Ealing primary schools - please help!

[RockinSockBunnies]

So, after much discussion, DD and I are relocating from North London and moving in with my DP.

DP and I have found a house, put in an offer, seemingly secured it (rental) and I'm now in the position of finding a school for DD, who is currently in Yr 4 and will be going into Yr 5 this September.

The house is on Castlebar Park and there seem to be a number of good schools in the area. Since I know nothing about Ealing, I've been looking at BBC education league tables and Ofsted reports and talking to the nice lady working at Primary Admissions for Ealing council. I've found out which schools have spaces and so far Christ Church CE school is looking like a possible contender. It has very good results according to the BBC league tables, the lady I spoke to there seemed very nice and DD and I are off to visit next week. But, I then read the Ofsted (three years old so I don't know how accurate it is) and it only ranked 'satisfactory' . I'm hearing great things about North Ealing and Montpelier schools (whether they'll have spaces I don't know) but does anyone know anything about Christ Church? I'd prefer a C of E school for DD, but also want a lovely school with good community ties etc.

Many thanks!

Christ Church is very old-fashioned - lots of teachers have been there for years so you get spoonfeeding-style teaching, not very inspirational. As it's C of E though I would have thought it would put you in good stead for getting into Twyford for secondary. But you'll be closer to Drayton Manor which is the nearest thing Ealing has to a grammar school.

North Ealing is the most sought-after but undergoing lots of changes as it's going from a 2 form entry to a 3 form - also they're incredibly strict on their catchment area, though places do come up, esp as you want a Year 5 place rather than a nursery one where they're massively oversubscribed. Great head but they've had to employ a lot of new teachers in a hurry and have heard pretty negative reports about some of them... also parents very cliquey.

My kids are at Montpelier where they're pretty happy, it's got another great head. Friendly place and a park next door where the kids go after school so you make a lot of friends fast. A couple of kids arrive every year in each class so yours wouldn't stick out. High expectations of their academic progress. It's a big school though, 3 form entry, so it's a not a place for shy retiring kids.

My top tip (and this is quite radical) but as you're going to be on Castlebar Park, have you considered Drayton Green? They've got a superhead in there and it's about to shoot up the league tables - also they're getting all sorts of funding for school improvements. It's one form entry so a very particular kind of school. I have to say the homeowning people who live near there tend to send their kids to Montpelier, but a friend of mine has an exceptionally bright kid there who has flourished because they take their G&T kids so seriously. A place like Montpelier just doesn't have time for this.

A lot of middle class parents that you meet around W13 might throw their hands up in horror at the thought of this school but I've been genuinely impressed (and in fact quite jealous) at the things my friend has told me - staff sound really committed, whereas I've had some good teachers at Montpelier and some not-so-good. And of course at a junior school who your form teacher is makes all the difference.

I'd book yourself a tour of Christ Church, Montpelier, North Ealing and Drayton and judge which school you think has the best environment for your child.