primary schools, very confused

[DianDian]

Hello mums, would someone please explain the procedures for sending their children to primary schools? At what stage does the research start and do you always visit the schools before application? DD is 15 months, we are moving to Hampstead London, haven't done anything about schools, but have heard from neighbours that you got to put names down for independent schools before they turned 1. But how would you know which ones to apply for, and if your children would fit in? Clearly they don't exhibit preferences for many things at this age yet. I guess state and faith schools are more straightforward as there are less to choose from. What about the decision on state vs independent? Did you visit both batch of schools before or just after birth?

We visited both state and independent when we lived in Surrey. We then did the same when we moved to Cheshire and again in Sussex.
We were west Surrey though so none of the crazy put names down at birth stuff. Plus we wanted schools that were academically selective rather than socially. We found more often than not that those schools asked you to have names down autumn term the year before entry and they assessed in the January/February.
In terms of state, you apply the year before entry. Normally this is between sept-dec though for some LEAs the cut off may be Nov or even Jan.

In 2 of the 3, we opted for independent simply because it was an all round better school. In one area the state primary offered so much more so we opted for that. Private isn't necessarily better but it often can offer more in the way of extra curricular. This is less so in the case of 'name down at birth type schools who interview parents'. Even though DH fits right into the type of parent they want to attract, they have no appeal to us whatsoever.

You need to visit all the schools you can reach easily, and work out which you like.

As you say, state schools are straightforward in the sense that you make one application, during one applications window (chucking in SIFs if it includes VA schools).

For private school - if indeed there are any that you like - then you need to look at admissions procedure. If it is a selective school, all applications before the deadline should stand a roughly equal chance. If non-selective, then first come/first served might well apply and some (but not all) London schools fill up remarkably quickly.

But remember - most families are applying for 2/3/4 schools. There is a lot of movement on waiting lists.

What are 2/3/4 schools?

Oh silly me, you must mean the number of schools!

Yes, I meant a typical number of applications! Thought of course you could scatter your registration fee cheques like confetti to every school to which you think you could stand the school run and decide nearer the time.