West Hampstead/Hampstead primary school choice for my son

[roselover]

Which school do I choose ......geography tells me I should go for St Michael's CofE in Quex road ...a short ish walk and when raining - I have parking permit for that area....but our church connections gets us into Hampstead Parochial .....but can I face the parking and the extra time it will take to get there ...met one lovely mum at St Michaels ......but will there be more my type of friends up in Hampstead ....???? getting very mixed advice around my house - sister says stay in West Hampstead .....am I delusional thinking I am a Hampstead mum- we were offered a late place at Emanuel nursery - but kept our son at the nursery they were at...really dont think we will get in Emanuel....but maybe that should be our first choice....aend hope and pray for a place ....we are at a church that does not do the queing to see the priest - can't stand the Christians to get into school brigade ...more fool us!? Too late to move next to Christchurch - although my sis lives next door ....even the admissions lady said - oh just say you live there ...flipping heck ...flipping out here!

St Michael's C of E? Do you mean St Mary's Quex Road?

more my type of friends up in Hampstead?
^um, not sure I'm too comfortable with that statement. But Quex Road certainly more socially diverse than Hampstead Parochial. I know children going to both through my DD1 ballet classes (church links and elder sibings there) and I would be happy with either of those schools I think from what I know.

Not quite sure what the relevance is of your son being offered a place at Emmanuel nursery, there is no preference for entry to reception from children in their nursery class. You can still apply to it as your 1st choice even though you may have little hope. You would be applying under Route B I presume (route A is the church attendance route and is oversubscribed with those attending Emmanuel Church West Hampstead). I think Route B may be worse than usual this year due to the current Year 1 bulge class (40 children were admitted in 2012 via the community route, as I am sure you know, so there may be more siblings going for route B this year than average?). But as I say, if you want it then you should put it down.

You may not want to say, but where in NW6 are you? If you are down southern side of the stations then I wouldn't go for the commute to Hampstead Parochial, just on commute I would go for St Marys Quex Road. If you are right at the top of Fortune Green you could look at St Luke's Free school C of E (but would need to be quite close) or All Saints NW2.

When you say Christchurch do you mean NW3 or NW6 C of E? If NW3 then you are really quite far to be likely to have any chance of a place. Are you looking at any non-C of E schools? Beckford, Kingsgate etc?

thanks for taking the time to message - we go to St Lukes church but have no chance of going there as we live by the Tube in WEst Hampstead - and they only take geography kids - Emanuel is out too as its way too popular - think we are a bit too far away- but we were offered a nursery place - so maybe there is a possibility there.....???? but its a bit risky.....Quex Road St Marys (do I mean St marys'????- yes I do) - the head there blew me away so keen and bright and positive...so thinking about that but as St Lukes Sunday school member we are eligible for hampstead Parochial - but really and truly do I need that hike very morning ...???? my head says yes - heart says ...no - or is it the other way round.....thanks for your time....you certainly are on the same page as me...so many unfathomables ....

Ah, I see, you were thinking that because you got a nursery offer that this could be an indication that you may be close enough for a reception place. Difficult to know on that, I think a lot of people just weren't on the ball about the nursery with it being the first year and all. If you like it though you should put it down as first choice as you never know. Your order of schools should be your genuine order of preference, not the one you think you have your best chance of a place at first.

Think about how you would feel on offer day if you got school X verses Y, would you be happy or feel disappointed? that might tell you if you should put Hamp Parochial above St Marys or not. Depends if you work too. If you are a stay at home parent then maybe the commute to Hampstead is doable.

There's also that C of E next to South Hampstead High School - is it Holy Trinity? That isn't so far from you (I confess to knowing nothing about this school, it isn't on my radar).

Good luck. I have my six schools now but do keep playing around with the order still, haven't quite been brave enough to click on submit yet, only 2 weeks to go though so will have to bite the bullet (and hope we end up with one of my six preferences!).