Schools in Haringey

[nativitywreck]

We are currently in Yorks, and thinking of moving to London, specifically Highgate.
The place we are looking at's nearest primary is Ashmount, but that is in the Borough of Islington, whereas we would be in Haringey.
Does the school allocation go on borough or distance?
I went on Haringey website, but it didn't really say how priority was given.
Also, does anyone have any advice or recommendations regarding schools in that area (it's Highgate/Whitehall Park).
Confused by London!

Couple of errors on this thread:

Coleridge is already 4-form entry

Miliband's wife is a governer of Brookfield on the Dartmouth Park (Camden) side of Highgate, not of Ashmount.

Both of the above are already good schools, but if you're near Ashmount then you'll likely be out of catchment for them.

Slightly spooked by the presence of another Polly on this thread, but I don't think PP is me

I think Britain has a bit of a "them and us" feeling, but maybe thats just me!
That's funny Polly (if that is your real name) bcos crazynanna up thread said that her dd hated hargrave Park.
Goes to show, it's so much about personal experience.

St Josephs is very near,and I can picture it actually, having walked by a few times.
It does look nice but I am a bit put off by the Catholic thing I guess. I don't want ds thinking I am going to burn in Hell for being a sinner!

I think what I want is a nice mix with a bit of everything-black, white, Turkish, chinese, middle class, working class, french, whatever.
And a school that is very anti bullying and has decent food.
And teachers with common sense and big smiles. Now I am just being picky!

Yes My girl had the worst experience at Hargrave Park. Bullying being totally ignored,a different head practically every year,with 2 temps,I actually witnessed a TA physically threaten a parent in the school yard. It got really bad in yr 5,but I did the "may as well stay as leaving soon" thing....worst decision I ever made.
I even had to take legal action due to the refusal to deal with bullying...which was quite nasty for primary school children.

My girl has horrendous memories of that school.People were taking their dcs out in droves...I wish I had

Oh well, goes to show how experiences vary. My neighbour's child goes to Hargrave and they are very happy - but the child is in Y1 or 2, so much lower down the school.

St Joseph's is very mixed indeed, which is what makes it rather cheery, but presumably also puts off the m/c parents who want a school full of people just like them.

In the end you have to go and look round, and check out the vibe for yourself, really.

I will do that definitely. I don't think we would fit in that well if everyone was middle class, since we are a bit common!

Ashmount is also a very diverse school. All types. Including the common.....

The main thing is to go along to the schools in question. For example, because Ashmount and Coleridge are so close together and because Coleridge has four form entry, even though oversubscribed its catchment reaches as far as Ashmount. (big area of catchment overlap) This means that a significant number of parents at two form entry Ashmount could have gone to Coleridge had they chose. In the same way a significant number of Coleridge parents chose Coleridge in preference to Ashmount.

So some like one, some the other.

The two schools while both good are different. Different things matter to different parents.

Hello, as far as I know most schools are full at the moment (at least in Muswell Hill), so it might be worth putting your name on as many waiting lists as possible, including faith schools (even if it's not your faith). The only school mentioned I know is Highgate, which is a lovely school and probably more creative as others - they just had in Dec a whole school production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

It is looking like the move wont happen til summer anyway, in which case we would be going into year 1, which hopefully a bit easier?
That sounds lovely! I am an arty farty so theatre and drama stuff appeals to me!