary in Harpenden

[parrotshoes]

We are thinking of buying a house close to Roundwood Primary in Harpenden. DD is 3 so we will need to apply for primary schools soon.

Does anyone have any information on this school? I know it traditionally had a brilliant reputation but for the past couple of years it has been undersubscribed. Is there a reason? Or just down to changing birth rates?

Bump

Hopeful bump

Can't help but I did go there back in the day! Had a lovely experience from memory.

You would be hard-pressed to find any school underperforming in Harpenden. They draw from an affluent catchment and their general performance reflects that.

Roundwood Primary is larger than some of the other schools in the area, so maybe that is why they are undersubscribed?

I don't think you have anything to worry about.

Thank you both! That's very reassuring. As you say, it seems to have always had a fantastic reputation in the past and a few years back its catchment was something mad like 400m. I was just wondering if something had changed.

I did also read elsewhere thought that due to the last year's intake being a lower birth rate, there ended up being a bit of extra capacity in the schools. So maybe it's that.

I live in harpenden, but not near roundwood. I havent heard anything about the school that would make it seem unfavourable compared to others. Some years are referred to as bulge years and have lots of siblings and a lot of the schools are oversubscribed but other years tend to be more manageable for numbers. Have you looked if other local schools are under subscribed in the same years? The high schools are almost always oversubscribed.

Yes as I understand it some of the other schools were undersubscribed too. I think Grove, Harpenden Academy and possibly a couple of others?