'Good' schools in N London

[cockles]

An considering moving from our current north london borough, where the schools are pretty dire. Can't afford Highgate/hampstead; where else would you look at? Where's a good bet for both primary and secondary (state) schools - crouch end? muswell hill? (Not as far out as Barnet or Enfield though) I'd love any tips, thank you!

its a minefield choosing a house on catchment as they change every year, muswell hill is good but tetherdown was 0.3, rhodes avenue .26 and muswell hill .301, as for fortismere i know 2 people who rented a flat near to the school for 12 months to get their children in, god knows how many more do it.
crouch end is good, just dont buy near campsbourne.
highate school is apparently quite easy to get in.

I used to see the kids from Petchey coming in and out every day as I took dd1 to nursery, and always thought I'd be ok with one of my children as part of that setup. Nothing more scientific than that, I'm afraid.

But there are now people turning down out-of-borough desirable church schools in favour of Mossbourne, so that's definitely turned out ok.

Hifi - do you mean Highgate Wood or Highgate? One is private I think?

wrt crouch end coleridge has good reputation

higate primary and infants, not private. highgate wood is supposedly inproving though. the only thing with coleridge is its now a 4 class intake, huge, the biggest one in crouch end. apparently there are spaces at higate because so many of the children in the surrounding area do go private.

yes, friend of mine whose son is at coleridge was against the expansion...and lost

I live in Muswell Hill and the primary schools there are very good. They are usually over-subscribed. Any one of them would do, in many ways. My DD is going to Muswell Hill Pri and I got in through the waiting list

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I know someone who is a teacher and visited Campsbourne and thought highly of it. Despite its poor Ofsted, it is making every effort to improve and I'd rather have that than a school complacent in its success.

i think the problem with campsborne is the head has left , or is leaving and the worry is it will go back to how it was before. 2 friends have taken their children out because of disruption in class.one friend who has ds in pre school says there's a very strong divide between non English speaking,middle class kids and in her words rough British kids. she wouldn't want her ds to go to school there think it is seen as the least successful school in crouch end.

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oops, i can only comment on what i have heard, but do agree in middle class flight. everyone believes in being inclusive but when they get there and realise little oscar isnt mixing with the right sort then theres panic.

Used to teach at Park View Academy in Tottenham. Great school (not an academy!), especially for Performing Arts. Very diverse intake too linguistically and culturally. Would be very happy for dd to go there (although she has 9 years before she is secondary ).

We are in Stoke Newington/Hackney and will send dd anywhere small and local (except Grasmere primary which I have heard is not very culturally reflective of the local area ).

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