Croydon primary schools

[adamum]

Does anyone here have advice about state primary schools in Croydon? Are good ones very oversubscribed? Did anyone choose church school as a way through the thicket? Are they the best bet? Haven't moved there yet but want to get some idea.

Oh dear, does everyone on mumsnet live in north London?!

soupdragon does

I live in croydon and to my shame teach there but actually have very little idea about primary schools.
My niece goes to Ridgeway
I think Byron is quite good, The Hayes ( staff have kids there)Christ church, most of which are in the south of the borough not really sure about the north.

Which bit of Croydon? It varies hugely!!

South Croydon is good with Ridgeway, Atwood and Gresham.

St Johns in Shirley is good too but a church school and you do need to attend the church as it's oversubscribed.

Used to live there - Park Hill v good, Woodside good. I moved 100 miles so my ds wouldn't have to go to Davidson.

It really depends on where you live, and whether you are in a high birth year or not. Current Year 1 was a very high birth year, and so getting spaces was difficult, but most of my friends in reception got their first choice. Church schools for primary may not be the way to go unless you relaly do go to church as certainly Christchurch is very competitive (eg instance on both parents goign to church etc). OTOH secondary schools in Croydon are quite a challenge IMO unless you do the church route.

If you give a bit more info about which schools you're near we might be able to give more info?

ds barely 2. Maybe secondary schools will improve by the time he needs one! How do catchment areas work in Croydon? The LEA site seems quite vague. I read a report which stated that whilst some of their schools are heavily oversubscribed (think they must be referring to the church ones as the other secondary schools don't seem like much cop)that the population is decreasing, hence it will become easier to get places. Interesting how there's an increasing Christian population though isn't it

South of the Borough - Chipstead Valley Primary and Smitham have both got good reputations.