I’m a current parent at Hatcham primary with 7yrs experience of the school, and honestly, this description bears no relation to what I know of it, and my children’s experience of it. It’s an absolutely fantastic school, warm, fun, with high standards and aspirations for all kids. The head and teaching is great. Fab extracurricular clubs, mostly free, and easily accessible wrap around care. The senco and general approach to behaviour and sen is excellent, with lots of information and opportunities for parents to understand more about how it works eg zones of regulation etc. Easy access to sensory space, fidget toys, accommodations as needed.. It’s honestly a nurturing, inclusive and progressive environment with excellent outcomes for all kids. Yes rain clouds in KS1 but think that will be on the way out soon if not already gone; in any case most primaries do still use this.
They have been very strong on bullying (and pastoral care / education in general) imo. I’ve flagged something small with one child in reception and the school was already on it in a surprisingly proactive, progressive way. And the teacher nipped something in the bud early on re a different child in y4 before we even knew.
It is a genuinely mixed school across multiple metrics and this is a huge plus for us, not something to fear. As a result, not in spite of this, a huge proportion of the parents are engaged and academically aspirational. My kids are lucky to go there.
I know many parents at both hatcham primaries and have never heard of any child moving from one to the other. I’m sure it must have happened but it certainly isn’t common! I know that there have been disruptive kids arriving into HFS (not from the other Hatcham) in older year groups.
I also know people with kids at Waller who are happy, it’s also a lovely school, also with great art and music like Hatcham, great outside space. I know parents who’ve moved their children from Waller, too, to both Hatcham primaries, citing concerns around the academics mostly. These are particularly able kids though and I know other v bright kids there whose parents are happy.
In reality, all these schools are good schools and there won’t be much between them, however they present themselves - “strict”, “traditional”, “creative”, “progressive” etc. They will
all have some challenging behaviour, which most children will be unaffected by, and some parents will love and others critique them.
The most valuable thing is how close you are to the school… it’s a gift to have a decent school on your doorstep so personally I’d go for the closest one.