HOLY TRINITY CE PRIMARY SCHOOL, UPPER TULSE HILL SW2

[time2answertoday2014]

Hi all, new to the area, can anyone please let me know what Holy Trinity CE Primary School is like please, as my child has had an offer to start this school. If you are a current or past parent who has / had a child who went to this school, can you please let me know the god bad and the ugly about this school, Or if you know parents who has children at this school please do let me know also. Thanks

I live in the general area of Holy Trinity, but don't know anyone who has children there. I know people who had kids there a long time ago and were very happy.

It isn't one of the schools like Corpus Christi or Sudbourne further down the hill or Streatham Wells or Telferscott in other directions that people scramble over each other to compete for a place in, and I have never heard of anyone trying to avoid, or it talked of as a school to avoid it or speaking ill of it either.

Do you live close? Are you on the waiting list for other schools? Primary places are at a bit of a shortage, so you may not have all that much choice anyway!

Hi Blu, thanks for your message, seems very reassuring. Im on the waiting list in 2nd place for Hitherfield and 5th place for Kingswood, and on the waiting list for Dunraven Primary. Im more near Hitherfield and Streatham Wells (5mins walk). But have noted that Streatham Wells do not do uniform, which i would prefer, although i have read up that it is a very good school. My preference would be for my child to attend a church school preferably near 2 me.

Are you wondering if you should wait for a place? I don't know how big Hitherfield is but as Kingswood is four form entry I can't think you have to wait too long. I know a lot about Kingswood, it is a lovely, positive school with a nurturing environment. I have no direct experience of Hitherfield but parents I've known there speak highly of the school.

I don't know if passing up a school place in an in year transfer affects your application for other schools. Hopefully someone more knowledgeable will come along. I'd be inclined to take the place and stay on the waiting lists.

Hitherfield is 3 form entry. My son is there, we love it

All these are excellent schools and well loved in the area. Streatham Wells has a brilliant family feel and very good behaviour and results but is a small school so places come up less often. Hither field also excellent, and Kingswood, but that is further away for you.

Is your child in school at the moment ? How old? The slight adavantage of a place at SW. Hitherfield or Dunraven would be that if you are in the middle of those schools almost all your neighbours and DC friends will be at those schools.

But it is a huge gamble because there is no way of predicting when or if a Hitherfirld place would come up

Is your preference for a faith school because you are actively religious? There is Christ Church within walking distance, too.

NynaevesSister - I was thinking of waiting for a place, as Hitherfield is more nearer to me, less walking distance. (only reason). But i would prefer H.T.

PiratesMam - thank you.

Blu - My son is reception age, 4 years old. I was given a place at a church school and he spent the beginning of October 2013 - last day of term December 2013 there, and im not taking him back there in January 2014. Its near Kingswood, so we got use to the journey, but still walkable. I didn't do my research and within a week of moving was given this school. Three parents in reception have already moved their children. (Christ Church wouldn't be an option for me unfortunately.) Its near Kingswood, so we got use to the journey, but still walkable.

We did visit Holy Trinity and looked around the school, but that was on the day i received my offer which was 2days before end of term December 2013. I dont want to mess up my child routine and think little ones settle better when they are young, wouldnt want to pull him out of school at year 1 or year 2. So if i take him to H.T,(which i want to) i will keep him there.
(i think i am confusing myself). Thank you all for your advise, and yes your right, few of my neighbours go to Hitherfield. Also Julians west norwood site.

Well Holy Trinity has good results, you have a preference for a faith school and a uniform, and it ticks both boxes, do if you like what you saw when you visited, it seems a better bet than waiting for a place at Hitherfield which might take ages to come up.

When do you have to accept the HT place by?

I just have to turn up on the 7th January. The letter confirms they have offered a place for ds to start 7th January, And with his class teachers name on the letter, and just says please complete the Information sheets and return on the day and we look forward to meeting you signed by the head.

I was happy to get the chance to view the school because i didn't get a chance to do that with the other one, he just started straight away. I was shown the whole school @ H.T), and i only asked to see the classroom, it wasn't planned or booked and a teacher showed me round, it was nice when i went to ds new class and the reception teacher said she and the class was looking forward to meeting and said his name, which was nice. Lo went nursery which was part of a school which was 3 form entry, but just one nursery and was full time, so i got a shock when he was ended up in a 1 form entry school, they have pros and cons for this. and some small schools are outstanding which i have found out, but not where ds was given.
But getting back to the answer, yes i did like what i saw, the kids were having their party and the older kids were having a fun day with their teacher, some classes were still working, but i was very impressed with the displays and the handwriting that the children displayed on the walls. It was so neat. And other stuff, the resources and help given for all abilities. The teachers all seemed to be happy and i was happy that it wasn't just ladies as teachers. It was only a snippet which i saw but i liked it, the kids seemed to have a good relationship with their teaches and the office staff were very helpful also. Just wish Wearabouts did the uniform as i have to travel to Dulwich 2moro, as Wolf & Scott are the only place that does the logo jumpers for reception.

Was it St Luke's?

HT sounds lovely. I'd go with it for the 7th and stay on the waiting list for Hitherfield so you have all your options open.

We went to a school that was slightly further away as closest was not good. I am glad we did but I do regret sometimes that he doesn't have friends who live closer.

Too many clues, lol, yes it was.
Will definitely go on the 7th. Thanks.

Oh that makes me heavy hearted. We need all the goo primaries we can get in the area. I know parents had such high hopes of the new head but she's been there what, two year's now?

Good luck! And I hope you get your place at Hitherfield just in terms of being near by but HT sounds pretty good anyway.

It is a shame, but i only found out all this when ds started. I must say the head is a lovely person. I think i must be the only parent that had a meeting with the Head and Deputy within a month of ds starting. I think ds year was all guinea pigs, having 3 different teachers in the space of 12 weeks. Will keep you posted how lo gets on next week. Thanks.

Decided to take up Holy Trinity, best decision ever. I got a offer for Hitherfield Primary recently, but declined as he is now in year 1, and settled extremely well into school life at Holy Trinity. Very happy mum.

Yay! So glad that this had a happy ending. Funnily enough I was thinking about this conversation last week, wondering how things had worked out.

Thank you.