St Luke's Primary School Cambridge

[schoolmonkey]

Hello everyone - could you please let me know if you have a child at St Luke's Primary (near Victoria Road ?) or know someone who does who can give me some advice?

We are moving to Cambridge in September (my partner is going to start working at the Business Park there) and we have looked at a few houses we liked near St Luke's Primary.

Could you please tell me anything you know about this school? Please be as honest as you possibly can as my daughter had a bad experience (bullying by both teachers and students) at one previous school in London and we need to make sure she has a good transition to Cambridge. She is 8 years old, not very academic, but a very kind girl with great artistic ability.

Any comments appreciated, I am new here.

Any one please ?

Based on local reputation, my child isn't at St Luke's.

Local reputation has it as adequate but only that. Ofsted report is online. There's a bit of a feeling St Luke's is poor for bright kids, and OK at the lower end of the spectrum.

Another option may be Mayfield (pretty supportive, generally happy + friendly kids, academically a bit mediocre). A fair few people have moved children from St Luke's to Mayfield, but I don't know of any the other way. I may be reading too much but I suspect there's a bit of a demographic change between the two schools. I'm not aware of systematic bullying problems in either.

If you can get Park Street School, it's meant to be very small and supportive. Previously bullied children do well there, but places are like hens teeth. People will turn slightly green if you mention your child goes there.

The area is generally OK, btw, but there's a hostel at the top of Victoria Road, so don't go for numbers low 200's Victoria Rd.

Good luck with your move - I hope it all goes smoothly.

Thanks very much tokengirl.

I will need to pay these schools a visit before I apply. I will book one day when I will come down and visit 3 or 4 in one day.

What about Milton Road Primary? What does local reputation say about it? It's a much bigger school with Ofsted Grade 1, but is it supportive ?

Park Street sounds great, but impossible to get into.

I would be really grateful for more info, as you are the only one who has replied so far.

Thanks so much.

I did academic research in St Lukes and Mayfield a while ago - both are fine, and I'd be happy to send my child to either, though would prefer Mayfield. Milton Road is difficult to get into because it's Cambridge's only Ofsted rated outstanding school, but I wouldn't sendmmy child there because it has a reputation for being snobby.

You could consider living in the catchments of St Matthews and St Pauls schools, both of which are nice. Means living between Hills Road and East Road on the town side of the railway line. Further south, Morley Memorial and Queen Ediths get good reviews.

Milton Road is meant to be very good - but again very difficult to get a place (we didn't).

(I didn't say, but my child's at Mayfield btw, and happy. I'm slightly apprehensive about academic standards, and whether he'll be pushed (quiet, well behaved children can slip through the cracks a little), but I'm very happy with the atmosphere, sense of civic responsibility, etc, they instill and that each child is valued, etc. People bitch - they were (and still are...) up in arms about the recent Ofsted 'satisfactory' / teaching quality comments but there's a lot right as well).

You could consider St Laurence's as well - a fair few people local to me send their children there. I'm not sure on the religious requirements, etc. It wasn't on my radar to start with, so I didn't look seriously.

For what it's worth, there are very few bad schools in Cambridge, and Chesterton (the catchment secondary) is pretty competent too.

HTH

Chesterton and Parkside secondaries are now the same school.

Hi beanlet - what's gone on with Parkside mergers, etc? We're a couple of years off, but I don't know much about the local secondaries, and am starting to look into them gently.

schoolmonkey - if you move into the area, a couple of parents have got into Park Street though transfer/waiting lists - so worth a speculative go.

DS is only 7 mths so I'm not au fait with exactly what's going on . But I do know they are now a confederation and the pupils shuttle backwards and forwards between the two campuses. Slight heebie jeebies if you're worried about cycle accidents.

A little out of your area, but don't dismiss The Shirley school in Chesterton.
Historically it has had issues -it took over a failing school approx 3 years ago. However it is now ofsteded as a 'good' school with outstanding features. Older children are still getting extra support as they have been 'let down' in the past. However it is great for a young one to start there. There is a dynamic head who has literally turned the school around and is committed to further improvement. There is an enthusiastic governing body. My child in year 1 has been there since nursery and is thriving. He and many others in his class are 'free readers' - all abilities are supported. It has children from many backgrounds and I am pleased with the way my child is mixing and enjoying his many friends. Bullying is not tolerated at this school. There is a good anti bullying policy which the kids are fully involved with. Exciting news on the horizon is that the 2 sites [school in 2 places at mo as used to be 2 schools] - are moving to a fantastic new build by July this year. This is a school that many - dare I say it- middle class parents- have turned their noses up at and are often very dismissive of. Make your own judgement. This is a school 'on the up' with buzzing enthusiastic teachers and an outstanding head teacher. Give them a call!

By the way 8 years old is fine to start there too. I have seen how older children are taught as well as younger ones at The Shirley. Your child would be well supported in her transition to a new school and area.

Just read your post again OP. You say your daughter is a kind girl. In assemblies much is made of kindness and the Shirley school rules have been simplified and all the children know them. My son quotes them regularly and understands them - he is 5. The 3 rules are 'Be kind, be safe, be responsible'. I won't stalk you any more! I just feel passionately that this school is one that is overlooked because of a previous reputation. I just hope you can include it in your school visits and make your own judgements. Good luck to your family on your move to Cambridge.

Last comment- honest!! Make sure you look at the 2010 ofsted report for The Shirley School. Ofsted inspection took place November 2010 so nice and recent..

