Anyone had a primary school application pack yet?

[SparklyPrincess]

They're supposed to be out by October - cutting it a bit fine or is it just me??

In the primary admissions area - there's a link to a .pdf about north east essex primary schools. There's not much, just that its a 45 child intake and a Sept start. Not very helpful really. Website's down at the moment though.

If you want any info about when info will be available might be best to contact Myland Parish council. Cllr called Martin Goss has been helpful before.

SP - what have you gone for?

Going to put Myland as 1st choice as its catchment and closest. QB as 2 and prob North as 3rd. Not worried about not getting in to Myland now they've decided catchments.

You should be fine with Myland I think - we had a look round recently and the head indicated they weren't going to be oversubscribed this year due to the new school and a lower birth rate for their year.

We're going for Bergholt, QB then Myland. Have done mine online although you can change them up until the closing date!

Done mine. Myland then QB. I'll home educate if I can't get her in those. That's how confident I am of getting a place!!

I'm now having a bit of a wobble about my choices...

Whatcha wobbling about? Have you got your catchment school on there?

They've appointed a head for QB now, but he's not starting til after christmas. It would be nice to be able to speak to someone about whether it's likely to be under/oversubscribed. I'm not sure how on earth they're going to work it out considering that a good chunk of the catchment isn't built yet!

No I don't want her to go to the catchment school as it would be a nightmare for us to juggle drop off and collections.

I really liked Bergholt when I went to visit it, but it would mean driving there twice a day and I'd really like to be able to walk to school. However, I don't know enough about the new one to take a punt on it. I've spoken to County and they just said they don't really know anything and to ask the governers so have left a msg.

WWYD?

Hi I am new on here in fact this is my first post.

I was looking to see if anyone knew more about Queen boudica primary school.

I am asking as our oldest boy is starting school in september and we found out yesterday that he got place at that school.

When we applied we was living over the other side of colchester and we put him down for St teresas gosbecks and preetygate. B

ut since then we moved down to the bottom of north hill and decided to change his choices to st johns green north and hamilton.

We only moved a few weeks ago so it was a rush to change his options and we knew that we might not get his first or even second choice but when the email arrived yesterday myself and the wife were taken aback as firstly we hadnt even looked into him going to that school.

We are quite happy for him to go there but it is a bit of an unknown quantity so i did some searching and found nothing that helped apart from this website.

Anyway i was just asking to see if you had any more info or knew anything that i didnt or if any of your kids got into the school. Any info is greatly appreciated.

Hi and welcome.

I cannot really help all that much. I think SparklyPrincess and MissisBoot know much about this.

I don't think anyone will really know what is going to happen there. In theory it will be well equipped, which will help it get off to a good start, but it all depends on the Head. I don't know who the Head is and where he/she worked before. It may be worth finding out a bit about his/her history to try and predict what it will be like. But then again, it depends on the staff too...

From gut instinct, I feel that it will be ok there. The Head would need to be really bad to totally mess it all up.

I hope you are enjoying living in your new house.

Hi

Well after writing on here yesterday the postman came bearing a welcome pack from queen boudica school welcoming us to the new school.

It wasnt much just a little info a web address for there website (www.q-boudica-pri.ik.org) which has not got much on at the moment and an invite to an open evening on the 5th june at colchester united stadium.

I went to the website and it has an inquiry form on there so i sent a message to the head who is called Craig Duncan.

I got an instant reply from his secretary saying that he would be in touch but he was out of the office at the moment.

They are based in a school libary at the momnet up ipswich road i think it is willow brook.

Anyway a few hours later the phone went and it was Craig Duncan the new head teacher.

He was very nice and very reasuring he explained that there is going to be two reception classes with about 15 in each class and at the start the school is only going to open with about 70 students across all years.

He even said that there may not even be every year there at the start.

He even told us that the new uniform is purple which my little boy liked he likes purple you see.

He told us also that they have been able to pick there staff from the very best and have cherry picked some very good staff from across schools in colchester.

Every class is purpose built and it is a single story building with a lot of nice touches. Allthough they havent named the road yet they are nearly there so it should have a proper address soon aswell instaed of the tempory one.

All in all myself and my wife were very impressed with him he admited that most people wont want to transfer there kids from other schools if they are settled but was relishing the chance to make this a really good school.

he also made the point that this is quite an historic moment as my sons year will be the first children there and the first children to leave and will allways be the first children to attend queen boudica priamary school.

We now look forward to the open evening in june and to meeting the teachers and other parents and children.

I hope this is of some help to other parents whos children will be going to QB hopefully look forward to meeting you all.

I am glad you had some of your questions answered. I should hope they are giving quick replies given that they are being paid to sit in someone else's library at the moment. I imagine he is on a Full Time Head's wage for that...lucky fella!

How he thinks he is going to 'cherry pick' the staff, I dont know. Surely he cannot access any 'special' staff. Maybe he thinks that teachers will want to work there for the good facilities and the easy life...at first anyway.

Thanks for sharing all that info with us.

Sounds like you've got a lot of your questions answered, anyway. Hope your son likes his school. My daughter got a place at Myland from September, but has decided that she's going to stay at home with me instead. Or so she thinks!

