Keston CE Primary School

[azimmm]

Hey, all.

Wanted to find out about any experiences that people have had with this school. DS has got a place in it, but am slightly concerned that it doesn't do as well on the tables. Its a small school and the looks well settled and lovely. Any thoughts about the teachers and school environment?

Thanks.

anyone...?

Is this the school in coulsdon?

Nope, its the one in Keston village.

Well I've heard it's fantastic. Think performs pretty well actually. My dcs go to a school much further down on Bromley tables (and it's great). Have a friend who had 2 older children who went to highfield, but her younger dcs both went/go to Keston. She could have sent them to highfield because of sibling status but went so far as to have dc2 at H and dc3 at Keston for a year before dc2 went to St O. She's very pleased. Good on sports and Eco stuff. If driving, not for the faint hearted - the road leading to it (think is called lakes road but not sure) is pretty hairy cul de sac with big cars. But has quite small catchment because 1 form entry so most walk. And Keston itself is lovely.

Thanks Pooka. I agree the school is lovely and Lakes road is a nightmare even with the self imposed one way system! DS is moving from a 'secular' to a 'non-secular' school, just wanted to know how the children adapt to the worship/communal times esp for non CE kids. I do believe its optional, but likewise, don't want him to be left out.

Also, if you would happen to know how often the teachers stay there or if there is frequent changes. Thanks again.

In terms of teacher turnaround, I haven't noticed any vacancies popping up in the Bromley teaching vacancies list for ages. It doesn't seem like the kind of school where staff turnaround/dissatisfaction would be high. I don't know for certain. I do have a friend who used to work at St nicholas in chislehurst that is pretty similar in terms of c of e and one form entry. She had a friend working at Keston who said it was a lovely school. So all info very secondhand!
With regards to the secular/non secular, friends who have dc there don't describe a school that is massively different in terms of structure to that of my dcs' school.

hi does anyone know what the catchment area for keston c of e primary school is?

It'll vary year by year depending on the number of siblings for example. Ring the LEA admissions team or the school and they should be able to say how far they went out for say the last 3 years so you can get a rough idea.

I rang recently about secondaries and they were very helpful when I went through the list of possibles to find out how far each went (thinking of moving) last year.

Thankyou pooka for your help! Will phone 2moro, we live about 2.5 miles out do u think this is to far out?

I think probably too far - is one form entry so only 30 places per year. There are some other really good primaries nearby though - Hayes, pickhurst and wickham common if you're Hayes way or if more farnborough/Orpington way then there are darrick wood and tubbenden that always seem to be spoken well of. Don't know much about the smaller ones - downe or farnborough for example (apart from downe being very small).