In year admission - locations with many good schools

[Risuchan]

Hello ladies! We are moving to London this December. My son will be in Year 1, and we are looking for a school for him. We haven't decided the area to live and I would like to hear some advices. The office will be in either Tower Hill or Liverpool Street, so we need to find the area with a lot of good/outstanding public schools (since it will be in year admission) and with fairly easy commute to the above stations. Can anyone recommend anything? Willing to consider the areas outside of London as well. Any advices are welcome!

It might help if you post a new thread with the rough location in the title, so it stands a better chance of attracting people who know the area.

Also, your housing budget (if that's not too personal)

Thanks for the advise! We actually don't the area, that's why I cannot really specify it...

Could you give an idea what you mean by public school? Are you referring to the elite fee paying public schools such as Eton or do you mean the American term for what is in the UK a non fee paying state school? Also if applying for a non fee paying school, do you wish to apply for a community school or a faith/church school?

Could be wrong but my hunch is you're coming from Europe, maybe France, and mean what we call "state schools".

Yes, I mean state schools. Interested in the community schools, since we don't go to church, and I've heard they usually accept only the ones who go to the same church. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

In theory all state schools are open to anyone. In practice they offer places to those who fit their criteria best, whether that is distance, faith, or sheer luck (lottery tie-break).

All faith schools can prioritise practising members of their faith, but must be open to all. If the school is always full of those with qualifying religious activites, then that means in practice that those without don't get a look in. But you need to check - all places at VC faith school are on community criteria, and some VA schools have community places (usually CofE).

If it is an in-year admission the admissions criteria is slightly less relevant . If they have a vacant place in that year group and no waiting list they have to offer you the place. If you have to join a waiting list then the order of names on it does follow the original admission criteria but you may well wait indefinitely for a place. There probably won't be much choice available at "better" schools. Most LAs won't allocate you a place until you are in situ, so the address usually comes first not the school. From that end of London look towards Essex or SE London boroughs for a quick commute although Tower Hill isn't too bad from London Bridge or Victoria either.

You can commute to Liverpool Street from Cambridge: loads of places with great primary and secondary schools on that route: Bishops Stortford, Saffron Walden, ...

You could try Sir John Cass in the City but from my knowledge you would stand a better chance of a place if you attend the linked Church. Liverpool St and Tower Hill would encompass the City (Where there John Cass is the sole state primary) and Tower Hamlets where there are lots of very diverse state and some Catholic and CofE schools. Go into the BBC primary school league table for Tower Hamlets and the City.

Most schools in London are oversubscribed, so even living in an area with lots of outstanding school places will not guarantee a place at one.

If you look at Tower Hamlets, they operate a catchment area system, so you need to make sure you are in catchment for the school you want. Even living next door to a school does not guarantee you are in the right catchment for it.

There are a lot of good and outstanding primary schools in Hackney and it's very close to the City

I think OP is looking for a commuter town rather than a London school?

How long if a commute is OK for you? Richmond has lots of great schools but very little vacancies even in year 1. Beckenham also has lots of great schools.

To be specific the OP will be working in the eastern part of the City (London) and wants suggestions on the best areas within easy commute into London and with good (state) primaries. I think

I live in Greenwich borough. The school admissions are a nightmare. Had much better luck with neighbouring borough of Lewisham which has good transport to London. The admissions are very helpful and actually speak to you over the phone and advise on spaces.