Hanwell Schools and Nursery/CM

[DialsMavis]

Hi, I am moving to Hanwell in August and trying to navigate schools and childcare from 100 miles away. please could anyone who knows about these things offer some advice?

For my 8 year old: we are in catchement for Mayfield primary which seems to be full, our next nearest school is Hathaway which appears to have places. Both these schools are rated by ofsted as good. Does anyone have any experience of either of them? WE are also near Hobbayne which I have heard is excellent? On the application form I was thinking of putting Hobbayne first as a long shot, then Mayfield then Hathaway, is this a good strategy?

For my 8 month old (she will be 10 months then) I will need a nursery or childminder for around 3 days a week but I will not know my timetable until at least Sept (aggggghhh). Please can anyone suggest somewhere suitable? I will be going to Roehampton for Uni and DP works by Walpole park if that helps. I think he will probably be doing drop offs and i will be doing pick ups, he drives but I don't.

For me: Tell me it will all be OK please

Hi - it WILL be fine. Hanwell is lovely. On schools - my DCs are at Hobbayne, which is genuinely excellent. It may be a long shot but, who knows, it is probably worth putting it first on the application form. There are children there who are technically in the Mayfield catchment area.
On the others, Mayfield is a lovely school - has a lovely feel to it and everyone I know who goes there is v happy with it. On Hathaway, well if you talk to people in Hanwell they will generally not rate it. However, it has a new head (who, I have to admit, I know) who is very dynamic and, according to another teacher from there who I also know, it was the possibly the previous head who was holding it back. Hathaway's main issue is its catchment area.
On nurseries, Bunny Park is excellent but think they may only take from 2+. Others recommend Cyber Tots in Drayton Green. Don't be put off by its exterior - it is gorgeous inside. I don't know much about nurseries near Walpole Park I'm afraid.

Ah Thanks so, so much Faff you have reassured me...

I wanted to move the Northfields but we can have a lovely house in Hanwell rather than a tiny hovel in Northfields! I have let DP choose a house from some I had carefully selected on Rightmove but without knowing the area, just have a friend in Northfields and some in Ealing (we are only renting to begin with andprobablyforever ) as I couldn't get up to look in the last few weeks and DP is there 6 days a week, hence why we are moving. It is on Greenford ave which I understand is quite a busy road? I will kill him if he has picked somewhere dodgy . I will keep everything crossed for Hobbayne then and hopefully see you in September...

As for Nurseries I will make some tentative inquiries this week but think I need to be up there before I can do too much.

Think that's why most people end up in Hanwell! Was certainly true for us. Greenford Ave is a busy road - but the upside is you are directly on bus routes into both Northfields and Ealing Broadway. Good luck with the move