Primary schools in New Malden, Surrey

[PaddingtonBearLondon]

Hi,

I'm hoping for some advice about primary schools in New Malden (or maybe Kingston) for DD1 next year.

Coombe Hill is currently our first choice but we realise there's no guarantee that she'll get in and we don't know much about any of the others . I've looked at Ofsted reports but they can be out of date so I'd love to hear what YOU - the 'real' mums and dads - think of the schools in our area.

We're ideally looking for a non-religious school where DD1 will be free to think and question things. She's articulate, sociable and asks mature questions. She's also very determined! She loves nursery and she can't wait to start school. She seems to love learning but we want to make sure that she goes to a school which recognises her needs and encourages her to reach her full potential without unduly pressurising her; where she'll be happy expressing her ideas and where she's allowed to question things. She might get a bit bored unless she has her abilities stretched and she'd be very unhappy if she was told to accept everything at face value.

So, what's Burlington really like? Is Kings Oak improving from it's 'satisfactory' Ofsted?

Thanks in advance for any advice!

And what about Alexandra Infant School in Kingston?

Have heard fab things about Hillcross Primary - is that close enough to you?

Bump

Thanks Pinkdelight, I've not heard of it but I'll look into it now

Wow, what an amazing Ofsted report. I think it might be too far from us though sadly .

That's a shame. I have a friend whose son goes there and loves it. If moving is a possibility (if you're renting, say), then that area is actually very reasonably priced compared to Wimbledon, Raynes Park, Kingston etc. so could be well worth it for a fab free school.

Coombe Hill has excellent reputation with a very experienced head, and leads into the juniors, which again is excellent.
It is much more multicultural than it was, say 5 years ago.

Alexandra again has good reputation..St Pauls is very good too.

Kings Oak still unpopular..people refusing to go there , even though it's the only one with spaces. New head has a very good reputation.

Thanks MrsRobertDuvallHasRosacea. DH would really prefer DD1 to go to a non-religious school so that rules out St Pauls but Alexandra sounds promising.

Reading the Ofsted report I can see why Kings Oak's unpopular but hopefully the new head can turn things around.

Watching this thread carefully as DS is 1 and I may have to start going to church! (would thrill my mother! )
Really should have thought about this more before we bought our house. I?m in-between a very good school and a not so good one in New Malden and can?t take the risk.

Coombe hill infants is very very good. Excellent head and totally committed staff. Juniors is ok, but a lot of their outstanding academic achievement is because such a high percentage of pupils are tutored to within an inch of their life from year 3 onwards just to try and get into a selective. Burlington is the same. What I mean is that the academic achievement is more down to the parents than the schools. That said, both are lovely places but big.

There is no crossover on catchment between the two usually so what road you are in is what's important.

Also worth remembering Coombe hill had bulge class last year so expect next years to have quite a few siblings. Burlington is now permanently 4 form so a bigger intake

For the church schools you really do need to go to church to get in if you really want one of those.

Hope this helps.

Hi both of you and thanks for posting back,

Craftyone,

You've definitely got my sympathy as I've heard that the process is even harder for families with boys round here. Apparently Richard Challoner is the boys' secondary that everyone tries for and, as it's a Catholic one, most families aim for the RC Corpus Christi primary and no doubt some eager parents are busy dusting off their rosaries . So it's a bit limiting but your mother will have had her prayers' answered be delighted!!!

Snowballed,

We live between Coombe Hill and Christchurch and we'd love her to go to Coombe Hill. I really hope we're still in the catchment area for CH. But, with so many siblings going this year we need to look at other schools just in case they fill most of the places.

So many schools here seem to be linked to C of E or Catholic churches. DH is agnostic (or maybe humanist) and wants to find a school where beliefs can be challenged rather than one where our DD1 might be ostracised for questioning things. And, being a mini-DH, she definitely likes to ask searching questions!!! I have stronger beliefs than DH but I still agree with his concerns. We're comfortable with many cultures, beliefs (or lack of) and ideas but I suppose the key is that we want her to make up her own mind rather than feeling pressurised into accepting one particular doctrine.

pinkdelight - do you know how far out Hillcross Primary's catchment area usually goes?

Thanks Paddington ? The previous owners of this house sent their sons to RC Corpus Christi so I should have really looked into it more. Oh boy, we?ve got a bit of time so hoping we might be able to sell or rent before then. Didn?t realise how religious and competitive New Malden was for schools.

I had dcs at both Cc and CH..pm me if you want more info.

Thanks MrsRD, I've pmed you.

PBL

It's a hard one but I think both Corpus and Christ Church have fairly religious teachings but you know how much is too much? I think you need to visit the schools to make that decision.

CH catchment can stop at Barton Green one year yet go as far a the High Street the next. Have you looked at what the distance was 2years after the last bulge year? Also you can live within 200m of Christ Church and still not get in on distance if there are lots of church applications so even though you are between the two it really does matter which street you are in and where in that street your house is. Not sure what Corpus is like on distance though.

If you fall outside these ones, you will get given Kings Oak though as that is close to all but undersubscribed. It doesn't mean it's a bad school at all - just that the parents in the area seem to refuse to send their kids there.

Feel free to PM me too if you want

When was the last bulge year?

I'm close to CC but as we dont go to church will probably get given KO. I'm kicking myself for not looking into it more but was pregnant when we were looking and my brain turned to mush. Saw a lovely house and thought 'let's buy it!'
Will see where we are in a year and probably move. Don't want to offend anyone whos children go to KO but we all want to try to do the best for our children if we can.

We got into CC 11 years ago and didn't go to church...how times have changed.

CH catchment can stop at Barton Green one year yet go as far a the High Street the next.

I've just checked on google maps and we're about 100m further away from CH than Baron Green. And we won't find out until April! The suspense is going to kill me!!

(sp Barton)

That'll be a long wait! I think (not entirely sure) the last bulge was 2008

I do know people who live High St way who were allocated Kings Oak and frankly had nothing but good things to say about the school itself & teaching staff there. The class sizes are smaller than elsewhere and if you have a smart kid they will get more 121 time and will be stretched a lot. I think there is a degree of snobbery about its catchment, but for the teaching & facilities they say it is fantastic.

Thanks Snowballed - Good to know. I will visit and make my own mind up nearer the time.

Don't know about the catchment distance, sorry, but it's usually published in the primary schools admissions booklet on the LA website, or a friendly person in the school office can usually help if you call to ask. And even if you're outside the catchment, you can go on the waiting list and you may be surprised - we got an offer to a primary we thought we were too far from, but there is often movement. That said, it's definitely heartening what someone said about Kings Oak. It can be the case that the school you've dismissed on reputation is actually fine after all. We ended up not taking the offer to the out-of-catchment primary as we looked around the closer school that we'd discounted and found nothing wrong with it at all.

I am very worried that after 10 years being an outstanding school Coombe Hill Infant school became a good school. They haven't arranged the Ofsted for the junior school yet but I fear that might be the same.Have you noticed the difference since the head teacher was changed last year? Many thanks,Rose