Can you tell me about your primary school ?

[domeafavour]

How did you decide which school? Looked at tables and results, but would love some real insight!
We are in South Wimbledon, maybe looking at private too if you have any recommendations
thanks

Hi also in South Wimbledon - where the choices are quite grim for us. Our choices will be Pelham, Holy Trinity, Merton Park and Singlegate but we have no chance really of getting into any of them. So we have Willington as a ( very likely ) back up and are also considering moving.

We have decided to stay well clear of Garfield, Merton Abbey and All Saints.

Generally I can't see that we will get a place anywhere but may get placed on a waiting list.

Hi, yeah similar thinking!
Why do you think you won't get in, that's the bit I don't understand, if you only get 2 choices, don't they have to give you one of the choices?
Might be Willington for us too! how old is your DS?

No they don't have to give you anything. That's my concern or that they will offer us Merton Abbey.
You have 6 choices but if like we are you are historically out of the catchment of all of them - basically all the half-decent ones-
then you have to hope that this year is different or that you are high up on the waiting list.

I rang Pelham to ask them what our chances are and they told me that they had not recently taken anyone as far away as us ( 300-400 m) other than on the waiting list.

My DS is 4 in a couple of weeks so will start Spetmeber 2011.

The problem with the private option for us is that we have a DD 16 months who will also be in a similar position in 3 years.

hmmnn, was thinking it would be ok, but not going to be happy with the nearest choices. Anyway DS has put his foot down and said he wants private school.Thought about moving too, always wanted to live over in Merton Park, but if you think about the expense of moving, might as well pay that money on school fees?! DS is 3 next month.

There is also The Priory CofE primary on Queens Road - might be better for the catchment area as I believe it is quite a large one.

In the private sector you have Rokeby, and The Roche - both boys, slightly further away. And there's the Hall and Prospect House which are co-ed.

There is a new head at Garfield, who is a huge improvement on the last one.

Dh is RC blondette. I quite like the Hall, will look at those others, thanks.

Deaddei, thanks, that's the kind of info that is really useful, not just relying on stats. I think Wimbledon Park has newish head too?

In that case there's St Mary's on Russell Road - but I think you may have to be a practising RC for that one.

captainsquidbones - dont want to be negative but although willington is easy to get into Wimbledon is really hard for your dd - bear that in mind.

I would rather move tbh than chance it.

I thought garfield was much improved - certainly friends are very happy there - happeir than friends at holy trinity anyway.

I know Wimbledon is really difficult to get into and I hate their ethos - testing little ones at 4. Some of my friends girls have failed to get in. I considered Hall School which I really liked but my main problem is the travel and drop-off. Limited parking and probable 45 minute hour round trip in the car.

Ideally would like good state school within walking distnace that both kids to go to.

Will probaly end up moving but have really left it too late.

WRT Garfield - we are further away than Pelham . I am going along to have a look but when I rang up was faced with a really rude admin staff which irritated me- I will of course get over this if it sorts out our problem.

I am not overly concerned with exam results but just wouldn't like DS to be actively disadvantaged by the school he goes to - my fear with Merton Abbey.

OP - just thought - if your DH is RC there's Donhead (for DS) and The Ursuline (DD) that you could also look at. Bit closer than The Hall etc

Yeah, looked at Donhead, but if I'm honest I don't want that much religion for DS. I went to a lovely CofE school, junior church every Sunday, but Catholicism scares me. sorry if that offends anyone.

I really think you have to visit the schools in question to get a feel for them and decide what your values are and what's most important to you. My god-daughter and her brother both attended Garfield as it was important to their parents that they could walk to school. They are 14 and 16 now and are doing very well academically, despite the school's perceived "bad" reputation. Equally importantly, they are very well-rounded young people who are involved in the community around them and have friends from differing social backgrounds.

We live in West Wimbledon and although both DH & I are atheists DS1 attends St Matthews which is CofE, because we liked the atmosphere when we visited, the ethos of the school, the outside space and also the social mix. For us, these issues were more important than exam results. He is in Year One watching him race along to school every day makes us confident we made the right choice for him.

Wimbledon Park does have a new head following the last rather miserable Ofsted report.

My DCs are very happy there but I do stress that I am letting them down by not sending them to private school.

At the moment the happy feel/ nice children/ the fact it is local outweigh other considerations.

However I do worry.

DS is in Year 2 at WPPS. I sent off for King's prospectus and realised that DS is nowhere near good enough to get in without very serious tutoring.

feel that the kids going to private school are at such a perceived advantage. MaeMobley - When you say DS needs tutoring - what does he need attention on?

Oh I don't know. Would so like to think that the local state schools could provide a good education, but you just can't rely on that. I did ok at a terrible senior school but had a great grounding at wonderful junior school. And I always wonder what I could have achieved if parents could have afforded to send me to private senior school. Also , i do think that if they are bright enough they should do ok anywhere ,but how do I know how bright he is going to be, he's only 3. All I know is, he is going to need discipline!!
Making myself feel better about the money anyway! fees are similar to what we pay now for nursery!

domeafavour - I accidentally deleted the first part of my post. Meant to say it isn't comfortable to feel that kids going to private school are at an advantage .
I feel that in general with the right home environment a child can achieve what they want in a reasonable state school but I think some of the poorer schools in merton have the potential to actually hold you back.

I know my DS will also need a firm hand. When does your DS start school?

Completely agree Captain. My ds is actually only 3 next month, so a way off yet. I'm very happy with his nursery so I guess we've got another year to figure it out.

Have you seen the front page of the Wimbledon post? 300 extra school places needed. At least they seem to be recognising the problem.

CaptainSquidBones, re tutoring, it's on the literacy side that he would need extra support. I looked at the mock papers and they are just at a completely different level from where DS is at the moment.

But I do know that KCS is an extreme example. Someone was telling me that some of the private prep school boys get tutored for the entrance exam.

They wouldnt get tutored for it at 13 really maemobley as their school would advise them whether or not KCS would be right for them or whether they should be trying for somewhere less academic - dont know about moving to them from pre-prep though.

He's 5, not 13! I know I am being totally ridiculous. Thanks Omnishambles.