Nightingale primary in Wanstead - post-school parks/playgrounds ?

[topov]

We're thinking of moving near to Nightingale primary school, on Wanstead/South Woodford borders.
Area and school both seem nice - but I'd love to know what happens at school pick-up time...
Where we are now (E17), many of us head for the nearby park almost every day straight after school, to left off some energy before tea-time;
But, looking around Nightingale, I can't see any really handy parks; Maybe I've missed something.

Does everyone just drift home ? Or do you hang around and let the kids play in the school playground ? Or do you trek down to the big park on Wanstead high street?
I see there's a little park just off Onslow Gardens not far away, with the M11 slip-road roaring nearby - is that popular?

Hope you can help - it's getting close to making-offers-on-houses time .

Hi topov

We are thinking of moving to South Woodford as well. Still not sure if its going to be near Nightingale or Churchfields school. Just curious to know the reason you have chosen Nightingale primary school. Thanks in advance

Smee, I am also looking to move to the area, but I'm stuck on which school to move closest to; Churchfields or Nightingale. Which did you choose and why?

For either school, the parks in South Woodford are particularly poor. I have no idea why we have such a lack with so many families and children, but we do. The park on Christchurch Green in Wanstead is by far the most popular. You are very likely to find parents taking their children there after school. The park on Onslow Gardens we visited once or twice when we first moved here and it was dreadful, we haven't bothered since but that was 4+ years ago so it could have changed.
The house prices in the Churchfield's catchment are way over the top! Nightingale I know very little about - but I can tell you we didn't get our first or second choice school despite the catchment supposedly being based on distance from the school. I would be wary of buying a house for a specific school based on my experience and look at all of your school choices. Despite the rules stating that a child doesn't have to attend that school's nursery, my experience as a working parent who used a private nursery was that this is definitely a factor in at least one of the schools I visited prior to application. The woman showing me around let slip it was a shame my DS didn't attend the nursery there! She more or less told me that we had no hope of getting in. I appreciated her honesty, but it did go against everything Redbridge set out in their application brochure. Hope that helps you a bit. The area is lovely for families generally but it is getting busier.

There are two lovely parks in South Woodford (one on Churchfields and the other on Gordon Road (Elmhurst Gardens) but I agree that they are not convenient for Nightingale School.

Regarding schools, all I will say is that Ofsted reports are not everything. Although both the schools you mention got Outstanding (which I assume is why posters are thinking particularly about those ones in particular), I had a negative experience of one of them. I'd rather not go into specifics as some of the issues were particular to my own child and there were lots of other happy children at the school but it didn't suit mine.

Don't rule out some of the other excellent schools in the area (most of which get Good on Ofsted if that is what bothers you the most).

Idril,

I'll have to re-visit the park on Gordon Road. They must have improved it since we last went there.

I agree, Ofsted reports are not everything. Glad they exist to ensure the standards are there, but often until you've visited a school and seen it in action for yourself, you can't really gauge it!

Hi, wondering if OP is still here and what did you decide to do? We are moving near Nightingale and I know nothing about the school. DD1 is going to have to make an in year transfer from her little private school where she has been since she was 2.5 years old.. I'm dreading this..

My child goes to Nightingale, she didn't attend the nursery there and she did get a place, there was no mention that this would be a barrier to entry. The school currently has 3 form entry and pupils seem to attend from Wanstead, South Woodford, Redbridge and Woodford areas.
The local park on the high st isn't that far away and it is where most people go if convenient but there is also a range of activities on after school all around the area that many children attend, or they go on play dates to each other's houses (pretty much like any other school). We live in Wanstead so no choice for us between Churchfields and Nightingale, just visit them both and see which one you like

The park in Wanstead gets very busy after school on nice weekdays. But both schools are very oversubscribed and it's difficult to get in.

My son is starting Nightingale in September but won't know anyone as he has been attending nursery in Loughton....I was wondering if there is anyone out there whose son or daughter are also starting this September who would like to get together for a playdate? Would just make it easier for him (maybe me more than him) if he knew someone or more than one of his peers before he started.
Please let me know if you would be interested - always nice making more friends.

Nightingale Primary in wanstead. Opinion?
We have had our son in reception and Y1. We chose this school based on good recommendation from other parents, based on previous years (and good Ofsted report back in 2010.
We are getting increasingly disappointed by the lack of focus from the management, the lack of follow up on raised issues (children veering to bullying in Y1/Y2!), lack of clarity about pupil premium, etc. Having to ask times and times again for new Mathletics exercises to be set etc... Hard to believe that this school would still achieve outstanding today. Thanks for your opinions.