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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

Raleigh school, West Horlsey, Surrey

15 replies

Roseflower · 02/08/2010 18:00

Hi everyone Im new to the board! I was wondering if anyone knew much about the Raleigh Primary school in West Horsley Surrey?

Does anyone have children that go there or know what the "word on the street" is about the school? Does have a good reputation?

Am looking to move into the nearby area but a majority seem to be private schools.

Thanks in advance!

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Original poster

Roseflower · 05/08/2010 14:33

Anyone?!

OP posts:

willali · 06/08/2010 12:38

one great benefit is that The Raleigh is a designated feeder school for the Howard of Effingham senior school - only kids at feeder schools get to go to this very successful senior school. Don't know anything about the actual school tho sorry!

mummytime · 06/08/2010 15:09

Okay. All I know is that I have heard it is a good school, but I don't really know anyone whose kids go there. The house prices of most parts of the Horsleys are an indication of why most peoples children go private. Howard of Effingham is a much sought after school, and they have fought so kids who go private but live in Raleigh's catchment do get a chance to go to the Howard.

Sorry not to be able to help more.

Have you managed to look around the school?

2shoes · 06/08/2010 15:17

(sorry but am in shock that anyone would fight to get their child in to the Howard, but amitted i went there yonks ago)

titchy · 06/08/2010 15:25

Live nearby - Raleigh has a very good reputation locally. As does Howard, but H easier to get into this year for some reason - lots more movement from the waiting list than in previous years.

Both good with good results. Would definitely only suit you if you're white, middle class with academic children though.

mummytime · 08/08/2010 07:27

This year was a , low birthrate year for secondary schools in Surrey. So lots more movement all round. Last year was a bad one, and of course the squeeze on primary places will eventually hit secondary.

Also to 2shoes - obviously your day was sometime ago and things change a lot. People from Dorking/leatherhead would love to get their kids into Howard, and a few years ago Howard ended up with en extra class in one year as the county council had messed up on admissions.

FloraFinching · 08/08/2010 09:49

Dsis lives in East Horsley, and both her DC went to Raleigh initially. However, she did move her DS to the independent sector, as he academically average at best, and she felt the pace was too fast for him. Her DD thrived there though, and is now at the Howard, as are most of her peers.

miffyjane · 08/08/2010 10:03

Mummytime - why would people from Dorking want to send their children to Howard when there are two good secondary schools in Dorking?

Silverstreet · 11/09/2010 18:06

Hi Roseflower

Both my children went to Raleigh and are now at Howard. The Raleigh is an excellent school, has really supportive parents, great facilities and very good teachers. I found that they were great at stretching brighter children, as well as giving extra support to those that need it, plus telling you as the parent what you can do to help them. The teachers really do care about the children. You would be unlucky if you didn't have a good experience there. They got a great OFSTED, which was outstanding in KS1. Have a read on their website which should have a link.

You should talk to their admissions lady, Lesley Light, who is really helpful, to get a feel for how near you need to live to the school to get in. I know that the Sept 2010 reception entry still has a couple of spaces, but this is not normal, it is just there has been a very low birth rate across the area for this year group. Most other year groups are full and parents often appeal to get in. So ask about typical catchment area for years before 2010 to be safe.

Good luck

Fruitgums · 28/09/2010 12:44

Roseflower, sorry to hijack your thread but I have a question for Silverstreet.

Silverstreet, I live in bookham and thinking of sending my DS to The Raleigh. Do you think that because he is not local he will be at a disadvanatge?

Roseflower, how old is your child? My DS is 3 and I'm looking for schools to apply for next september & i'm seriously considering the Raleigh.... where are you based?

TIA

Silverstreet · 28/09/2010 21:53

Hi Fruitgums

There are children at the Raleigh from Cobham, Bookham, Ripley, and Clandon, as well as Horsley, so I would not worry about him being the odd one out. The problem would more be likelihood of getting in, as you would be prioritised based on distance from the school, so it would all depend on the number of applicants in the year. There are also children from Horsley who go to Effingham and Bookham schools too, so it is all swings and roundabouts.

If you prefer the Raleigh, you have nothing to loose putting Raleigh first, then 2 nearer schools second and third, as you ought to get into one of them, and you are not penalised for putting a school second or third place in the application process nowadays. I don't know the Bookham schools as well as Raleigh but I know Eastwick, Polsden Lacey and St Lawrence all have pretty good reputations too.

Your best bet is to talk to Lesley in the office, and go for an informal look round. You won't be the first Bookham parent she has talked with...

Fruitgums · 29/09/2010 12:13

Silverstreet,

Thanks for your message. I've called the Raleigh wanting to speak to Lesley and it was hard to get through to her as the lady on the phone was wanting to answer my questions and saying why do you need to speak to Lesley!

I've heard that Eastwick & St Lawrence are good..... but St Lawrence has got a terrible OFSTED.

Do you know which is the best junior school in Bookham? I get confused with the OFSTED and league tables etc. Any tips would be great!

Many thanks x

Silverstreet · 30/09/2010 23:34

Hi Fruitgums

Sorry but I don't know the Bookham schools that well, I would ask some more local parents. I am not sure you are right about the St Lawrence OFSTED though - the 2008 report gave it a "Good" rating, which is only 1 below "Outstanding" (which is very hard to achieve), with 2 further ratings below this. The two areas that it needs to fix are not difficult to sort and the school seems to be doing stuff about it per the newsletters on its website. I know they have a really good head and chair of governors so can't believe there is an issue. Polsden has an outstanding OFSTED but is only an infant school, so you would need to move to either Eastwick or Dawnay afterwards (both these schools have an intake at year 3, whereas St Lawrence and Raleigh don't.

So determining factors are probably going to be how easy it is to get to, whether you want a smaller or larger school, etc. Best bet is to look round each of them and ask questions like what they do to help children settle in, etc, and think about whether you feel your son would be happy there.

Fruitgums · 07/10/2010 12:38

Silverstreet,

Thanks for your advice. I am going to look into your suggestions x

LondonSuperTrooper · 07/12/2010 15:30

Silverstreet,

Are you still around? Please let me know as I cannot PM you!

I have some question which hopefully you do not mind answering

Thanks!

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