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Original poster

catholic primary schools in cambridge

15 replies

Pam888 · 31/03/2009 21:56

Hi all

I'm hoping someone will give me some advice on the above. i'm hoping to move to cambridge in the next few weeks with my little boy who is only 5 months old. we are coming from london where DS1 would probably have got in to our local catholic primary school (i'm a practising catholic and went to a catholic school all my life - would like DS1 to do the same).
was wondering whether the catholic schools in cambridge are as over-subscribed as the london ones? if so does it rest solely on the catchment area??

secondly would love to meet up with ANY mum's in the area once i arrive (prob around may) as i dont know ANYONE in cambridge and will probably end up looking at four walls for ages!

cheers.

OP posts:
Lilymaid · 31/03/2009 22:14

Cambridgeshire schools admissions details here. I think there are two RC primaries and one inter-church secondary.

Lethe · 02/04/2009 14:25

There are also a lot of good CofE schools if you're not too strict about it being Catholic - St Johns College School is very 'high' Anglican, and has a fortnightly Eucharist, as well as evensongs for choir and boarders.

TortillaDeMaiz · 02/04/2009 17:32

St Alban's is next to the catholic church off Lensfield rd/hills rd. I think St Bede's is inter-church and is located in Cherry Hinton. I have no idea how oversubscribed they are...

Original poster
Pam888 · 02/04/2009 18:16

Thanks to all for your comments. I think St Alban's would be our nearest church. Dont really mind CofE and would consider it if we couldnt get into a catholic one...
Looks like i shall have to do more investigation reversubscription...

p.s we saw a nice place on mill road (north romsey area?) quite far down - does anyone know if this area is ok?

OP posts:
fitzgirl · 03/04/2009 01:57

I know several children at St Alban's and they all seem to be really happy there, and their parents love it too. Believe it is very over-subscribed, but also its strict criteria mean that people do get in from at least a couple of miles away. You would have to check the admissions criteria, but I think you have to be able to prove that you are a practising Catholic. If you look on the BBC News' League Tables, it always seems to do pretty well too. Think parking can be a problem though - perhaps you could walk/cycle?

TortillaDeMaiz · 03/04/2009 10:31

IMO The area on Mill Road is OK to live and is not that far from the city centre, but I have never been there at night. There is a big Sainsburys in Coldhams Lane. There are a couple of nice parks and you also have the Romsey Mill Surestart Centre very close, so you might find some nice toddler groups to go to.

cakeaddict · 03/04/2009 15:08

I've been wondering the same thing recently - would like DD to go to St Albans but it is described as being "frequently oversubscribed" on the LEA website, but does anyone know if or how you can find out the application numbers? I'm wondering if oversubscribed means a couple of people a year don't get in, or 50% of those who apply don't get in...???

Pam888 - we live Mill Rd area and like it very much. Very nice community feel, nice parks, lots of young families, several toddler groups etc in the area, can walk into town. Can sometimes come across small clusters of street drinkers clutching their cans of special brew, but I've never encountered any trouble.

coolma · 04/04/2009 11:47

There is also St Laurences in Arbury Road, a catholic school. My eldest daughter went to St Bede's and we were very happy with it indeed.

sweetnitanitro · 15/04/2009 16:05

My cousin is a catholic mum in Cambridge, I've dropped her a line to find out if there are any mum and baby groups she knows of.

Original poster
Pam888 · 26/04/2009 21:22

Thanks sweetnitanitro, would really appreciate it.

OP posts:
coolma · 07/05/2009 20:43

Have you moved yet? We are not far from mill road and my youngest goes to playgroup at Romsey Mill. It is Lovely!

Original poster
Pam888 · 08/05/2009 19:03

I will be moving on 23 May to a road just off mill road and am looking forward to it! i think i walked past a mother and toddler "surestart" group centre at the bottom of mill road so i will be checking that group out in my first week!

OP posts:
coolma · 09/05/2009 07:10

That's Romsey Mill. Do go in and speak to them!

umf · 25/06/2009 10:50

St Alban's has a good reputation; a Catholic friend was planning to send her ds there until she moved away. The church also has a v nice toddler group.

On Mill Road the Salvation Army toddler group (Fri, I think) has started up quite recently and people keep recommending it to me.

There's also an active Romsey NCT. Lots of babies in Romsey!

jumpjockey · 01/08/2009 20:18

Just to add, the mother and toddler group umf mentions is on Wednesdays at 9 am at OLEM - the church to which St Albans is attached - I've never managed it yet as DD is still under a year but it's meant to be very good fun and has very strong coffee!

We go to intermittently to the Romsey Mill under 1s on a Weds, maybe we've met already?! Hope you're liking Romsey, it's a great area.

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