School admissions - check out Mumsnet local

[RebeccaMumsnet]

Hi all,

It's the time of year when those of us with DC due to start primary, junior or secondary next September have to make the tricky decision on which school to send them to.

We've teamed up with Schoolguide.co.uk to provide listings on Mumsnet Local for all the schools in your area - complete with links to Ofsted reports, maps and pupil/teacher ratios.

To take a look at the schools near you, go to your local site, click on Childcare & Education in the green navbar and select the sort of school you're looking for - alternatively, enter the name of the school you're interested in into the quick search on your Local homepage.

Please do go and have a look, and pay it forward by adding reviews of your DCs' schools to help others with the mind-boggling decision.

Also on Belfast and Northern Ireland local pages, there is no information at all. There's no age range even. It is literally the name of the school, not even a full postcode. If you look at the Co. Antrim pages there are several schools, with the same name, it doesn't even tell you what town they're in, you need to look at the totey map.

I don't know if this is because we don't have Ofsted and the data is being transferred or whether it's a case of couldn't be arsedness.

MNHQ - Thanks for adding TW2 to Richmond upon Thames. However, there's another postcode missing - St John the Baptist Junior School is in KT1 4.

@PythagorousPlannedIt

I live in what could be called south Crouch End, which means that although we are in Harringey, we are very close to Islington, with Islington children coming to Haringey schools, and Harringey children going to Islington schools, so around here the borough boundary not a useful division, yet mumsnet local is based on Boroughs?

It isn't always ideal basing on boroughs we agree. When local was first built we based everything on postcodes as the way to divide the areas but appreciate that doesn't fit in all circumstances. School listings are especially difficult because of the small areas of some catchments and overlaps.

@wigglesrock

Also on Belfast and Northern Ireland local pages, there is no information at all. There's no age range even. It is literally the name of the school, not even a full postcode. If you look at the Co. Antrim pages there are several schools, with the same name, it doesn't even tell you what town they're in, you need to look at the totey map.

I don't know if this is because we don't have Ofsted and the data is being transferred or whether it's a case of couldn't be arsedness.

Hello, definitely not a case of couldn't be arsedness. The info is taken from OFSTED so that is an issue. We've asked School Guide to clarify though and will let you know their thoughts.

@autoUpdater

MNHQ - Thanks for adding TW2 to Richmond upon Thames. However, there's another postcode missing - St John the Baptist Junior School is in KT1 4.

Great thanks for letting us know, there may be a small problem in that we define by only the first part of the postcode so we'd have to add all of KT1 which might not be ideal. We'll have a think about that one.

MNHQ: "we'd have to add all of KT1 which might not be ideal"

It's not so bad. It's just a short hop over the river - and secondary school children in particular do cross over - especially for the Tiffin schools. Richmond and Kingston now have a joint service for Education too.

Thanks autoUpdater that's good to know!

wigglesrock Update for you. School Guide have been working on improving the info they get for Northern Ireland and have said more will be available for us during October.

What is the advantages and disadvantages of studying in international schools and local schools?

Thank you
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I have given up trying to look at our local site as it is incredibly slow - presume it is separate from main mumsnet - a franchise or something?

MNHQ has this been abandoned now? I can't find the schools I am looking for tnx

@MsHerodotus

I have given up trying to look at our local site as it is incredibly slow - presume it is separate from main mumsnet - a franchise or something?

Hello, sorry your local site has been playing up for you, we'll take a look. could you let us know which site you're having trouble with please? If you'd rather not say here please email [email protected].

@cowbiscuits74

MNHQ has this been abandoned now? I can't find the schools I am looking for tnx

Hello, It's a very large database of UK schools so it probably should be there but it may your local site is missing a postcode. Would you mind emailing the name of your school and the name of your local site to [email protected] and we'll take a look.

Thanks so much for your help.

Jessica - it is Richmond upon Thames

Any update MNHQ? It seems they are organised according to mumsnet local groups rather than LEAs which don't always overlap exactly

As another poster said best to use LEA website anyway and then post specific Q's on local board if there is one ....

Hi , Help!
My daughter is due to start yr 9 in Sept '15. Our son is due to start yr 6 in Sept. 15. Both children have been taught through medium of Welsh.We live in Cardiff and I am looking for an independent school with an emphasis on Sport. Any, experience or views, good or bad welcome?
looking at:
Christ College, Brecon
Monmouth has been suggested
Milfield