Primary schools in SE London

[fourquartets]

Hello,

Have noticed that there seem to be quite a few MNers with lots of wisdom about schools in SE London and thought I'd see if anyone could give us a helping hand. We live in Herne Hill at the moment and want to buy a bigger house and make sure we are within the catchment of a good primary school. We'd love to stay as close to Herne Hill as possible but are beginning to think we just can't afford it and that we've minimal chance of buying into the catchment of Rosendale or Dulwich Infants, which we'd have liked. DH has to get to Wimbledon for work and we're also keen to keep his commute to a minimum (at the moment, the thameslink from Herne Hill is ideal)

Any helpful thoughts about good primary schools not too far from Herne Hill, with easy-ish transport to Wimbledon and where we could buy a 4 bedroom house for less than £600000? Or is that just a fantasy?!

Thank you for any advice you can give!
x

West Dulwich? Kingswood primary is supposed to be excellent, and that budget sounds about right for Gipsy Hill and West Dulwich area nearby.

Sorry - should have added you can pick up trains to Wimbledon from Tulse Hill.

I'd second the recommendation for West Dulwich. Friends of ours have kids at Kingswood and speak very highly of it. (Ofsted outstanding, top-of-league tables and all that.) Just checked on Rightmove and there's several 4-beds in SE21 under £600,000.

Thanks - yes, I was wondering about Tulse Hill/West Norwood but have no idea about the schools round there. Have just looked at the ofsteds for Kingswood and it looks lovely. I don't know that area at all. Maybe time to go on some long walks.

ps DD is only 9 months so guess we have a bit of time to sort this out! Just trying to think ahead.

Thank you Mewantcookies, it's helpful to hear that people with children there like it. Ofsted reports can sound wonderful but (being a teacher myself) I know they don't always give you a full picture!

I've just read some nice things about Julians School in West Norwood too but it sounds as if it has a tiny catchment area. Hmmm.

Hi,
Fantastic primary schools in Honor Oak. Fairlawn gets better results than Dulwich Hamlet and is Ofsted reted outstanding. House prices in catchment £400+ for 3/4 bed house.

Yes, Honor Oak is a good idea too. Personally, I'd be less keen on West Norwood - it's been stubbornly resisting gentrification for a good couple of decades, and I don't see any reason for that to change!

West Norwood looks better because of access to Tulse Hill for the thameslink but I've got a few friends in Honor Oak and don't know anybody in West Norwood at the moment. I wonder why it has resisted gentrification so long, it seems a really good location and the schools sound good. Fairlawn sounds great. TFL suggests DH would have to change at Clapham Junction to get to Wimbledon but maybe that wouldn't be so bad.

Elwood is west Dulwich catchment too, and lovely

Sorry elmwood

Thank you for all the ideas. If the rain ever clears, think we'll go for a wander around west Dulwich/west Norwood and have a look at the area. I would be quite keen on Honor Oak, especially as we have friends there, but think DH is less keen on the transport situation there.

Honor Oak has several great primaries - and the new Overground makes the travel situation far better than it ever used to be. Take a look at Fairlawn, Stillness, Dalmain, and Kilmorie for schools. All very different, but all have very happy parents.

I agree West Norwood's main drag is pretty depressing, but wouldn't agree that the streets immediately around Julian's school has resisted gentrification - take a look at Casewick Rd and surrounding Victorian streets. DS's music teacher lives there and it's quiet and smart, from what I've seen.

I went and had a look around West Norwood this afternoon and thought the area around St Julian's Farm Road seemed distinctly gentrified. And a branch of the Blackbird Bakery on the main road made me feel right at home! It did feel a bit chaotic on the main road in places (odd activities seemed to be going on around B&Q!) but, generally fine.

I'm not too concerned about current levels of gentrification really - it's the schools and transport that are important - but am keen to make a sensible investment, if possible. Maybe Honor Oak is a surer bet in that respect, but I thought West Norwood looked pretty hopeful. Will have to go and have a look at Honor Oak another day this week. Thanks for all the thoughts so far.

Hi there,

I read your postings with interest, and was keen to know if anyone could share more information about Elmwood primary? We too are planning to move out of Herne Hill potentially, so it would be great to hear your insights.

I've been in HH for the past 5 yrs, so happy to share any info about this area too! Thanks!

Have a friend with son at Kingswood - they picked it over Habs in Newcross and seem very happy with it.

