Anyone with DC at Colman Primary or Junior school?

[MegBusset]

Just have a couple of questions if anyone can help, ta!

I wanted to send DC there. What questions did you have?

Thanks for answering! Just wondered what the catchments had been like in recent years and if they were generally oversubscribed.

Yes can be oversub'd. But not as bad as Avenues Jr. school was/is.
When we looked (2003-4) the catchment boundary stopped around Highland Avenue, just barely over the east side of the Ring Road, and went all the way to the edge of Earlham Rd./Eaton in other directions. You should ring the council to get more up-to-date info. They had a massively socially diverse catchment, Newmarket Rd. on one side and council houses in the other direction. What road do you live on?

We are in London atm but househunting in Norwich and obviously want to pick one near a good school, Colman looks great but not sure how near you have to live (I called the council but they were no help at all!).

Oddly enough one of the houses we are looking at is on Highland Ave...

Sorry highland Rd not Ave, is that the street you meant?

Ah. Have double checked and the house we're looking at is actually Highland Ave and in catchment for Recreation Rd/Avenue. I don't suppose you know whether that means we'd be pretty likely to get in those schools, or are they o/s even within catchment?

It's a flipping minefield!!

Highland Road/Avenue are in Rec Road/Avenues catchment - both good schools. Colman Infant and Junior are also very good - probably less good in terms of SATs results, but getting there, and certainly a bit more socially mixed and multi-cultural than the former. Very good Heads at all four.

Recr Road and AJS are always over-subscribed - if you're out of catchment you have no chance. The Colmans usually have spaces.

Thanks Hassled. Have you heard of people not getting into Rec Rd/Avenue even within catchment? Also, does a place in Rec Rd automatically mean a place at Avenue or do you have to reapply?

Both schools have an intake of 105 a year. The problem is that catchments are fluid - if they have 120 applying who are in catchment one year, they (the LA) will just make the catchment smaller. So impossible to say for definate, but on the whole I'd reckon that if you're on Highland Rd or thereabouts you're pretty safe. Colman is a damn sight closer in terms of walking distance, though.

The two schools aren't formally linked - admission in one doesn't guarantee admission to the other, although I can't think of a single case where that didn't happen.

I just wanted to add - I've lived in this area for 10 years or so and it is a lovely part of Norwich; we've been very happy here. Good parks, a good sense of community, a fair bit going on - you've chosen well!

And CAT me if you want specifics about streets etc.

I'll stop now :o

It's very useful info, thanks :)

We are currently debating between a huge 4-bed new-build detached out in Dussindale or the (relatively) small 3-bed in the GT for the same price. Decent schools in both areas so it just comes down to living in the city vs out in the boondocks!

Hi. Gatecrashing here with a very late entry. Just to say that DS has just finished reception at Colman Infants and he loves it. We are really happy with the school - seems very well run and all the staff we have encountered so far have been excellent. It has a really good feel about the place, which we noticed when we first looked around and has proved to be accurate.

We looked at houses on Dussindale - you get much more for your money, but the thought of having to live there made my blood run cold (sorry).

good luck!

Hey fading fast - DS has just finished reception at Colman too! :)

Meg, Colman is a really friendly school, and the headteacher is great. DS joined halfway through the school year, but all the staff were very kind and really looked out for him. The atmosphere is very relaxed and that shines through in all the dealings we've had with them.

Dussindale vs GT is no contest - Eaton Park beats all competition hands down