Ibstock Place School Reviews & Good Areas to live nearby

[Shreyasarin]

Hi, we will be moving to London soon. We plan to send our kids to Ibstock place. Any moms with kids in the primary section at Ibstock? Need reviews on the schools primary section and how academic it is. We are also looking at areas to live near the school which have good public transport and a train station near by as I dont drive and plan on learning to drive once we move there. Where do most moms with kids at Ibstock place stay? Which are the good areas for families to live ? Many thanks!

On the subject of plane noise, I also live directly under the flight path around the "drop the landing gear" point, and in all honesty the planes do not bother me. Unless I concentrate, I often don't notice them at all. I've lived here for over 20 years though so well and truly used to it!

Beingfrank - waving a hello as we must live within spitting distance!

Ibstock Place does not GUARANTEE a place in Senior school, but this year I think there were only 3 - 5 children who were not offered a place. This is no different than Latymer Junior or Denmead for Hampton. It HAS to be that way as it's difficult to tell how academic a child will be at 11 when they join a school at 4. It's also in the best interests of the child as it's not great to be in a school where you are bottom in most subjects. My nephew is at IPS and is very happy. His parents chose the school after visiting, seeing the older pupils and thinking they would be very happy if their DS turned out to be like them. IPS pupils are happy confident children who mostly seem to escape the "entitled" air of some London day pupils. Would also like to add that the park gates do not close until the IPS parents have left even in the darkest days of winter. However, it is true that going through Sheen High Street to the Carol concert or winter plays can be a trial!

I have to disagree with you duderanch. I don't know about Denmead but I was discussing exactly this with a Latymer prep parent recently. It is very rare there that children don't get into LU - she has had consecutive children go through for several years now and couldn't remember anyone who didn't get in.

My point to OP was that if she has a child, say in year 5, they may not have time to get up to speed before the 11+ comes round. She needs to realise that Ibstock is not a straight throughb4 to 18 school, necessarily.

I don't think you are disagreeing with me. I think 3 or 4 children out of an entire year group NOT getting into Ibstock senior school are small odds. I KNOW a few children don't get into Latymer Upper because it happened to a friend of ours, ditto Denmead to Hampton and again at WHS. I think there is a kind of West London urban myth that mean old Ibstock do this and no other school does. I was just pointing out that it happens almost everywhere to a greater or lesser degree.

But at Latymer it is occasional (very) not 3 or 4 a year. I am not trying to suggest Ibstock are any more or less "mean" than anywhere else (fwiw I think Latymer are maybe not "mean" enough) but just want to alert the OP to the fact that secondary transfer may be something to bear in mind if any of the children are approaching that age.

I went to the Ibstock prep open event in the Autumn, and the question was asked of how many from the prep were not going up to the senior school and it was 8 children I think. They try to give advice on alternative schools they said.

According to parents I know it was fewer once the results came out. 3-5, I heard. It is also true the parents had been told some time ago to start looking elsewhere.

Hi there
I have two children in the primary part of Ibstock, we're really happy with the school. It is getting more academic, but I really like the teaching style and it doesn't feel pressurised. I'd say the homework levels are much the same as at other schools (judging by conversations with friends). Nice, normal, friendly parents - it's not blingy or cliquey (or at least not in the years my DCs are in). SEN provision is pretty poor.

In terms of areas - the bus from Barnes station is only for seniors, so please don't rely on that. The school is very inaccessible for public transport, so pretty much all parents walk/ bike or drive there. There's a bike lane along Priory Lane (on the pavement), so if you're coming from Barnes biking can be an option depending on age of your DC. I sometimes make mine scoot! It's only about 1.5-2 miles. Lots of people walk/ bike from Sheen. The park does close for cars in the Winter at 4, but not for pedestrians. Though you probably wouldn't want to walk through Richmond park in the dark anyway... School finishes at 3.30 for the first two years then 3.45 after that, so the park is ok unless you have after school activities.

Happy to answer more questions if you want to PM me.

Hi everyone, thanks for all the feedback. My kids joined Ibstock Place and love the school. The teachers are very nice and parents are friendly. We live in Sheen. I use the bus to go to school. There is a 493 that goes from Richmond Sheen and has a stop outside Clarence lane which is then a 8 min walk to the school. Once I have learnt driving I plan to drive through the park. The home work isnt too much. Home work given is just like other schools. I do believe kids need some bit of practice which is good. Regarding the aircraft noise. Yes you do hear the noise but Since we have lived in busy cities the noise dosnt bother us. We are used to it and it dosnt disturb me. I guess it depends on each one. We love Sheen. Its a lovely family area with lots of families with kids, parks and little shops. Thank you again.

N yes the shuttle bus service from Barnes is only for senior kids.

Its true that several other schools in the same area don't guarantee places in senior school - in fact, there are fewer that do than don't. But I also know several kids who were asked to leave Ibstock because they 'weren't academic enough' half way through primary school - and that is a whole different ballgame and, in my opinion, just wrong.

As for SEN, the impression I got when we looked at it (admittedly seven years ago) was that SEN, on the whole, got asked to move on too. I hope, very much, that has changed.

My kids are not SEN, as it turns out, but I didn't want them growing up in a community that de-selects members based on SEN - hence, we crossed Ibstock off our list at the time.

All that said, and in spite of the upset (and some survivor guilt) caused by classmates being asked to leave prematurely, I do also know kids who are happy there. Horses for courses, maybe.