North London (N1) - think I've applied to too many schools

[CruCru]

Hi all

After DS was born, I applied to a bunch of schools (listed below) on the advice of friends with older children (as we may not get into them all). I am now trying to make sense of the list and come up with some order of preference.

I am also pregnant with DC2. If it is a girl then this may eliminate some of our list (boys only) as getting two kids to different schools at the same time sounds a nightmare.

The list is:

• Devonshire House (NW3) - to start Autumn 2015 (a year earlier than normal intake)
• Arnold House (NW8) - to start Autumn 2017 (a year later than normal intake)
• St Paul's Cathedral (EC4M) - to start Autumn 2016 (normal intake)
• The Children's House (N1) - to start Autumn 2016 (normal intake). We'll only get in here if DS gets into the nursery (which we have applied for). Also, it only goes to 7 so we would have to find another school from 7 to 11 or 13.
• Dallington (EC1V) - to start Spring 2015 (I think this is very early)
• Lyndhurst House (NW3) - to start September 2016 (normal intake)
• The Hall (NW3) - to start September 2017
• Charterhouse Square (EC1M) - to start September 2015. The names are put into a ballot and only the ones drawn get places.
• Hereward House (NW3) - to start Autumn 2016
• The Lyceum (EC2A) - to start September 2016
• Abercorn (NW8 I think but if they stay with the school it moves to NW1 at some point).
• St Anthony's Prep (NW3). This is Catholic but they take some non Catholics.

Oh god. This is an impossible list. I think ideally I'd like DS to start school at the normal intake (September 2016) as he is 5 in September 2016. I think kids go to school for long enough without starting early.

Perhaps one way I can filter this is to work out how long it will take us to get to each school and then eliminate the ones that have an insane journey.

I'm not terribly keen on uniforms. The only ones on this list without a uniform are the Children's House and Dallington.

For secondary schools, I'd like to aim for Highgate / City of London / UCS etc.

We also live right round the corner from William Tyndale (N1) which has no uniform, a normal intake year and is super popular. It may be that we end up going for that one.

If you have any thoughts on any of these schools, I would be really grateful to have them. Thanks!

Hi LondonLady30

I really liked the Lyceum but thought it a real pity that the head has now retired as I really liked him. Having said that, we will be invited to meet the new head in the Autumn. Your child would be going at the same time as DS. I think part of what put DH off is that the classes all share the same space.

Roslet - I am coming more round to your way of thinking. Part of it is that I keep meeting people who either have their kids at WT and are super happy or who really want their kids to go there. One friend was walking around it to see where she could rent to be sure of a place (she is planning on moving anyway).

Hi Davros - I looked at applying for both NBH and King Alfred. They look like great schools but by that point I had serious application fatigue and just plain couldn't do any more. Same for Trevor Roberts (plus that is a bit too far for us).

I stand by my earlier advice. State primaries do a good job in Islington. William Tyndale seems to get a good word from any parent I have met with kids there.

Our two just got excellent reports and super high levels from their primary school. It proves that the school is very able to stream and split students to get the best out of them. I truly don't believe a prep school would do a better job.

Save your research and stress for the 11+ grammar schools and private schools.

PS - How on earth North Bridge House Canonbury plans to be open in September, six weeks from now, is a mystery to me. The place is a proper strip out building site! I can imagine short cuts and the like will be taken. This doesn't inspire confidence for health and safety of 300 students packed into a too small site or for the protection of 500 year old national heritage inside the building. Tudor wood panelled rooms with a chemistry lab .... I can see than going badly wrong.

Getting back to this a bit Kate! All I know is that NBH/Cognita have done a fabulous job on the building in hampstead, not that it is similar to the Canonbury building which I know as we had our wedding reception there! Cognita have too much invested to let it go bad IMO

A bit late!

Have a DD so not familiar with all of the schools but thoughts on those I can comment on:-

Childrens House in my view a good option - pretty local, informal etc. it does have a uniform in the upper school I think, but not a very formal one. Children heading to the likes of Arnold House and the Hall often go to Children's House for nursery and reception. The 7plus can be a pain and I think it is probably fair to say that there are more 7plus options for girls (eg City and South hampstead) than boys but UCS for example has a 7plus intake, and St Pauls takes a lot at 7 and is not too competitive at that age (do not know about 4 plus).

Dallington is I think a love or hate kind of school so definitely visit.

I did not like the Lyceum because of outside space. When we visited they were playing in the gym in their break (no windows etc). I think they do get out a lot but it was still a bit weird to see them using a gym like a playground. Preferred Charterhouse (it does at least have the square across the road where they play) but it has the reputation of being pushy (not sure if true). Also, required them to attend for the nursery year and I preferred DD to be more local for nursery.

