Year 4 places in Highgate for September

[tolondon]

Hi,

We are moving into the area from Australia with our 8 year old and have just arranged a lease on a house in Highgate. We are hoping for a place at either Highgate Primary or St Michaels (as those are the closest) but both are currently full. Does anyone have any idea what the movement at the end of year 3 tends to be like - is it normal for people to move out of the area/there to be new children at the beginning of year 4 or do things tend to be pretty static?

Thanks so much :)

I am passed this stage now, but it certainly used to be that there were some parents at St Michaels, - there is a particular demographic in Highgate - who would move their children at the end of year 3 to private school in preparation for getting them into competitive entry senior independent schools, so in fact you might, for St Michaels be moving at a good time.

As well there is a tendency for all schools in the area to suffer a net loss of children due to people moving around, and more people with school age children move out than move in...

I would encourage you, therefore, to go on the waiting lists.

Hi tolondon, I am not sure North London dad is right (sorry :-)). All the movement is at end of year 2, with the children moving into independent schools at the beginning of year 3 following the 7+ exams.

Would you consider private? You would probably not get into Highgate School (the independent school) but you could try North Bridge House in Camden (quite a lot of movement)or Devonshire House in Hampstead. good Luck!

in that case I stand corrected; I must have got the years confused. I make mistakes. But it remains true that people are more likely to leave as you go up the school, its also possible that if there is a net movement OUT at the end of year 2 from St Michaels then there should be vacancies SOMEWHERE in the state system at year 3, but where would be the question.... (if St Michaels fills up again, then they must fill from somewhere, and if they dont there would still be a vacancy or two)