Best state schools for 4yo

[GreatQuestioner]

Hi all,

We currently live in Canary Wharf (London) and have a 4yo son. We’re looking to sell and move somewhere else to increase our son’s access to education long term. From the research we’ve done it seems that N, NW London seems to have the broadest state and independent school offering. Does everyone agree? Especially given that we’re looking for relatively affordable neighbourhoods in the hope of scooping a house with a garden (or at least a more
spacious flat).

Even restricting the search to North London is quite hard - for example Haberdashers is in Elstree and QE for Boys in Barnet.

So taking into account real estate affordability and quality of education where would you suggest best to live in and around London?

If he's already 4 won't he be starting school in September? Surley you've already applied for his place at a school even if you're planning to defer his entry?

If you're looking for the best schools presumably these will be over subscribed and will by April already have huge waiting lists full of children who submitted applications?

I was also thinking if your child is 4 you should have already applied.

Hi Rocket and 90. So he’s a few months away from being 4 and the situation is a bit more complicated - otherwise life would be too simple. Currently he is getting schooled abroad. As you say, unlikely that applying now will get us anything - so we might have to go for Sept 2024. I’m guessing one needs to apply by May 2023 for a sept 2024 place.

Main question remains though - in your opinion where would you think there is an agglomeration of very good state and independent schools? Barnet? Around Camden Town area? Seems hard to settle on something as there are options everywhere in and around London. However, we wouldn’t want to buy a forever home somewhere where there is only 1 good option.

So keen to hear your thoughts…

We're outer NW London. There's a good choice of state and independent schools (including Habs).

But it's 30 minutes into Marylebone or 45 minutes to the City on the Met line and house prices are quite high.

Application deadline for Sept 2023 was Jan in my LA with places allocated in April. You can usually apply after the deadline but you would be unlikely to get a highly rated school as they are likely oversubscribed. For independent schools the deadline is usually even earlier (Nov for those closest to us) but they may be a little more accommodating for late applications.

You can apply for a place for him for Sept 24 but if you have not already agreed a deferral with the LA and school, he would be placed into his chronological age group (yr 1) and it would be considered an in year transfer. Depending on where he is emotionally/socially/educationally at this time, it might be less than ideal.

You can put a late application in for September 2023 and go on waiting lists. The child will also need to be resident to get a state school place, not just a parent. A deferral to 2024 would need to be agreed in advance and if they are already being educated at 3 you may not want to enter Reception at 5. If you are thinking for year 1 in 2024 it will be an In Year application and be allocated wherever there is a vacancy not necessarily at a school of your choosing or local. There are good state schools everywhere including your current location, also less good, so basing a move solely on that, when you may not even get a place, is risky. Probably best to get your child moved here and look into options wherever you are now,

@dew141 hard to solve for all these variables. What’s the closest tube stop to you

@KarenBradysHair indeed we are a bit late for applying and even if we did our old flat isn’t close to any good primaries - and as the criteria for all state primaries is proximity to school gate from what I can tell we would’ve gotten a less than ideal spot anyway. Will keep in mind the Jan and Nov deadlines you mentioned. He is currently attending a French and English speaking nursery abroad so even if he is an in-year transfer we think he’ll be able to follow.

@LIZS yes, most likely he’ll have to go in year 1 (which I gather is the equivalent for 5 year olds) and not sure how that will go, but as we are still quite some months away from returning not much that can be done now. Regarding Canary Wharf area, I can confidently say there are very few to no good places as the council took the view that they’ll develop it as a business district and were not keen on attracting families, so in the past decade there have been very few family amenities opened up.

Anyway, the question remains: what’s a neighbourhood do you see as being a good trade-off between real estate prices and an agglomeration of good state and independent schools? Or alternatively how happy are you with where you live now ?

hard to solve for all these variables. What’s the closest tube stop to you

We're within 5-10 minutes of Rickmansworth, Chorleywood and Chalfont & Latimer. Only the last one is in Bucks if you want the grammar option at secondary (there's some excellent state schools in Amersham and High Wycombe).

If he is to enter at year 1 2024 you will only be allocated whatever is available. Those with places in Reception 2023 continue unless they move away or find an alternative, and class sizes are limited to 30. Consequently very few "good" schools are likely to have a space and those that do will have a waiting list. However you would not automatically be at the bottom as they rank according to the admissions criteria not first come, first served. You need to be prepared to take the place up quickly if offered.

Distance alone may not be the determining criteria. Additional needs, Looked After children, siblings , faith etc may also feature and vary from one school to next.