Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Education

Join the discussion on our Education forum.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

Secondary education in London

26 replies

spacemonkey · 25/04/2004 14:35

Following on from my thread about possibly moving into London this summer, I'd like to hear from anyone who has children in state secondary schools in London, particularly within Camden LEA.

I've got two children - dd is due to start year 9 in September and ds will start year 6, so will be going to secondary school in September 2005.

I am going to call Camden LEA this week to ask which secondary school I would be in the catchment area for - the three nearest schools are Hampstead, Acland Burghley and Haverstock so any feedback on those schools in particular would be good!

Should I have visions of drug addled violent gangs in store for my children, or have you got positive stories to tell about London schools?!

TIA for any info and advice X

OP posts:

Original poster

spacemonkey · 25/04/2004 14:39

Other schools nearby I've just spotted:

William Ellis
Parliament Hill

OP posts:

twiglett · 25/04/2004 14:51

message withdrawn

bunny2 · 25/04/2004 20:50

I used to teach at Camden School for Girls, it is a fabulous school, wonderful atmosphere, excellent staff, very high standards. PErfect for any dd. It is close to William Ellis which is also good (used to be anyway).

Original poster

spacemonkey · 25/04/2004 21:25

Thanks bunny - it certainly does look like a great school. Can't imagine it would be easy to get a year 9 place for dd there, but I can try!

OP posts:

Davros · 25/04/2004 22:13

I was about to ask why you had discounted William Ellis and Parliament Hill but you haven't! What about La Sainte Union too? Haverstock, as far as I know, will not be open for some time as it is being rebuilt. Maybe they're going to work extra fast but I'd be surprised. It was supposed to be awful before but may be much improved with new buildings and extra money when it does open. You could also try Henrietta Barnet (girls) in Hampstead Gdn suburb, Borough of Barnet but quite near as crow flies.

pollyanna · 25/04/2004 22:18

William Ellis has a good reputation. I'm not sure if you'll live close enough to it though.

Batters · 26/04/2004 08:36

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster

spacemonkey · 26/04/2004 12:29

Thanks batters. I have contacted the Senior Admissions Officer at Camden LEA this morning for some preliminary advice and am waiting for her response!

I know that you can't actually apply for school places until you are resident in the area, and that won't happen until late July at the earliest, so I'm worried that there won't be any spaces for dd and ds!

OP posts:

Sparks · 26/04/2004 12:45

I live near Acland Burghley, though my dd is still in primary school, so no direct experience. My friend's dd started at Parliament Hill in September and is very happy there. Acland Burghley is a specialist art college, which means they have extra funding for art subjects. They also have a fantastic (so I am told) new library.

The schools all have their own web sites, so you could try Googling them and see what they have to say.

Original poster

spacemonkey · 26/04/2004 12:49

Thanks Sparks - I've checked out the school websites. I like the look of Acland Burghley for dd because it is a specialist arts college and her strengths are in art and drama. The atmosphere and attitude of the school is more important to me than academic results. Neither of my children are particularly academic - I think they would both benefit from a school that values non-academic achievement in other areas as much as good results.

OP posts:

Tinker · 26/04/2004 12:53

This is what I was talking about the other day sm

Original poster

spacemonkey · 26/04/2004 17:08

Thanks for the link tinker.

I'm quite impressed - have had a reply from Camden LEA Admissions Officer already.

There are no catchment areas in Camden - you just apply to the schools you want. She says there are no vacancies at the moment at all, so dd would have to go on a waiting list and possibly be referred to the Camden Tuition Service until a space became available.

Primary places are available for ds though!

OP posts:

twiglett · 26/04/2004 17:26

message withdrawn

Original poster

spacemonkey · 26/04/2004 17:35

Yes, from looking at the individual school websites, one of the admissions criteria is distance from school.

They also suggested she may have to go to a school in another borough if there are no places in Camden, which could mean a lot of travelling for her

OP posts:

aloha · 26/04/2004 17:36

My neighbour's dd (in Camberwell) will be going to Pimlico school (ie not very near Camberwell) - she is going because it has a specialist music course which she is eligible for. There are no catchment areas if you fit in other ways, it seems.

Sparks · 27/04/2004 15:39

There aren't catchment areas as such, but distance from the school is one of the criteria. In effect what this means is that the geographical area varies from year to year depending on who applies.

The admissions criteria for all Camden schools are the same:

Children with special needs.
Children who have a sibling at the school.
Children who have a specific medical or social reason to attend the school (needs to be VERY specific).
Children living nearest to the school measured ?as the crow flies?.

It must be similar for the other London Boroughs.

