schools in Notts

[benetint]

Hi everyone, we are moving to Notts permanently soon and are looking to buy a house. I'd quite like to get somewhere near a good primary school (if I can afford it!) and I wondered if anyone had any recommendations? Some friends have mentioned the following schools to me and I wondered if anyone had any personal experience of them or had heard anything (good or bad)?

The Good Shepherd
Edmund Campion
St Marys Hyson Green
Woodborough Woods
Haydn Road
Abbey Road
Woodthorpe Infants
Ernhale Infants
Seely Infants
Mapperley Plains
Carrington

Sorry that's a long list! Does anyone know if they're really hard to get into and if they have good secondary schools linked to them? (it would be great to just move once!) Thanks so so much for any replies!

OK, mine go to one on your list and although I'm really happy with it as a primary, the secondary options, although not dreadful, are only average at best. Will try not to out myself!

Good Shepherd - Catholic, links to 2 secondaries - Christ the King and Trinity. Trinity supposed to be excellent.

Woodborough Woods - good village school, linked to Colonel Frank Seeley, good average comp.

Woodthorpe, Ernhale and Mapperley Plains (v good ) - linked to Arnold Hill secondary, average comp

Abbey Rd - in West Bridgford, v popular area but not the best junior as linked to Rushcliffe comp - there are much better secondaries in this area.

The others are Nottingham city schools i think which will all link to Nottm city secondaries which are, I believe not as good as the county schools.

For me, the secondary schools are the main downside of Nottingham. The best is supposed to be one of the West Bridgford schools or Trinity, but as always thats subjective I guess! They are also v hard to get into.

PM me if you want more ideas, local help etc!

I don't know the primaries you mention, but IME most primaries (sweeping statement but still...) provide a good and nurturing environment.

You might want to look instead at secondaries, just because Notts comps range from inner-city with all its issues (good and bad IMO) to more rural schools which may of course have utterly different issues. But what I am saying is that the secondary my child would go to would sway me more than primary. I know a bit more about Notts 2ndariess actually... do you have any names there?

If you want to be out of the city a bit, I'd heavily recommend Willowbrook primary in Keyworth, Kinoulton primary or East Leek primary. First two feed into South Wolds - v good school, second to Harry Carlton - don't know much about this one.

Anywhere around W Bridgford or Ruddington is fabulous.

High-achieving schools in Notts for example include West Bridgford school and Toot Hill School (in Bingham); but there are also schools worth looking at in the city if that's your bag.

I guess it is worth mentioning that living in catchment in W Bridgford in no way guarantees you a place at your catchment school. Tread carefully... I've seen people buy expensive houses and be very surprised post-application. It's been a problem there now for around 4 years. It gets worse with the secondaries - I think there were 3 applications per place at WB School secondary last year and again, living in the catchment is no guarantee.

Look on the council websites or contact admissions to see application numbers for last year and who actually got in where - at least in terms of numbers.

Good luck!

Thanks so much for all your help everyone, I really appreciate it! Yes I do need to have a better look at the secondary schools (assuming they don't change in 6 years!)

Madamy, thanks so much for your info on all the schools and your offer of help!

hi is Woodthorpe in nottinghama good area for a young family