I stumbled across this website when looking for the Queen Boudica Primary School website. I've never been in a chat room before and cannot believe how cynical some people are. I've lived in the catchment area for the long awaited new school for 11 years and feel tremendously excited that I have two small children who will be attending this school.

Obviously the local authority had little information other than basic facts as far back as October. There are only so many ways you can photograph a mound of earth - what else could they really put in a pack in the absence of a Head teacher and Ofsted reports? I understand the Head started in January of this year which gives him some preparation time. You cannot start work in a new school and welcome children on the same day. So why on earth shouldn't the Head be paid a full time salary for a full time job? Just because there are no children in situ, a school is built on a lot more than bricks and mortar. I'm sure he's not entertaining himself reading children's books. I have spoken to him, his deputy and office manager, as like many other "new-to- school" parents have had many questions I wanted answers to. I have found Mr Duncan, Miss Naish and Mrs Harper all to be most professional and helpful ..... and have often also been unavailable for instant contact as they have been at site meetings, meeting with suppliers for equipment (not just a box of chalks either.... I gather the school will be very well equipped with lots of high tech equipment such as whiteboards, laptops etc as well as functional furniture; designing logos / uniforms etc; interviewing teachers and other staff (noteably I saw the ads on the website so they have all been advertised in accordance with best HR practice (I'm a "retired" HR manager) and not "cherry-picked" from our neighbouring schools.

I felt really sad when I read some of the comments - come on guys this is really exciting for the community and the area - don't knock it, support it please.

Don't be sad chatroomvirgin.

I'm really excited that DD is going to QB - its just quite hard to make a judgement on your dc's futures based on absolutely nothing.

I have had really quick responses from the head whenever I have had questions and am looking forward to the launch event in June.

How old are your dc's?

Sorry, who was cynical? The 'cherry picked' comment was a quote from the head - not from anyone here. If I've come across as cynical, I can assure you that I'm not.

I would have been happy to see my daughters go to QB but, as MissisBoot says, it's difficult to make a comparison between schools when there was no information. I didn't want to see pictures of mounds of earth, but in September last year they hadn't even made a decision about the priority admissions areas for the local school.

Welcome to the forum!

Hope you don't mind me resurrecting this thread regarding Queen Boudica.

I am about to move into the area from Brightlingsea with my DS who will start Y2 in September.

Did anyone go to the Launch event or parents forum?

If so, what were your impressions of the new school?

I'm meeting the new headmaster and deputy tomorrow before I apply for a school place.

Myland and North aren't options as they already have waiting lists.

Any info would be really appreciated.

Thanks,

KC

kc - I went to the launch event and was very impressed with the plans for the new school - the head and his team all seemed really approachable and they are trying to incorporate parents views when developing the ethos of the school.

I had my reservations about my dd starting at a new school when the application process started, but now I am really excited and couldn't have made a better 'choice'. I'm really looking forward to have a local school rather than having to either get on a bus or drive to and for my dd to have friends that live nearby.

Be interested to know what your impression was following your meeting tomorrow.

I haven't yet had a chance to attend the parents forum as they're held in the evenings and I can't get childcare but after speaking to parents who'd been they said that they felt their thoughts had been taken on board.

Minutes from the last meeting are on their website.

Thanks missisboot.

Have to admit I'm a little worried about the fact that the school isn't established so my decision will really come down to how the meeting goes tomorrow.

Will definately update you.

KC

Hi missisboot,

Impressions of Mr Duncan and Miss Naish are really positive. They can't wait to get started in the new school and are really positive about the staffing structure and future.

Still quite a few unknowns and all because the school is not established. For instance, not sure how often they will have PE, when school dinners will be introduced etc etc. But hopeful that all of these things will fall into place once they have some pupils and a routine.

Hoping to have a lot of interaction and feedback from parents to develop the school which is always good to hear.

All in all very positive.

The local council have capped places at the school to ensure no mass exodus from neighbouring schools.

So this still leaves me with the dilemma of no space for my DS.

So off to complete my application and keeping fingers crossed.

Great - I think the unknowns will be resolved pretty quickly - at the launch event they said were hoping to have school dinners in place by Spring 2010.

Hi all!

Been following this thread for a while, my dd is due to start at QB in Sep and we live in Highwoods. A few days ago, i got a letter offering us a place at Brinkley Grove! Now i am well and truely thrown and dont know which one to choose! BG is better for me as i wont have to rely on the car to get my dd to school, and its clearly an established school so will provide hot meals etc. QB on the other hand cannot do this till next year. Why cant she just stay at her pre school forever as it is brilliant! Lol! I would really appreciate any comments please! Thanks! X

I think it certainly helps if your preschool feeds into BG,as your DD will have friends to start with,making the whole transmission a little easier.

My DD1 started at Myland Primary last year,and left Myland Playgroup.She started with a class full of familiar people.Other friends have reported a few tearful weeks where their DC was trying to make friends,and "break into" these established groups.
Definitely worth bearing in mind IMO.

That's not helping, Sawyer!!

(Sorry to butt in!)

To answer the question, tbh, if you're happy with your local school I'd be tempted to go with that one. Friends locally and convenience etc.

How's that not helping then???

I was merely stating what I think is a good reason for keeping your DC in the same area as their school if possible.

If theres not much to choose between the schools,then that can be a decider IMHO.