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Original poster

State primary schools in north london

27 replies

manicmumday · 19/04/2006 23:35

we're thinking about moving to Harringey (only place we've found so far in north london that we can afford a house). Does anyone know any decent state primary schools near there? Or any other areas nearby with any good schools? Please help, am desperate!

OP posts:
MadameDeMars · 20/04/2006 00:01

Haringey is a big borough. Where in Haringey?

Original poster
manicmumday · 20/04/2006 09:31

Oops, sorry. Haringey ladder, probably...

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MadameDeMars · 20/04/2006 09:38

Hmmmm.... will have to give that some thought. It depends again on which part of the ladder. Are we talking Finsbury Park end or Wood Green end?

suzywong · 20/04/2006 09:41

best state school in Haringey is Coleridge (is that right, have I remembered the name) the one at the end of Hornsey Lane a the top of Crouch Hill. But the catchment used to be 0.3 of a mile and it costs an arm and a leg to live round there. Sorry not much help.

There is a very good RC one in Ally Pally IIRC.
WOuld you be close enough to Hornesy Vale/Ferme Park Road, isn't there an OK one there?

MadameDeMars · 20/04/2006 09:42

If she's on the ladder she hasn't a hope for any of those.

suzywong · 20/04/2006 09:43
MadameDeMars · 20/04/2006 09:44

pmsl!!!!!! So true oh ye of the flaming poo envelopes!

suzywong · 20/04/2006 09:47

I would have got Highgate Primary if I was very lucky for ds1, not St Michaels in Highgate as we refused to do the faux Protestantism for that, I don't know what we would have got if Highgate Primary had fallen through, maybe one in East Finchley? Are you kids at the one near Duke's Avenue Mars? Or are you the Ally Pally end of Mussie HIll?

Original poster
manicmumday · 20/04/2006 09:52

Flaming poo envelopes? Is that a Haringey delicacy?!

We're mainly looking at the Finsbury Park end of the ladder. The only school I've found anywhere near there is Haringey South Primary School (think that's what it's called) and its Ofsted report says that it has trouble keeping teachers, it has some unqualified teachers working there and an extremely high turnover of pupils, given the high number of refugees and asylum seekers... Even with my eternal optimist hat on, that doesn't sound great to me.

Not sure that we can afford private so might have to think again about areas... Any suggestions? (again, no pressure, but am desperate!)

OP posts:
suzywong · 20/04/2006 09:53

you mean different areas of North London to buy in?

I have been away for 18 months so am not up to the minute but what about Bounds Green?

sylvm · 20/04/2006 10:13

Don't wish to offend anyone but I wouldn't want to move into Finsbury Park area with a family. Have you looked in the London Borough of Enfield area (there are cheaper parts and more expensive parts). Would you consider moving a teeny bit further out and into Hertfordshire (say Borehamwood/Hatfield) - both very commutable for London?

Original poster
manicmumday · 20/04/2006 13:58

no offence taken, am just limited by budget, that's all. do you know if the cheaper parts of enfield have good schools? (can't move out of london for reasons to complicated to get into here...)

OP posts:
Original poster
manicmumday · 20/04/2006 13:58

no offence taken, am just limited by budget, that's all. do you know if the cheaper parts of enfield have good schools? (can't move out of london for reasons to complicated to get into here...)

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Original poster
manicmumday · 20/04/2006 13:58

no offence taken, am just limited by budget, that's all. do you know if the cheaper parts of enfield have good schools? (can't move out of london for reasons to complicated to get into here...)

OP posts:
Original poster
manicmumday · 20/04/2006 13:59

oops, sorry for multiple postings. plus that should have been "too complicated"... (clearly my DS needs better schooling than I had...)

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mythumbelinas · 20/04/2006 14:08

How about Grazebrook Promary School, it's nearish Finsbury Park .. off Lordship Lane way .. and had pretty good results
or just try upmystreet.com pop in postcode and go to 'local area' then 'schools'

sylvm · 21/04/2006 10:06

I don't know the schools in Enfield that well but you can find out more on the Ofsted website www.ofsted.gov.uk by searching in the area you want. You can also search property at the price you are looking for on www.rightmove.co.uk. Also there is a website with local groupings www.netmums.com. -if you go to the area you want you could find out from Mums there what they think about the schools. Good luck.

bundle · 25/04/2006 13:26

i have a friend in the ladders whose daughter went to coleridge..

bundle · 25/04/2006 13:28

would you apply to catholics schools? st john vianney (turnpike rd end) has good ofsted report. also know people who have kids at one of the haringey (the south one i think) schools which they're pleased with.

cod · 25/04/2006 13:29

dot hey do mental maths?

arf

welshmum · 25/04/2006 13:36

Why don't you move to Holloway and go to Grafton primary, it had one of the best ofsteds I've ever read, results good too.

Original poster
manicmumday · 25/04/2006 21:34

Really appreciate all of the advice - thanks.

I'm glad to hear that Coleridge may take children who live on the ladder as I've only heard positive things about it and the OFSTED report is good.

Rokesly also got a decent OFSTED report and isn't that far west of the ladder - anyone with children there at the moment? If so, do you know what their catchment area usually is?

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bundle · 26/04/2006 09:45

don't know that one i'm afraid, but have heard v good things about st aidan's which i think is more over stroud green way

Bundles74 · 26/04/2006 10:45

Palmers Green in Enfield is reasonably priced, and Hazlewood Junior is a "good and rapidly improving School" according to OFSTED. Most of Enfield though is nice and there are quite a few good schools, from what I gather.

hamsters · 26/04/2006 19:23

Rokesly's a lovely school where in Year 6 you don't spend all the time doing SATS papers and you get to carry on with art, PE, music etc. It's split into Junior and Infant with separate heads. The Junior school has just finished a substantial building programme that's added new classrooms, dining hall and other facilities. The Infants is in the process of refurbishment with extension of classrooms and new playground equipment.

I'm not sure you'd get in from the ladder though, not in reception anyway, although there are vacancies higher up the school. All the schools in Crouch End are oversubscribed at reception although there's quite a bit of movement between schools in Year 3 and up.