SM, I'm afraid it's quite common for children in London to travel some distance to secondary school. Aloha's neighbour is not the only one!

Original poster

spacemonkey · 27/04/2004 15:44

Blimey, so there's no way for me to know where she'll end up then! It's like a lottery

OP posts:

soyabean · 27/04/2004 21:38

Spacemonkey it IS alottery and a very stressful one. Dont know what it will be like for you with a an older child looking for a place. But when a 'popular' school is full, it doesnt matter how close you live, you wont get a place unless someone else leaves and you are top of the waiting list.
I would suggest that you put your dd down at all the schools you are interested in and ask where she is on the waiting list. Then you'll have an idea whether its realistic to wait.
The criteria are all different for each school but musical etc aptitude is more likely to apply for year 7 entry I think. having said that it might also be worth getting an interview at schools so youa nd your dd are faces and not just names. Shouldnt help but it just might.

My ds is in year 7 and crosses 2 boroughs to secondary school. Its a good school and he travels with friends and it is all going fine, but it was a big worry before he started.
I am proably too far away from where you will be to offer any concrete info on schools (we are in S London) but happy to answer any general questions if you have more.

I still stand by what I said earlier on another thread that its great for children living in London, but I had the impression then that you were sorted for schools already. I hope it all works out for you, but I think you may well have a hard time on the secondary issue.

Original poster

spacemonkey · 27/04/2004 22:38

Thanks soyabean, I really appreciate you taking the time to post about this, because of course it's my biggest concern about moving into London.

Frankly I feel a bit depressed about it. I can't actually make an application to anywhere until I'm resident in the area, so all I've been able to do so far is get preliminary information from the LEA.

If it all happens as I hope it will, we would be moving in late July/August - in the summer holiday - which is probably too late to sort out a school place for the beginning of September.

I don't want dd to just go anywhere. It will be a big upheaval for her as it is adjusting to life in London after living in a comparatively sleepy provincial town all her life. someone give me something positive to hang on to please!

OP posts:

Davros · 28/04/2004 11:36

SM, definitely look at Henrietta Barnet even though its in a neighbouring borough as its near as the crow flies. New End couldn't be any nearer to you, you'll be able to shout from the balcony to tell ds to come home! Don't worry too much about your secondary school child travelling a bit, as long as the journey's not too complicated and long. I went to school on the tube and we had a great time! We certainly developed independence. The only problem for me was that the journey was extremely long and complicated and took too much time out of the day, it was like going to work! A bus ride or tube ride will be fine.

soyabean · 28/04/2004 13:39

Spacemonkey you may not move tillJuly/Aug but you will know the address wont you so might you be able to get her name downa t some schools before that? I really think it would be worth phoning some directly and trying to get an interview during this term. Just so they know you and your dd and might give her a place if one becomes available.
I would like to echo what Davros says about travelling though: dont worry too much about it as it is just the norm in London. It was my biggest concern about ds1's sec school, before he started. He gets bus to station (could wlk, its a mile or so) then train (15 mins) then a 10 min walk. He has coped absolutlely fine with it. He has other children to travel with but very quickly was able to do it on his own.
How does your dd feel about the idea? Im sure once shes started she will hook up with others doing the same journey but obviously thats a bit harder for a yr 9 than a yr 7 when everyone is new.
All the best

soyabean · 28/04/2004 13:43

Also, meant to say, do apply to schools in other boroughs as well. Sometimes a further away school can be easier to get to if theres a direct bus or train route. (train is expensive though, my sons travel card is £24 per month)

Original poster

spacemonkey · 04/05/2004 14:14

Thanks for your advice soyabean and davros. I am going to start calling the schools this week. My dd is not particularly academic, so I shan't bother applying to Henrietta Barnett, having seen their admissions criteria! DD did take the 11 plus and failed - she is much more of an arty type than an academic.

OP posts:

Davros · 11/05/2004 12:51

Spacemonkey, I saw my friend whose sons go to Acland Burghley last week. She's very happy with it and she's not a passive type who'll put up with anything! I think she's quite involved in PTA and school activities. She says that Fiona & Alistair's children go to William Ellis (it may be a state school but they wear uniform, its single sex.....)

neo123 · 06/09/2005 14:57

I want my son to go to acland Burghley Secondary school, but I live one block away from the border of camden and islington. Do I fall into the catchment area or not. Living in Islington there is not much to choose from and definitely not Holloway School. If a child is gifted academically ie on the other end of the special needs line, can he be counted as special needs for his application to Acland Burghley?

Flip

1 2

Swipe left for the next trending thread