If you get your DC into st Andrews or childrens house for nursery, they will really help you with next school choice - they will have views on which school would suit your child. They are quite focussed on this and have good relationships with the heads of the various "next" schools you mention.

PS Did not look at William Tyndale as we are not close enough to have a change of getting in but do know families with DCs there who really liked it and have moved on to schools like City.

Is there a reason you're not applying to Highgate at this stage?

Highgate have an age 3 entry and it's a bit too far to go while DS is so young. We've now missed the window anyway.

Highgate has quite a large 7plus entry, so might be a possibility to start off in State and think further at 7 - you would have UCS, Highgate and St Pauls Cathedral as options at that stage. You might though need to do a bit of preparation if you go this route, at least for UCS and Highgate, as the syllabus may not have been covered by the January when the entrance tests take place

Decide which on the list get most children into the secondary schools you want and choose according to that. Issues like transport don't really matter. My daughter got a school coach from age 5 and it did her no harm.

What did you end up doing? And how did it work out? Is anyone else doing the N1 - NW3 rat run? We are at St Anthony's and absolutely love it, but the rat run is a bit of a deal killer. Friends have given it all up and gone to Bedales in Hampshire where they are happy as larry. We are very happy to car pool if anyone is doing the dreaded journey. Though this morning we cycled it which was slightly long but rather blissful. 9 miles round trip!

Hi colourmummy

DS turned 3 last week so we haven't yet made a decision. From speaking with people round here, it sounds as though William Tyndale is awesome so we may very well go there.

N1 to NW3 in a car is nuts if you live anywhere near H&I overland to Finchley and Frognal, a 10 min regular reliable easy train ride.

PS - CruCru - good on you for WT. Save the big decisions until 11.

Update: we just had our assessment at Devonshire House and - I'm not sure. I was all revved up to be interviewed by the Headmistress but she wasn't there and we all had a chat with the deputy head while the kids were assessed in a separate room (together, they were playing). It only took half an hour. DS came out in a good mood. I don't know what they did.

If we get in, I'll need to have a proper look round the school. Hadn't realised you didn't do this when you go to be assessed.

Update: have been invited to the Hall's open evening in May. As it is at 6:45pm, I assume that children don't need to attend. Therefore, presumably that assessment would be at a separate thing.

Update: we're on the waiting list for Devonshire House. Need to respond by 19 March to confirm whether we want to stay on the waiting list.

I phoned the Lyceum school to find out some information and had a few questions, the phone was answered by 'Daniel' who rudely hung up on me before I had finished saying he was very busy!!!!! We won't be going there!

Update: so we've been back to see William Tyndale plus Lyndhurst House, The Hall, Hereward House, Arnold House and St Anthony's. I still really like WT but one thing interested / concerned me - from year 3 to year 6 they do Latin but don't offer French. Seems quite unusual - presumably the kids would study French at secondary so would this be a problem?

This has been v useful as we are in same boat. We live Hackney/Is border and in terrible catchment (only have De Beauvoir which is an improving school so not willing to let DS be a guinea pig while they bring it up to speed....)

DS currently in Rosemary Works nursery (which we love) and have paid deposit to secure primary (due to start Sept 2016). Concerns are they have hiked up prices massively and feel school doesn't warrant this plus numbers are very small. He's also due for assessment at SPCS though as in posts above, he's one of 70 applicants!

Will Tyn would be amazing but we are so far out of catchment. Any experience from ppl applying from out of catchment?? Also any experience of Colvestone/Holy Trinity/Hackney New School (Primary literally just opened last week but unsure of academy school vs trad state school).

Viewed Forest today which closes admin for 4+ 2016 on 29/09 - fab school but commute would be disaster so have to strike off sadly...

Really keen on SPCS (great ethos and all rounder) if DS gets through assessment but only concerns are outside space and impact commute would have on weekend/outside school play dates with buddies...

ps OP though is a different school, Forest don't do French either. They only do Mandarin and then later German or Spanish. Perhaps French falling into decline...?

Littleone83: I have friends with (clever) kids at colvestone and no problems/they like it.
Gatehouse in Victoria park closer to you than spcs and has school bus. Parents race about it.
Interested to hear what you think about hackney new school primary....
Also that new academy or free school by arcola street that's just opened... Don't know its name...
Queensbridge?

Re French ... Some schools complaining hard to get sufficient secondary school teachers for French so shifting to Spanish in primary. Latin sounds even better.

Thanks oldplastic and interesting too re french.
I'll check out gatehouse too.
Friends have their LOs in HNPS so will add to the application list and tap them up for info next year. I like the music focus though with any new school it's always a bit of a gamble making sure the teaching style and staff are the right fit.
Yes the other academy is Halley House, opened 2 weeks ago. Don't know anyone who sends their kids there but worth a look.
Driving myself mad trying to work out best path to go down! Appreciate comments