Primary Schools in Crawley, West Suusex

[Angel211690]

Hi there!

I've just moved to Crawley and I just wanted to know what the primary schools are like from other mums in the area.

The 3 closest to me are Our Lady Queen of Heaven in Langley Green and St Margarets and The Mill in Ifield.

Any comments would be very much appreciated.

Comments about other primary schools in the area are welcome as I don't mine travelling a bit further if a school is better.

Thanks

Hi. My children go to or have gone to The Mill. My oldest was only there a couple of years as we moved but he got on really well. My next one is also doing really well there, and enjoys school. My youngest has had some difficulties, and getting the school to look into it has been a bit troublesome but he loves school regardless. Their teachers and TA's all seem nice and happy to chat if I need to.

I know their ofsted isn't that good, but I think they are slowly improving.

I have friends with children at both St Margarets and OLQOH and have heard good things about both. (We are atheist so wouldn't choose them)

I don't know too much about other schools but I have also good things about West Green and Gossops Green schools.

Saying that I think lots of the schools round here are full so you need to check where there are places first.

Thanks for the comment about The Mill.
Good to hear that your children are doing well at the school.
Hope your little one will settle in soon.

I should be putting The Mill down as one of the choices as its our catchment school, however can't seem to decide between Our Lady and St margarets to put down as first and second choice!
have heared that both are good schools just haven't spoken to any parents who have children that attend there.

Hi Angel you must be very very close to me (wondering if I should open the curtains and wave)..... are you applying for Sept 14 or do you have older children? I have done... ahem... full analysis of where it is likely to be possible to get into based on historic data for Sept 13 and Sept 12. Not a lot of choice if you don't go to church.

I have heard good things from people with children in reception at the Mill (other than one who escaped to St Ms as soon as possible), generally people are pleasantly surprised given its reputation and only recently having come out of special measures. Certainly the new senior management team seem very dynamic and committed when we visited. I was surprised to see their KS2 results were much worse this year, but they have some very small year groups at the top of the school with a lot of mobility in and out, and the head mentioned in the paper they had 2 children out of 29 who had only arrived in the UK that year.

I don't know anyone at Our Lady, know plenty at St Ms and they are all very happy with it. Have a look at the 2013 admissions data that is in the booklet on the WSCC website to see if you would have got in in 2013, they were both very oversubscribed (2012 less so) and both take church/baptism in priority over children living near.

Other schools that are possible for Sept 14 are Gossops Green, Langley Green, or Broadfield/Bewbush schools. The Brook had capacity in Sept 13 but I think that is only because it had a bulge class. Rusper some years has some capacity, as does the Fairway in Copthorne. Charlwood used to be possible from this side of Crawley, but they have cut their intake by half so no longer much chance.

Thank you IfieldXXX
Your comments are very much appreciated. Having read your comments, it really has help me have a better understanding of the schools.
My daughter is also starting this Sept '14 - I now just have to make my application.

Anyway thanks again and I hope your child gets into the school you want.

Three of my dgc went to Our Lady and have nothing but praise for it. It seems to be a lovely, caring school.

Just to add my dgd is in Year6 at Our Lady now and her two siblings are in secondary school.

Thanks thegreylady!

Having looked at Our Lady's Ofsted report - the school have had really good results. Most probably going to be oversubscribed but I'm still going to put it down as one of my choices.
Do you know why they had a change of headmaster by any chance or did the previous one retire.

Also, just wanted to ask any parent regarding putting down their first, second and third choices. How important is that!
I know this is probably a really silly question but I thought I'll just ask to make sure.

1. Does the school know that you put them down as 1st choice?
2. or would they just offer a place to you (if you're really lucky!!) even though you have put them as 2nd or 3rd.

Cos I'm still not exactly sure which school is the one but I'm hoping that both my 1st and 2nd choice will give my daughter an offer and then I can see if I can make a vist to school and then decide to take the place.

Is this possible or if you get an offer for 1st choice then automatically the other schools will remove you from there list.

Sorry for asking these questions as I'm just completely confused about how the application system works in this county.

Thanks! X

I will ask whether ds knows why the old Head has moved. Dgc have all been very happy there and ddil was a TA there for a while.

The schools will not know where you have placed them on the list, but you will only get one offer from the highest placed school that has a place for your daughter.