Elmwood is great, but you have to live literally next door to get a place. Only has an intake of 30 and many of those are siblings. Kingswood is a safer bet, but again, check the distances and make sure you are very close. Also I think there was some hoohah with the Kingswood catchment recently - people from West Norwood side getting places ahead of Gipsy Hill side or something. Have also heard good things about the 'new' Julians in West Nor. Anyhow, if it's not coming across loud and clear, if you move to get in one of these schools, MAKE SURE YOU'RE CLOSE ENOUGH! Or you'll end up getting a place in some duff school in north clapham like my mate's DD did (and ended up having to go private).

I used to live in West Dulwich and it was lovely there. Close to brockwell park, the village and tulse hill train station with direct links into the city and so forth. Would've loved for my ds to go to Julians. At the time their catchment area was just the street the school was located on.

Just a wee gripe about the world we're living in, in that, £600K can buy you a property in the right location, to secure the right school for your kid. And would I do the same if forced to? To provide a decent education and environment for my child? Probably. It's just so morally wrong in my view.

Elm Wood is actually two form entry now and they are building a big extension to accomodate the growing numbers. But there are lots of siblings so you do need to be close. My son is starting there in September so I can't tell you that much yet other than it is very popular and all the parents I know who have kids there rave about it.

We moved to West Dulwich from Herne Hill to get more space as Herne Hill was becoming too expensive. Overall I can recommend as there are most of the things you need within walking distance at either West Norwood, West Dulwich or Dulwich Village. I do use the car more than when I lived in Herne Hill though as everything was so close there and the station was step free (DS2 still in a buggy). Tulse Hill station is walkable though probably about 15-20 mins away.

I defo think West Norwood is on the up - has improved a lot since we moved here nearly three years ago and is about to get a new pool and leisure centre. People speak highly of Julians and they too are undergoing a building programme. Also Fenstanton (dire at the mo) in Tulse Hill has just been taken over by the "Super Head" that runs Kingswood, Elm Wood and others (they are in a hard federation) so is bound to be outstanding withing two or three years I would have thought - he turned Elm Wood around very quickly.

Do you definitely want to stay close to Herne Hill? If you came down to Tooting/ Furzedown you'd have the advantage of good primary schools, a 5 min train journey to Wimbledon and the possibility of Graveney for secondary.

I live in Gipsy Hill, and can highly recommend Kingswood, Elm Wood and Paxton. These schools are all run by the same Federation (Gipsy Hill Federation), with an executive head teacher, and three excellent heads of schools. Yes I have children at one of them and have hugely enjoyed the experience. However, I do know that catchment areas have shrunk.

Kingswood is now down to 650 metres as the crow flies. Its catchment is measured from its Upper Site, at 188 Gipsy Road. The school is a four form entry, and over two sites. Infants is down the road further, nearer to West Norwood, but the catchment is calculated from the school that is closer to Gipsy Hill.

A few years ago Lambeth was caught short on school places and tried to change the catchment to favour West Norwood. This was successfully campaigned against by parents, and other officials (Tessa Jowells, bless her) and it didn't happen.

Elm Wood is going to a two form entry as already mentioned.

Paxton is just a tiny one form entry school and that won't change any time soon. Unless Lambeth frees up its budgets. This year it had the lowest number of sibling applications and STILL people whose children live on the same road as the school didn't get in. Southwark, which borders the school, has built affordable housing right next to the school so it will get tougher. It is lovely though. I've friends with children at all three schools.

The Federation has just taken on Fenstanton in Tulse Hill this year. It is, to be blunt, a god awful school the worst sort of state school possible and in special measure. However, each of the other schools - Kingswood, Elm Wood and Paxton - were all failing schools when taken over by the Federation. And now they're all excellent.

The same will happen to Fenstanton - and it is being completely rebuilt with a whole new school. So you've got the chance there to be in on what people talk about - a school that's about to become excellent, before there's too much competition to get in. I know of at least one family who live in West Dulwich and missed out on places at Elm Wood and Rosendale, so opted for Fenstanton for this reason. From what I heard from a teacher at Rosendale, they aren't the only ones, and I believe that the school (which is a three form entry) has filled all its places for Reception next year. Despite being in special measures!

oh by next year I mean this year's September intake :)

Interesting about the two-form change at Elmwood. I seem to remember the extension being mentioned when I looked around. It must be a bit of a squeeze though. There wasn't much outside space at the time - or inside for that matter! But the kids seemed very happy and the head was impressive. It's great that these federations can really make a difference.

oh AND I know people with children at St Lukes in West Norwood, which hasn't been that great lately but apparantly they've either had a new head teacher or they're about to have a new one. So could be well worth looking into. There's some lovely houses up around the Royal Circle.