Hastings Primary Schools - Honest Opinions Please!

[hopperdee]

We're moving to Hastings in September and I'm looking at schools for my little girl who is in reception at the moment. We want to move nearer to our preferred schools and although I'm looking at Ofsted and visiting places, I'd like to know the reputations of/best/worst primaries in the area-according to parents.

I know it's just personal opinions but would help to add it to my other research!

Some of the ones I will be visiting are Blacklands, St Pauls, Christchurch, Dudley, St Leonards, West St Leonards, Castledown etc. Other recommendations/ones to avoid are welcome.

At the moment she's at a very small and friendly C of E school in South London, and is really happy there (we're not religious but it's our closest school).

[marykat2004]

Of course it will only be my own opinion, and my DD's, on a particular day, but I will gladly share our feeling when we get back next week (we are making a weekend of it, back late Sunday.) Sharing here is a good way to reflect.

[marykat2004]

School reviews ? 15 October 2012.

Hello all - so we are back from viewing schools. 5 in one day. They were all good. This is just one mum's (and child's) impression from a whirlwind tour. (My DD is in year 3, so, I don?t know what schools have places in reception.)

St Paul's CofE: huge, bright airy classrooms. It is a huge school but does not feel crowded because it is so spacious and modern. DD has been in a one-class intake Victorian school since reception, and she walked around St Paul's with a smile on her face. There are lots of after school activities including Science clubs in which DD is particularly interested (none of the other schools had it, nor does her current school). Teachers and pupils all looked happy and enthusiastic. Great grounds.

Christchurch: After the lightness of St Paul?s, our first impression of Christchurch was that it seemed to be built in a pit. I think because we already were sold on St Paul?s, and had less time in Christchurch, that we were not as taken by the second school. Christchurch has an excellent reputation, and they are big on sports (but my DD is not really sporty). It is made of breezeblock and just felt a bit dark inside, but pupils looked happy enough. They were at playtime when we were there so we did not see a classroom in action. Also we had less time as we had a great distance to travel to the next school.

All Saints, near Old Town and near Clive Vale. We?d seen some houses online in the area and also know someone who goes to this school, so decided to view despite the school being in ?special measures.? Ofsted reports don?t seem to put people off, and this school is already oversubscribed and has no places. We loved the way they were doing their science lesson and I would consider this school if they had places, and if we decided to live in that area. Great playground with a quieter area for pupils who don?t want to run around the big area. Victorian but not poky.

St Leonards CofE (Collinswood Drive). ? there are 2 schools that seem to have similar names and maybe I had booked the wrong school because they had no record of me making an appointment to see the school. However, they were very nice and accommodating and showed us around anyway. It is a nice little school with lots of great outdoor space. Bear in mine we were getting a little tired by now. Very nice staff. Classrooms a bit chaotic but they were getting ready to watch films for Friday afternoon ?golden time?, which is common in lots of schools, including DD?s current school. It was ok but nothing really jumped out at us as being particularly special.

Robsack Wood ? by the time we had made the trek out there we already decided against it. You need to drive to go to this school. On the phone they said some children take buses, but this school is in a cul de sac in the woods, off a busy A road. The headteacher said he was encouraging parents to walk or cycle, but until someone builds some cycle routes this school is for people with cars. It IS a lovely school. There is an excellent display of mosaics and a tropical fish tank when you first walk in. They had chickens and ducks as well as allotments. If I wanted to drive I would really consider this school. We didn?t ask as many question though, because it was the last school we viewed and just too hard to get to without a car.

In the end St Paul?s was our favourite. Not driving does affect where we will live and what school we choose. We like some of the houses in West St Leonards but if we lived in that area we would want to go to Robsack Wood (but it only has places in year 3 and up, if anyone wants to know). We preferred St Paul?s to Christchurch. And All Saints again is in an area where you need a car.

[dotcommon]

Thanks very much for your comments. Really appreciate another parents view. I am taking my kids down on monday to visit st pauls, silverdale, blacklan st leonards. So i ll ley you know impression s too. Espe

[marykat2004]

Blacklands was full in our year so we didn't look. I'd be interested in what you think of Silverdale. I wasn't tempted by their Ofsted report but no one seems to mind about those reports. I looked at a house I liked near Silverdale. It was too far from St Pauls. What years are your DCs?

[OhDearSpareHeadTwo]

WedoNOTdo - we will be moving to Hastings this time next year as we both work over there and DH's family/friends are all there. So we are looking at schools as it will be time for primary admissions procedure.

We are pretty devout CofE and were looking at a fairly religious CofE school where we currently live as our first option. Apart from the religious element that put you off (the more religious the better for us woudl you say Christchurch was good ? We're looking to rent for a year or so before we buy and there just aren't any rental properties available near Blacklands or Little Ridge

[dotcommon]

Silverdale doesnr get a great ofsted report but i have a personal recommendation from friend of my fathers who ithink used to be a governor there. He says its really friendly with great atmosphere . My son is in reception year and my daughters just 2s not at school yet. Most of the school s are full for reception so may have to wait. St leonards primary has 1 place and i have to say the receptionist couldnt do more to help and welcome us. So i d be really really interested to know why ks248 hates it so much .....

[wedoNOTdomistyping]

Hello OhDear. I'm sorry I'm not going to be much help on Christchurch. I didn't look round it when doing the rounds and don't know anyone who has children there. I've heard it's not great but you hear that about all schools at some point. You'll know when you look round it and at least if you're not keen then you're spoilt for choice with CofE schools round here! Good luck.

I want to know about ks248 too. Is your dd still at St Leonards? Come and find me if she is, although you probably won't want to know if you still think it's rubbish there as I love the school.

MaryKat your review of Robsack made me laugh. I didn't look round as it was too far from us but walking or cycling to school, what?! I agree with you, unless you live on that estate there is no way you could cycle along Queensway! I'd like to see how many try...especially with the link road going that way in a few years.

[marykat2004]

I met some friends of friends who go to Christchurch and say good things about it. I haven't heard anything specifically negative about it. It was just our first impression, that you could say was a bit superficial.We had just been rather blown away by how light and huge the St Paul's classrooms were, and we felt that Christchurch was a bit dark inside because it's built in a pit basically. That area is very hilly, and St Paul's is on top of a hill and Christchurch is sort of below 2 streets. We are coming from a tiny Victorian school in London, and were really impressed with St Paul's. We were only less impressed with Christchurch for the reason I just said.

[scoe]

Hi all, does anyone have any info about primary schools in the Hastings areas and what they are REALLY like? I'm in the west hill and have heard very different things about them all. Any advice greatly appreciated. Also any nurseries that people would avoid too! THANK!