Forest Hill primaries

[mumtojohn]

Like tons of other parents, we are looking at a number of potential areas to move to to get DC1 into a 'good (primary) school.'

I went to the Horniman Museum last week and was rather taken with Forest Hill (looked leafy and it is on the East London line so is very accessible to Hackney, where we are now and where all our friends are).

Since then I've researched the area it and looks quite reasonably priced. Consensus seems to be that primaries are generally good.

One school in particular seems to be very popular (and ridiculously over-subscribed), called Fairlawn. Distances are less than 300 metres etc.

I guess my question is: is FH a good shout almost regardless of which school we get into (i.e. are they all pretty good?)? Is it better to try to move near another, slightly less popular but still good school, like the Horniman (obv still very sought after but perhaps not quite as revered as Fairlawn)?

Or am I missing something altogether and the area isn't that fab after all? I have seen a few chats online saying the secondaries aren't great but to be honest, am happy to cross that bridge later if needs be.

If anyone has experience of the area or the schools I would be grateful.

Forest Hill is a nice area, I think, and I have the impression that there are lots of good primary schools. (We live a couple of miles to the north.) When it comes to secondary schools, Forest Hill Boys and Sydenham Girls are both good comps. I think Lewisham schools are slowly but surely getting better at secondary level. 15 years ago many of them were in a dire state but the quality seems more even now. Prendergast is a very good girls' school in Brockley, but I think you probably have to live within about half a mile of it to be sure of a place - Forest Hill would be too far. Haberdashers' Aske's Hatcham is the most oversubscribed school in the area - it's co-ed but has single sex teaching, I think. To get in there on proximity you also have to live very near the school - I'd be surprised if you could get in from much more than a mile away. Both P and H give music places, but it's probably much too early for you to know if that would be of any relevance, and in any case that might all have gone by the time you're tackling secondary transfer.

You could also look at Brockley - there's a lot to be said for the conservation area. It's leafy, it's very near the station which has trains to London Bridge, Croydon and the East London Line and it's in Zone 2. The primary schools are generally fine - Myatt Garden seems to be the most popular at the moment.

Hi- there was a similar thread a few weeks ago- if you search under forest hill or fairlawn, you should find it.

Also, have a look at local forums: lots of threads about primary schools ! East dulwich forum and se23 forum.
My kids go to school on se26/ se23 boundary, looked at horniman and liked it, and have friends with kids at fairlawn - they are very happy.
Very lucky with some lovely primaries around, but in the past 2-3 years catchment areas for the above named (and my kids' school), have reduced drastically, and like many London primaries, there are more kids than places...
So really do look at your school choices, and then where you would like to live- if u contact lewisham you could ask about furthest distance admission for the schools you are interested in.

As for area- well, I live here, so would say this, but love it. Great transport links, lordship lane close enough to dip into, horniman and dulwich woods on doorstep, if you have any questions please feel free to pm me.

We love Forest Hill/Honor Oak, and there are many primaries round here with a great reputation so you needn't worry too much. (we've just done the application etc so we're temporary experts). Friends love Fairlawn, Horniman, Eliot Bank , Dalmain (which is where my daughter will go), Stillness. Kilmorie and Gordonbrock also popular (not great Ofsteds, but happy parents). If you're Catholic there are also William of York and Philip Neri, which get good results and are highly regarded.
Otherwise yes, it's a lovely place to live. East London Line has made a huge difference and the town centre is improving fast. Lots of people seem to have moved from Hackney etc of late - attracted by the fast link, I guess.
Good luck, and let me know if you need any more info.
Secondaries may be more of an issue, but there are some good ones and we will be crossing that bridge when we come to it!

Thanks all for your replies. We went again to the museum today so I could show DH the area. We had a walk about and although there didn't seem to be many houses for sale, we saw a few.

I may well message again. Thanks again.