Waltham Forest and its schools

[ambulanceman]

I am trying desperately to find out what the schools in the St James Park area and Blackhorse road station area are like - Stoneydown, South Grove, Barnscroft, Greenleaf etc. Do "normal" parents send their schools there or do they choose private schools? Or are there other local state schools?

will bump just in case.

The best in the area is supposed to be St Patrick's (RC). All the others are much of a muchness, i.e. not brilliant... Have a look at the Ofsted reports ontheir website. HTH

The church schools tend to do better - St Patricks or St Saviors. Greenleaf used to be good if you're not in favour of the God option. I have to say that I can't think of many private prep schools in the area either I'm afraid. You'd be commuting a fair bit.

What about Forest (private) - don't they have a prep dept. www.forest.org.uk/

It's still a fair commute from St James Street/Blackhorse Road.

There's plenty of private prep schools when you get to the Woodford side.

anyone else?

Can you be more precise about what info you're looking for? The schools that you're describing all fit with the surrounding area more or less. Church schools tend to have better results, but so would schools towards Chingford/Highams Park.

Hi, I really wanted to know what are the good state schools in the area, private not an option, Church of England a possibility. Do you think most of the local middle classes go private? We are not British, so new to this game.

It's not really a middle class area though. Most middle class familes are towards Chingford/Woodford. If you go to Woodford then you are in Grammar school territory which makes a huge difference.

Thank you!

Actually ,most of the primaries in WF are absolutely fine,i know children of all agea at lots of them.I can personally reccommend Barncroft and Coppermill,i know some highly able children at both these who are doing vv well.Not sure what you mean by normal,guess you mean middle class and educated ,well,myself and my friends are these things and we send our children to these schools and are very pleased we do,there is a high percentge of very clever,well behaved,nice non-white,non-middle class children at these schools too,thank god!

I'M sorry but your assumptions that because Walthamstow is not a majority middle class area the schools are no good is wrong wrong wrong.It is a much better area than chingford for primary schools,and do you know,shock horror,lots of kids ,middle class or otherwise ,do v well and get a levels and go to university at WF schools.Walthamstow is a great place for families,lots of green open spaces,fab transport lnks,excellent range of kids groups and stuff to do,a handful of v nice pubs,chain stores,cheap stores,the market,little one off shops,some lovely cafes and restaurants.....Many of my friends are teachers(in state and private sector)and they all send their kids to primaries in the boro...

Great interstella, was hoping for somebody who lives in the area. What I mean by "normal" is kids with supportive families, who spend time talking to them, playing with them, etc. My family is very mixed,so want my kids to be exposed to a variety of kids, poor, rich, black, white, but would not want them to be in a minority. Beside Coppermill and Barncroft what otehr schools are ok? What a relief!