Primary School Admissions Trafford

[Victorianbeaut]

Hi,

We are soon going to be applying for primary schools for next September (2016) wondered if anyone here is in the same boat, or have a child starting school this September, how did you get on? did you get your first choice, or any of your choices?

We live in Urmston, I recently spoke to a mum who said they didn't get any of their three choices in 2014, in the Urmston/Flixton area! this is slightly concerning as it seems Trafford schools become more oversubscribed every year. I've not spoken to many parents about it though so I don't have a balanced view.

We are looking at Highfield Primary (our closest in Urmston), Urmston Infants, Flixton Infants, Davyhulme Primary, and possibly Moss Park (Stretford) any advice at all would be appreciated!

I'm a couple of miles down the road from you, but have friends across Trafford.
Friends who applied to catholic schools (and met their faith criteria) all got their first choices.
With one exception, all of my friends got their first choice (within catchment) except one, who got her 3rd choice (although it was their catchment school).

It might be worth phoning the admissions dept (once the dust has settled on 2015 admissions) and asking about the number of applications per number of places and numbers of catchment children who didn't get places.
It's also worth checking the website for expansion plans as there have been quite a few schools in Trafford who have, or are planning to, increase the intake.

Good luck!

Hi

I'm local to you (Stretford) and we got our first choice for this year.

You shouldn't have any problems getting into Highfield if it is your local school. 2 of my neighbours send their children there even though it isn't a local school. They didn't get their children into Moss Park and they live much nearer to it so I very much doubt you would get in there as it is so heavily over-subscribed.

Hello... I live in same area as that mum by sound of it. We are very lucky that lots of good schools seem to make it easier to get 1st choice...Very surprised didn't get any of her 3 choices..... Did she pick 3 over subscribed schools she wasn't in catchment for or schools she didn't meet religious criteria for? And end up getting her catchment one....Highly Likely.. Most mums I spoke to got first choice unless was only outside possibility ...ring the schools you like... They will be able to give you a good idea... previously One told me 22 in catchment siblings in nursery so very small catchment expected that year and you are just over boundary so very unlikely. .. 2 others... yes in catchment can't guarantee but from previous entries you are in if put us first. All in all very helpful..... Good luck!

IME if you are in catchment you will get in. I live in the area too.

Thanks for all of your replies, it's a massive help.

I will definitely call the admissions dept./schools to get a feel for which ones are oversubscribed. It's really good to know that Highfield wasn't oversubscribed, and that parents outside the catchment have chose it and got in.

I had a feeling Moss Park would be oversubscribed with its reputation, there are so many houses around Urmston Lane /Sandy Lane that are close to it, but not in the catchment.

Does anyone have any experience with Davyhulme Primary or Urmston Infants, would you recommend them?

Also, do they hold open days, or just do individual visits by appointment?

thanks again.

Start by finding out where you are in catchment for, and which schools admitted from outside of catchment. Moss Park didn't admit siblings out of catchment last year (I know one who didn't get in) & you would be lower priority than that if out of catchment, so probably unrealistic - & therefore not worth thinking any more about. We are in catchment for 3 schools but two of them are religious (criteria we don't meet) so in effect just in catchment for one school. Luckily we like it!

We are in the catchment for Highfield Primary only, from what we've heard and read so far we have no issues with sending her there if she is placed there.

We can apply for more than three schools, so it won't hurt to include Moss Park in the list, you never know!

We went for a look around Urmston Infants, it's very nice school, although the Head explained that they had 200 applications for their 70 places last year! :(