Primary schools near Newnham

[larrydoo]

Hi - we are moving to Newnham area of Cambridge from Ireland next month and in a bit of a panic about primary schools for our two kids - Year 1 and Year 4. Any up to date opinions about Newnham Croft, St. Matthews or Mayfield would be appreciated? These are the schools that currently seem to have places available for either or both kids.

I know traffic is congested in Cambridge but can't see the 6year old cycling to school and from school every day... is driving to any of these schools a realistic option a couple of days a week?

Really appreciate your comments :)

6 year old will totally be ok cycling. All their pals will be too - they will get used to it. Do you have any reason not to choose Newnham Croft if living in Newnham?

Is Newnham Croft a nice school? They currently don't have a place in Year 4 available according to the Cambridge council list - ideally don't really want to send them to different schools ... no idea how often new places become available.

You could try going in the other direction from Newnham, eg Barton. That would be an easy drive as you'd be going against the traffic. Driving to St Matthews or Mayfield from Newnham would be a nightmare, plus there's very little parking anywhere near St Matthews.

But I would concentrate on trying to get them.both into Newnham Croft if I were you.

I think St Pauls Primary on Coronation St is likely to have spaces and is not too far away. The Requires Improvement ofsted is now quite out of date and they would have gone up had they been able to be inspected more recently (there is a new head). I have friends with children there and they say it has become much better. Cambridge does have a high turnover of places but popular schools can have people on the waiting list for quite some time.

Newnham Croft tends (or at least did last time I knew anyone there) to get a lot of children of mature students and visiting scholars, so I would guess that turnover is higher than in most schools.