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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

Harpenden primaries and pre-schools

32 replies

Whirlwind79 · 05/05/2014 22:12

I posted this on MN local but haven't had any replies, so thought I'd try this too. We're looking to move to Harpenden from London and I have a load of questions! We'd be looking to move near Roundwood, on the more central side so that we could be within walking distance of the station.

I understand that 2 out of the last 6 yrs, the max distance of place offered for Roundwood Primary has been below 500m. We've seen a couple of houses we like, but both are more like 600m away. I know the coming year has a load of siblings taking up most of the places at Roundwood, so perhaps it's just a one off, but does anyone know if there is a problem now in Harpenden getting into the good state primaries and having to live on top of them like you do in London? From what I've read, Manland, Crabtree and a few others suffer from the same problem.

where do the children who don't get their 1st choice typically end up? We'd be way too far from Wood End and any of the other central and Outstanding-rated schools.

I've read lots of mixed reviews about The Lea and Sauncey Wood, but the threads were 3-4yrs old so does anyone have any up to date views? Am I right in thinking that's where you tend to get offered a space if you don't get your 1st choice?

as back up options, I guess we'd have to go with St Hilda's (we have 2 girls) and/or St Nicholas. I'd be interested in any view on those, as I haven't found much on MN and the schools aren't very easy to visit. How religious is St Nicholas? I know church attendance is required to get in, but how much religion is worked into the syllabus? What is St Hilda's like?

for the time being I'd be looking at pre-schools. My eldest will be 3 in September so can't go to any of the nurseries attached to schools till Sept 2015. Can anyone recommend any good pre-schools in the area? So far I've found a lot of day care options but no pre-schools in the immediate area (eg Batford Nursery would be a drive away).

Answers to any (or all!) of these questions would be really helpful.
Thanks

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2468Motorway · 05/05/2014 22:30

Harpenden primary schools are over subscribed the effective catchment in the last few years for some has been reduced to under 300m I think. There are 2 faith schools which have different criteria. Other than getting your nearest school there is a newish free school which you could be allocated.

Often one of the schools will have a bulge class added which then allows a bit of shuffling around.

Original poster

Whirlwind79 · 06/05/2014 10:53

Thanks - I've heard a lot of mixed views on the free school as well. Do you have any insight? And re faith schools, I heard St Dominic's didn't actually take in any new children this year as they were entirely filled with siblings. Is that true? Which of the two faith primary schools is seen as the better one?

Thanks very much

OP posts:

mumoftwo100 · 06/05/2014 11:29

Most Harpenden primaries are very good, but the "order" (so to speak) of general desirability is St Dominic's at the top, then Roundwood next, then Wood End, then Crabtree, then St Nicholas, then High Beeches, then Manland, then the Grove. I don't really rate The Lea, or Sauncey Wood TBH, although if you had to choose I'd say the Lea. Roundwood is the best area to live for schools IMO, because whilst being in catchment for Roundwood primary and secondary, you can also apply to the church primary schools (and of course St. George's).

2468Motorway · 06/05/2014 13:41

St Dominic's had a bulge class in the last 3 yrs I think which would have distorted their sibling numbers.

edamsavestheday · 06/05/2014 13:54

Hi, the faith schools put church attendance at the top of their criteria (after looked after/statemented children I believe, and probably siblings) so you don't get to choose between them unless you are regular attenders at both RC and CofE churches.

Interesting list from Mumof2, I think that's personal preference rather than objective fact - I know a family who was unhappy with St Dominic's and took their kids out but this was a year or two back. I'd put Wood End and Roundwood joint top, but others will probably argue for their local schools - certainly most people I know rate The Grove far more highly than that list.

The Lea seems to be the backstop if you don't get a place at any of your preferred schools - I think it has empty places ever year but that could be historical snobbery, people I know whose children go there really like it. Not least for small class sizes. Only real problem is turnover, as it takes a proportion of children from the missionaries at YWAM, who spend a year in Harpenden training and then go and spread the good news abroad.

Town centre side of Roundwood - kids in last few years have got in from near the bottom of Townsend Lane (near the BP garage). But it always depends who applies from where and how many siblings there are in any year. Distances are now measured in a straight line rather than a walking route, which has switched things around in my road

mumoftwo100 · 06/05/2014 14:44

I put St Dominic's at the top, because recently their results have been stellar - only primary in Harpenden to get 100% Level 4's this year and last year, as well as consistently 60% Level 5's (with a smashing Ofsted), which is truly amazing. I know lots of parents who have been very happy with it. I don't think the Grove squares up to the other Harpenden primaries - they have the worst value added score in Harpenden, the results and Ofsted are average at best, and I know parents who have been underwhelmed so I think the list is definitely not just personal preference, but of course everyone has their own opinion. :)

2468Motorway · 06/05/2014 14:55

Over the majority of the last few years the Lea has been up to its PAN at least on allocation day (though obviously some may have declined the place).

edamsavestheday · 06/05/2014 17:09

interesting about The Grove, MumofTwo, I used to be up on all this stuff, as a governor (at a different Harpenden school) but am clearly out of the loop since, um, retiring...

When you talk about St D's results, you mean SATS at end of Year 6? 100% at Level Four means everyone reached the expected level - but that makes me wonder whether they shoved all the children with SEN into a cupboard, or manage to avoid admitting children with SEN, or families somehow find themselves taking children with SEN out of an unwelcoming school. (This may be unfair, but it is slightly suspicious.)

I know at ds's school most of them are taking the Level Five paper, and quite a few are down to take the Level Six paper.

Sats marking is unreliable as well, tbh, one of the Harpenden schools had to appeal against a whole set of results a couple of years ago. The exam board eventually sacked the marker. But it was a lengthy process, the school was only allowed to challenge a certain proportion of papers not all of them, the school was initially charged for the privilege and they couldn't tell the children until the whole palaver was over - an entire year group went up to secondary with the wrong marks, looking as though they had underperformed.

edamsavestheday · 06/05/2014 17:12

Another thought, some schools declined to take part in externally marked SATS at all - I can't remember why, but there was a big dispute about it.

Harpersmum · 06/05/2014 22:42