Ridgefield Primary School, Cambridge

[Artepka]

Hi, I know the deadline for the reception application submission is tomorrow but does anyone has got recent experience with the school? I liked their open day, website, head-teacher and they have done some amazing changes but still not 100% sure and QE is just too far. I will be really grateful to find out a bit more about the school.

Have friends with a child at the school and they are happy.

ChestertonCharley, thank you very much.

All a bit late to this and not sure what you decided, but just to say that my DS is at Ridgefield and we are really very, very happy with it. The head and the reception teachers are fabulous, the whole school is very friendly, everyone seems to know everyone's name, the teachers/staff seem to have a great relationship with the pupils.

We're moving out of catchment and are quite sad to be leaving!

Hi Midsummer, just noticed your reply. A bit late ...I know. I am sorry and thank you! Well, our son got to Ridgefield so glad to read your post. I am now looking for kids who will be joining the reception as well as most of his friends go to St Matthews or Milton. Would you know if the school can help with it? Again thank you very much and good luck to you as well!

How are you getting on Ridgefield? We are considering it for next year and would like to hear more. Thank you!

Hi Pufflesome

It has been only couple of months since we started but I can honestly say we are very happy with the school. Last year around this time we were considering QE, St Albans, Morley even a private school. However, we feel like it is the right school for our son, everyone is very friendly, very helpful. We have friends in our road, around the corner, do things together with the kids outside the school hours. Our son loves it there. He is progressing amazingly. We just feel we have been very lucky. I can send you more details privately if you wish.

Oh that's great! We are going to visit the school next week. I hope we will like at as it is our catchment school. Like you we will also be looking at QE and probably St Philips or Morley, but I'd much rather DC went to Ridgefield as it's so convenient.

Hi Pufflesome

Did you go to see the School on Tuesday? I would be really interested to know what you think so far. It just crossed my mind that Ridgefield has currently two Y6 classes, it will be really interesting to see if they open two reception classes next year especially as both St Philips and Ridgefield are so oversubscribed. However, I have not heard anything or anyone to mention such a possibility.

Yes, I did, and I liked it a lot. I thought it was very welcoming and friendly, with a lovely atmosphere, and the teachers seemed very well informed and impressive.

I definitely don't think they are having two reception classes, though - the published number of places is 30.

I mentioned the possibility of two reception classes on the "Pressure on Romsey Town Primary Schools- Let's do something!" thread. They put two reception classes on in 2009 when there was a plan to extend the school, but instead the County Council decided to expand Abbey Meadows and build the new Queen Emma School on the Netherhall site. This was when the decision was made that some Romsey and Coleridge children would have to travel to those schools rather than be given a place at a school in their local community.

As @Artepka says, the Ridgefield 2009 reception entry children are now in year 6 and so there will be a spare classroom from September 2016. However, the school is very short of space and could make good use of that extra room to better teach existing classes. As I understand it the governors have discussed the possibility of having two reception classes, as losing a class will mean a cut in funding, but it's ultimately not their decision as the County Council will try to fill Abbey Meadows (90 places) and Queen Emma (60 places) first. The extra classroom can then be held back from year to year and used if and when the situation across South Cambridge gets truly desperate.