Primary School Westminster & Lambeth St Vincent De Paul,Westminster Cathedral and St Anne Admission 2019

[RJZion]

My son will be commencing reception in September 2019.
Have applied for the following schools in Westminster

St.Vincent De Paul
Westminster Cathedral School
St Annes Vauxhall

We are in the lambeth bourough.Visited all school and really liked St.Vincent De Paul a
any parents with chidren who attend any y of the schools?
Feedback will be great!

Lovely Head at Westminster Cathedral if you can get in. Not sure about Millbank but have heard gr8 things about St Matthew’s - tucked away near the Abbey - fantastic Headmistress. You could also look at Burdett Coutts although not so popular I think. If you like Millbank but can’t get in then you could try Pimlico Primary - it’s part of the same company who run them both

What is your distance to the schools, and what was the greatest distance offered in your entrance category in the last few years?

Or are these your 'it'll take a miracle but why nothing try' choices, with three solid 'banker' schools in the remaining three preference slots?

Hi DeeFox
Thankyou for your reply!Yes the headmistress was lovely and it had a lovely community feel about it.Hoping we do get in are ranked number 5 on the admission criteria.I have heard of the schools but not looked into it.We really liked St Vincent De Paul Roman Catholic School

@medtrina we are about 2 miles from the top 2 schools and walking distance from the rest.I mean they are all catholic schools and we fit the "criteria"just that our first choice looks compettiive although westminster apparently has a low admission rate!So not sure

What was the greatest distance offered for those schools in recent years?

2 miles is pie in the sky for popular schools (where is distance is tie breaker, you could easily be looking at

Do you mean by 'fitting the criteria' you can work out which entrance category your DC wouid be in? Or that you also live well within the greatest distance offered in that category?

If it looks iffy, it's still worth applying, but do put 'bankers' (schools where you are nigh-on guaranteed an offer) as well.

Usually Westminster is unusual in London that it has more primary school places than children. Not sure what the next birth rate is though.

Two miles is quite a long way for a little one to commute through London though, I assume you are South of the River? That would mean a very crowded bus in rush hour

@Squirmofelms i am not sure what the greatest distance for the school in the last years.How do i find this out?So my husband has just rectified it for me its 1.2 miles not 2 miles!Not sure if that makes a difference

Thankyou for the advice!:)

Yes we live in Vauxhall on South of the river

www.westminster.gov.uk/sites/default/files/wcc_primary_school_brochure_2019.pdf

This tells you how offers were made in 2018

It means finding out which entrance category they were in when all places were filled, and the distance from the school the furthest family who received an offer.

You might have to enquire directly of the schools, as they are both VA and that info isn't in the linked Westminster booklet.

But you do need to be realistic about your chance of an offer: if you are in category 5 (non-sibling practising catholic outside parish) or 6 (other non-sibling catholic) and they haven't gone beyond applicants in cat 4 (non-sibling practising in-Parish catholic) in the last few years; and when on the odd occasion they did, the greatest distance from the school offered in cat 5 was

@Squirmofeels. In that brochure it says St Vincent’s offered all applicants. The local birth rate was low last year I think, as in some years St Peter’s Eaton Square gets filled on the churchgoers and siblings categories, and last year went all the way down to distance

I think there's much less competition for spaces in Westminster schools now because there are more spaces than children! That's what everyone says anyway. It kind of makes parental choice even more important. I don't think St Peter's is as popular as it was but I may be wrong - so getting in there should be easier. But it sounds as though you want a catholic school not a church of england one. Good luck. I have to do this all next year so really want to know what everyone thinks. I wasn't really thinking of looking south of the river, but I could!

Thankyou so much for the info squirm and solas!

@Deefox it has been very a long process especially as you want to make the best decision for your child.We were looking at church of England schools.My only issuie was we were quiet low in ranking for admission criteria as you had to attend cofe church attached to the school.

If you’d consider C of E, do consider St Matthews. Fantastic head

Thankyou Solasum!Never heard of it till now.Just checked it out on website will call to arrange a tour before Christmas holidays :)

Is there any parents where DC attend any of the schools i have mentioned?Would be great to hear from a parent ;)