My eldest went to St Pauls in 1995 - 2000 and it was lovely then, I think it's still a good choice due to the catchment area, although we lived in the 'cahn-sel flats' nearby at the time All her friends semmed tolive in Glisson and Lyndewode road!! Our youngest two are at Morely and i am really so very happy with it. The pastoral side is amazing and the children come out of it very confident and self - assured. I went to my son's year 6 assembly last week and was incredibly impresed with the way the children spoke and their vocabulary and confidence. I agree about Shirley too - it did have a terrible rep as did Ridgefield but I think they have both worked very hard to work through them.

Ridgefield is now apparently very good, and quite small so good for shy children. I suspect all this is to an extent a reflection of changing demographics - i.e. Cambridge centre is now unbelievably expensive to live in.

Yes I would agree. My son will be going to Coleridge which 10 years ago we wouldn't have even considered - I actually worked there in the early 2000's and it was horrific! However, much as I am not terribly enamoured with the principle personally, I can appreciate the fabulous work he's done with the whole federation concept.

Mayfield has better grounds and does more activities but St Luke has the most experienced teachers. The reason ST Luke is less favoured is because there are various children who come and go (social care, children whose first language is not English [some Asian, some Europeans, sons/daughters of foreign academics]. Milton Road very competitive as seen as outstanding but horrid building in my opinion and their fete was full of tat, so not sure what to think of that. We are going for Mayfield as my daughter is enjoying the nearby preschool. Mayfield gets people who want to escape Arbury and some from girton as village school is oversubscribed. I don't see Mayfield as mediocre at all, nor St Luke (know some of the PTA parents), don't believe the oftsted reports as things change and the people attending this year are not the same. I know because my little one is going this autumn. It seems to me that being obsessed with schools is not healthy nor useful at such an early stage, my inlaws are teachers and they say paying for education is only worth it after they are 11 or so. I had private education and my partner too but we are happy about Mayfield.

Thanks every one, hubby has a colleague who has been in Cambridge a number of years and described Milton Road and Chestertion as the "snobs & slobs schools". We are middle class (a horrible term but no other way of describing it) - I'm a lawyer and have a very academic family - but I have to say if snobs are the sorts of parents who quickly form little groups and huddle together to preseve their social status or whatever else they feel they have to preserve (usually in my view a chip on the shoulder of some variety) excluding others, Milton Road isn't for me.

Thanks for mentioning that it is snobby and competitive, hubby's friend has made similar remarks, so I don't think we would do well in such a place. We want our kids to be happy, not competitive and snooty re other people who may have lower/higher abilities or backgrounds.

We are an international family with several languages at home, I like the sound of any school being multi-ethnic. My daugher has lots of children in her current school who are bi- or tri- lingual. She says they are all very clever, lack of English doesn't mean lack of intelligence, I don't usually view this as a negative. In fact being from London, I think we would not fit well into a totally white middle class school, it isn't what we are used to here in London and my daughter is incredibly open-minded and international for her age.

I have heard great things about Parkside and Comberton secondary. Too early to plan for that, but will investigate further when it's the right time.

Thanks very much for all your views.

I can raise a flag for Ridgefield. They have a new head this year, who has already raised the bar massively in terms of behaviour, projects, attendance and just general positivity. It's a pretty mixed school in terms of families, so you have ones are new to the country and area, ones from the local housing estates and ones in private victorian terraces and semis. That should tell you all you need to know. Those that can afford to be middle class go to Morely, those that can't (but often still are) go to Ridgefield and try and make the best of it (we have a cracking PTA this year ;)). It still has it's problems, but staff, parents and the PTA are working really hard to make Ridgefield a good school for their kids. From a place that made my heart sink last year I'm starting to feel pretty proud of it's modest acievements in such a short time.

Oi! Our two go to Morley even though we're in the catchment for Ridgefield, but this is purely because when ds was 4 he was at Homerton and all his friends there were going to Morley! At the time, there was Sedley and Romsey which would have been fine - in fact dd1 went to to Sedley and Romsey for a year before we moved to near St Pauls. DD2 is now at Morley although didn't originally get a place - in my naivety I only put Morley down so of course, she didn't even get a place at Ridgefield but another school I will not mention...Anyway, just before term started, she got her place at Morley which is whay she's there not Ridgefield.

Hope I haven't ranted, it just gets me that people think we're all snooty middle class parents at Morley (although there are some and they really piss me off )

That's the problem with schools, they all get a reputation that stick! Morely has the reputation of being the school with all the middle class kids go, Ridgefield has the reputation of being the working class kids go. In reality that's not completely true, but all the people I know who got into Morely bought a house purposely in the catchment so they could go there. I have a friend who desperately wanted her child to go to Morely, despite being in the Ridgefield catchment. He's in year 1 now but still on the list for Morely. She's a self-professed middle class parent. Her richer friend who moved to a big, expensive house in the Morely catchment is what she wanted to be. It's hard not to make judgements.....

Hi Schoolmonkey.

I know a bunch of mums whose kids go to St Lukes and they (the mums) are a really lovely, friendly, educated and dynamic bunch with happy, healthy, friendly kids. They recently turned up at an early morning toddler group having just dug the vegetable patches together so that the school children could plant new things. They feel a real pride in their school and I don't think you can underestimate the involvement of parents in making a good school. The school has held a bad reputation but is now under a new headmistress who is reportedly turning things around.

It's also in a nice residential part of Cambridge.
FWIW I'm in Milton Rd catchment and I am multi-ethnic and not a snob .

You're totally right Hooferoo, it does work like that sadly - ds will however be going to Coleridge as i said earlier - another school that some parents are horrified about!

I would love to live in one of the houses down Blinco grove though !

Rock Road would make me happy drool. Must remind DH to get a better paid job. I am working towards being a teacher, so he's our only hope ;)

Cavendish Avenue? One of dd1's friends lived there when she was at St Pauls. It was incredible!