Best Primary schools in Putney/Richmond for most able pupils

[SchoolSearch2024]

Hello, seeking advice.
ds 7 moving schools in year 3 (September 2024). He is highly academic and a hard worker, easily top of year for maths and English in a selective prep. Also very shy and introverted, takes time to make friends.
due to unforeseen circs it is likely that I cannot fund school fees going forward for primary. So am looking for a good primary that is willing to stretch the most able pupilis and is also nurturing.

i have in mind:

• st Mary’s Putney
• Thomson house
• sheen mount
• deer park
• holy trinity

any thoughts/recommendations welcome, thank you

Are you planning to move house? Because those schools are not particularly near each other.

But for year 3 entry into primary schools, what matters is where there are spaces - and no one knows where there will be spaces in September. If you are intent on him seeing out the year in his prep you are risking lack of spaces where you want them to be. On the plus side you have ample time to visit them all and decide which you like but once you have done that you might have to consider moving earlier if a space comes up at your favourite.

I don't know the schools so I can't really help but I was going to ask @SchoolSearch2024 if any of those are junior schools - because if so, you could apply (before the end of January!) for a place through the normal admissions round, as juniors start in year 3.

Otherwise yes, it's not really about you finding the perfect school you love - as a mid-year entrant you will have to take what is offered. You might get lucky, but equally you may not. Have you called the LA to see which school might have a space? If there is a space somewhere you like, you might want to take it now (they won't hold it).

The only one that might be a junior school is St Mary's. I don't know that one because it's absolutely miles away in school catchment terms. I live near enough to one of the others to have sent my child there if I had wanted to, and about ten or fifteen minutes walk from another (not a chance in hell of getting in from that distance in the normal admissions round).

Even waiting lists for primary schools have an element of distance attached to them if you are trying to get a spot in a school that has lots of people waiting for a place.

I suspect you'll get a place in whichever school you choose because you are at the window where people start to go private for 11 plus or move out of London for more space, so places open up. You may not know until children don't show up the first week of September though.

You should consider the closer schools to help with friendships and travel to school. Traffic along the South Circular through East Sheen is hell.

For 11+ private or grammar entry lots of parents in this area pay for tutors, so factor that into your academic thoughts and budget. The state primaries I know in this area don't focus on 11+ tests.

Honestly there isn't really a bad primary school in the Richmond to Putney area you are looking at (and you've missed some other great schools like Barnes Primary, East Sheen, St Mary Mags). The schools are different sizes and do have different feels / style though, so look around them with your child. Start local though!

Thanks all!

yes plan is to move closer to any schools that I like and have space. Appreciate that am unlikely to know this until July ish.
most of these schools mentioned are not at capacity and do in fact havdd we space or informed me they expect to have space.

barnes primary has no space. not keen on catholic schools. East Sheen I’m not keen on either.

any thoughts/recommendations on the actual schools mentioned please? Would also prefer a school where it’s ‘cool’ to work hard - will likely be doing 11+ with ds.

You'd be fine with St Mary's ( or All Saints) in Putney. Don't know much about Thompson House or Sheen Mount but vaguely knew people there and they seemed happy.

If you don't already live in the area then that will be tough. Not much on the rental or sales market right now. Also look at secondary options because they are limited for state.

Secondary it sounds like you'd look for grammar (Tiffin or Sutton). Ashcroft in Putney, is the only academic school that end. Richmond out towards Twickenham has grey court, Orleans etc but you need to be close.
I guess you would hope for a scholarship to a private school too.

@Rollercoaster1920 yes looking to rent those areas and hoping to move in spring

yes thinking of grammar or bursary for private at senior school, possibly Orleans park/grey court, will move to get in catchment area once ds on year 5/6

DS (now 18) went to Kew Riverside - was excellent then (and very oversubscribed) but I gather has suffered from drop in international parents during Covid.

I've lived in the area for years (as has my sister) and there aren't really any bad primary schools in Richmond so pick the one where you want to live most.

You'll need to move before applications in year 5 if you want it to count. so realistically need to be looking in year 4.

Christ secondary is good (though I didn't like it) and plenty of good secondarys around (including ones you've mentioned) hard to know how capable your child is pre primary. We have friends at Tiffin - it is madly competitive.

@SchoolSearch2024 would love to know which school you ended up deciding on as we are also considering moving to Richmond.

@KLtoLondon haven’t moved yet! Still visiting these schools. Happy to discuss further if you would like via pm .

@KLtoLondon haven’t moved yet! Still visiting these schools. Happy to discuss further if you would like via pm .

@SchoolSearch2024 hi there, just wondering which school you ended up choosing please and what your thoughts about the schools you mentioned in the post. We are in a similar situation for my daughter. Thanks