Schools and childcare in St Neots - Eynesbury especially

[MovingOnUpMovingOnOut]

We're moving to the area and wondered how the schools thing works? It looks like there's still catchments and we would be in the catchment for Eynesbury Primary. What's that school like? I know it had a not great OFSTED a couple of years ago. Dc1 is currently in year one so would be an in year admission - are there likely to be spaces? I'm not so keen on Winhills because my youngest wouldn't be in catchment and I can't be in two places at once if he didn't get in too. Also, how religious is Eynesbury Primary? Because we're really not!

I also have a little one (just turned 2) I would need a nursery place for but Montasque Square are full and were a bit rude on the phone. Would he be likely to get into Little Acorns? Or maybe Eynesbury Primary but that wouldn't take him until 3 I think??

And secondary schools: obviously loads can change in 5 years but Ernulf Academy would be our catchment school and it looks pretty poor. What are the chances of getting into Longsands? And what are private schools like if we need a backup plan?

So for the zillion questions. We're in a London borough at the moment with.
Dc1 happily settled in a fantastic primary and it's taken me 5 years to get my head around the school system here. And I don't have that long to get to grips with the system in St Neots!

Thanks in advance :)

Hi, I've just shared this on the Facebook page

Thank you! I'll go and have a lurk over there too

Gah! Just heard our catchment primary has no places in dc1's year. No idea what this means for us though.

Bump

Do you have a house? Are you set on st neots?

We have a house we would like to offer on (subject to schools etc) and fairly set on St Neots. We also looked at St Ives but didn't like it as much. I was surprised, I thought from what I'd read St Ives would be great but it just didn't do it for us.

I quite like st neots & I'm not sure the schools are as good as elsewhere in the area. Crosshill is meant to be good.
I'm out in one of the villages further up the A1. Good luck!

I work in a Montessori school not far from St-Neots if you're keen for your youngest one. Search The Little Stukeley Montessori school and you will find us!
I moved from London to Sandy (near Biggleswade, Bedfordshire). We didn't have our preferred school as my dd started in year 2. All the Ofsted reports for the local school were judged good but the school she is in as a more popular population which is ok. But less working parents and less parents involved in the school. It's also the biggest school of the town but still half of what the London school was. My daughter has a very good level and seems in advance on the program. According to the teacher, she has studied stuff that they are just started to study here. But they follow her and give her opportunity to learn.
Good luck with the move!

A few childcare options for you;
Link to local Childminder Facebook page
local.mumsnet.com/cambridgeshire/childminders/184736-childminders-in-st-neots-and-surround
other options here

Montegue square has bad reviews from people I know who have looked at it. If you can drive then Apricot day nursery near Longsands school is very good. Tree tops in my opinion is not good, but some love it. Middlefield primary Academy is very good, outstanding ofsted, the only in the area with outstanding, but over subscribed so may not get in. Think the Eynesbury CofE is meant to be very good and know a few who are not churchy who go and area happy.

Hi, I know this thread is old but I was wondering if there has been any improvement in the schools? We were thinking of moving to at neots and again the schools are putting us off a little