Please recommend primary schools in High Barnet

[LauraM72]

Hi

We are planning a move from East London to Barnet (High Barnet or New Barnet) and need to decide which schools to look at / apply to. We have 3 boys (reception, year 3 and year 4). I really hope we can get them all into the same school but know that will be a challenge! Schools I have looked at are Foulds (very popular), Whitings, Underhill, Cromer and Livingstone. I would really appreciate any personal experiences or information on any of these schools. At the moment only Underhill have places in all year groups, but it also has worst Ofsted...

Thanks very much,
Laura

I don't know those schools individually but I live in the Borough of Barnet and I know they've got problems with a surge in demand for infant class places. As you've found out, the only schools with places are the ones no-one wants to go to (whether justified or not). You might need to put the younger one on a waiting list and hope that someone leaves (obviously better chance in the bigger schools) and that you're at the top! We moved to the area from East London and had the same problem but dd got into one of the schools we wanted after a term.

Christ Church often have vacancies in certain years as parents move and tend to go to private schools towards year 3 and 4. If they have vacancies in certain classes, the criteria for church membership seems to be waived as they would prefer school to be filled rather than wait for CofE entrants. It isn't strictly CofE anyway, it's multi cultural and a very good school.

Because it's on the same road as Foulds, it might just be possible to educate all three in Foulds / Christ Church until vacancies at one establishment become available. Both have breakfast clubs and after school clubs to enable you to get all children to school on time. It's only a 2 minute walk from one to another. Both very successful primary schools.

Underhill serves the Dollis Valley Estate which isn't the most salubrious of places. Whitings improving and Cromer Road / Livingstone are also good schools.

Thanks Petelly. It is going to be a difficult time I think, as they are all happy and settled at their current school, and we are moving because of my husband's job and also because we love Barnet as an area. The boys have said many times that they don't want to change schools, so having to go to one school and then move to another when a place comes up might be v tough on them (and us!). Thanks for your advice.

Thank you 'whyamibothering' for a very helpful reply. I am quite concerned about the area that Underhill is in, and we would ideally like to move to the area behind the Spires so your advice about Christchurch is great, thank you. As we are not CofE (I am Jewish and my husband is Catholic!) I had not considered contacting them. Cromer Road and Livingstone both have places in years 3 and 4 but not reception, which I am not suprised about! It is a very stressful business, and this is before we get into the whole house buying thing.....
Thanks again.

Dont worry - there are catholic families at Christ Church. They move onto Finchley Catholic High (Boys) at 11.

I would be surprised if any vacancies in reception to be perfectly honest. It's as you move up the school that vacancies do occur and the admission criteria isnt quite so rigid.

The 'religious' aspect isn't greatly Anglican although children do attend Christ Church church at end of terms, harvest festival events etc. I would say that moral and pastoral care is the real extent of the 'christian' element. Thinking about treating others well, kindness, graciousness, etc - which naturally is a good citizen thing.

If you or your husband do attend a place of worship (as opposed to not) that would be in your favour if there are vacancies higher up the school.

No harm done by asking.

Thank you, I will certainly ask! We are thinking of delaying the move until the summer, so that our youngest will be going into yr 1 rather than reception. Hopefully there will be more likelihood of places for all 3 in a decent school then. Thanks again for your help.

Well, try and get children's names on waitin lists rather than just wait and see what state of play next summer is.

I'm not sure if you'd have to prove residency in Bsrnet or proof of purchasing property in Barnet to be included on lists - but it would certainly put you further up the ladder if you could apply now.

Whyamibothering I don't think the amount of time you're on the list really matters. You can go on the waiting list regardless of where you live but if the criteria is distance then you'd obviously be at the bottom

lauram72
If you're buying, the schools will accept your new address once you've exchanged contracts even if you haven't yet moved in.

TJust a note for secondary is the new Jewish secondary school, JCoSS, which is a 'whole community' Jewish school and is in Barnet. I know it doesn't really help you now!

petelly - the criteria wouldn't be distance. It would be time on waiting list - first come, first serve. I'm talking about either mid year entrance or any year rather than reception. My daughter got a place in Year 4 and lived 6 miles away. We weren't CofE either, but other practicing religion. I even told headteacher I had no time for 'organised' religion! If they have a vacancy they will fill it from top of the list NOT distance.

Distance criteria only comes into play for initial school entrance in Reception along with attendance at given churches. Further up the school all this seems to be waived to fill the school. Classes can be quite small in Y4 upwards as so many tend to go to private schools at this age.

I think you're wrong. We moved mid-year and went on waiting lists for a Year 1 place.

The schools do fill casual vacancies from the top of the list but it's definitely not first come, first served. Your place on the waiting list is determined by the admissions criteria, be it distance, religion, sibling etc. You may be on the waiting list years but if another has a higher ranking on the admissions criteria, then they'd get the place even if they went on the waiting list the day before. If there are places, then none of this matters since the school has to accept your child, regardless of religion, distance or anything else.

Thats what i meant - if there are places, the admission criteria doesn't matter.

We don't even live in Borough of Barnet, but in Herts county. Weren't on waiting list, daughter entered Y4 at October half term. Class had 19 pupils. We did not fulfil any of the published admission criteria at all.

Admission criteria is only for YR - although school would never admit this. Further up the school length on waiting list applies - again not widely known.

Thanks to you both for your replies. The new Jewish secondary is one of the reasons we would like to move to that area. Hopefully they could all go there so it is just the primary school we need to sort out.

It is not at all clear about the allocation of school places. I have spoken to the admissions person at Barnet council, and the appropriate people at several schools and all say something slightly different. However, the admissions person at Barnet said that we would 'have no chance' of getting into any Barnet school until we have an address in Barnet!

Just to say Christ church is a lovely school, I used to work there and still have friends there. If you did end up there don't worry about not been C of E. There are plenty of atheists and in the time I was there we had Catholic/Greek Orthodox/Jewish/Muslim/Sikh/Ba'hai children and all got on fine. All the schools you have mentioned have some great teachers and lots to offer even if Osted don't think they are wonderful.

Thank you charmander. I have just phoned Christchurch and they said that it is very unlikely a place will come up in Reception or Year 3 as they are full with a waiting list, but I think we will still try! It is going to be hard getting all 3 into one school I think.
Do you know anything about Underhill or Whitings? I know the area isn't quite as nice, but are they still decent schools? Thanks, I really appreciate your advice.

If you'd consider Jewish primaries (further afield though) I'd do the certificate of religious practice just in case (for the Orthodox ones - I think the reform ones have different criteria) requirements ASAP. You have to go to synagogue 8 times on shabbat (before mid Jan I think) to qualify (less if you've volunteered or been involved in Jewish education) so you could still do that if that's an option for you.

If your youngest does get into one of your preferred schools, you could always appeal for the older ones when it's no longer infant class size prejudice. Not an easy or secure route to go down though....