Leeds move, wich primary school !!

[pa1]

We are moving to Leeds, and we really don't know the area at all.
Could anyone help with where are good places to live with good local primary schools?

Thanks

okay i can't type, that should be "which primary school"

170 schools!

You need to chose an area first. Generally north Leeds but this is reflected in housing costs. Look at both secondary and primary.

from what we have found out from our research so far, yup Simbacatlives north leeds seems the area to go for along with Harrogate.
But am worried that even if we moved to an area near the school we wanted, what are the chances of our daughter getting in to an probably over-subscribed school half way through the year ?
Anyone had any experience of this ?

Harrogate is a much safer bet school wise if you can afford it. Highly selective by postcode but very very good schools. It used to be one of few places where less children attended private secondary schools than private primary schools- not sure if that is still the case.

How old is she. Y3 onwards much easier as no infant class size. It is one in and one out in most popular schools.

However Leeds is a city and harrogate is a town. Depends what you want.

The north east/east of Leeds had many good schools. They range from small village schools in Ledston to middle sized schools in Garforth and Colton. Also, South Leeds around Rothwell and Oulton also have been getting some good reports. All these place are not inner city but easy commuting to centre of Leeds. Harrogate can have some good schools as well.

North Leeds has a lot of v good primaries but then housing prices generally reflect this.

As Simba says, check the secondary schools as well. We moved to the east of Leeds and the primaries were good, but after primary there's a desperate scramble for the good secondaries - Garforth and Tadcaster on this side - and lots of disappointed people.

As a Harrogate gal (hence the nickname!) I would definitely say south side Harrogate for the very best schools round here - very north Leeds can occasionally get in too. If you're looking at Harrogate, would say check out Pannal, Oatlands, Western schools, or village schools like North Rigton, Follifoot, Spofforth, also Aspin in Knaresborough.

Thanks for all the advice, but beginning to realise it is going to be a bit of nightmare as she would be an in-year admission and all the good schools are likely to be full - and there is no waiting list.

So could move close to a good school but if it is full(which is likely) will be offered a less good school farther away. Not sure how many places become available at the start of the year.

You can easily find out if a school has places by ringing the school or the LEA admissions. In year movement is not that difficult and happens all the time.

I went to Manston School in Cross Gates in 1965, under Mr Smelt.....I wonder what it's like now!!!

pa1, what school year is your daughter in at the moment?

she is in reception

pa1, I don't know if my primary school is typical but we have just gone to a two-class admission for reception because of growing demand. As such I'd be surprised if there wasn't a space for an extra child. My school.

pa1, if you are expecting to stay in the same area in the long term, I would strongly advise you to consider secondary as well as primary schools when choosing an area. There is a huge range of quality in Leeds from the good to the "move house to avoid", and unsurprisingly it is the norm for good secondary schools to be oversubscribed. Obviously, some secondary schools may have changed in character by the time your daughter hits secondary school age, but there are some schools with a long history of poor performance, so I think it's worth thinking about at this stage.

I would rate Holy Trinity school in Cookridge (North West Leeds). If you'd like any more info re this school or Cookridge, pa1, let me know!

We are in Garforth, nice big village/small town east of Leeds, good m'way and train links and reasonable house prices compared to N Leeds. 5 good primaries - 3 at least 'outstanding' ofsted, I think, and best state secondary in E. Leeds area. Our 2 primary age children settled v well when we moved here a few years ago.
Good luck with your search!

How important is it to you to be right in the centre of Leeds? Some areas south of Leeds (as well as the well known North Leeds/Harrogate areas) also have excellent schools (and the added benefit of much cheaper housing) I live in the Wakefield LEA but in an area where schools at both primary and secondary level are exceptionally good. Look at WF5 and parts of WF4 - any of the primaries that feed into the Ossett or Horbury secondary schools.

Thanks for all the comments. My husband might be working in Chapel Allerton so wants to live in the North quite close and will be happy as long as he can get to work by bike relatively safely.

My child goes to to St Matthew's in Chapel Allerton, and I'm v happy with it. Carr Manor and Chapel Allerton Primary are all good in the area. Headingley schools are very good - Weetwood, St Chad's, Spring Bank - although Weetwood and Spring Bank are very over subscribed so unlikely to have places in Reception. St Matthew's is two form entry, so they may have a place. Allerton High v goo, Carr Manor High less so but on the up apparently.