Bromley primaries

[Andcake]

Hello- does anyone know about primary entry in central bromley so nearish bromley north or South.
We are looking at properties on the area and have heard worrying things...
Especially around bromley North - can't even see which catchment area places we are gong to see could fit as they are all religious or tiny

Bromley North is a bit of an Oasis. It doesn't help that almost all the Primary schools in Bromley have small (and shrinking ) catchment areas.

Those I can think of in the Bromley North area are Valley (down near Shortlands) and Parish (on London Lane). Both added bulge classes in recent years but that doesn't mean they will again. St Joseph's is a Church school.

Scott's Park is sort of in that area although it has a mixed reputation.

St Marks near Bromley South is well thought of but again is a Church school. Highfield (which has a separate infant and junior school) is quite a large school so it's catchment is reasonable.

There is meant to be a new school opening in Bromley soon, it was due to be based very close to Bromley South but now is aiming at a site in Bickley (although this is being contested by local residents).

If you look towards The Bickley area, Bickley Primary is looking to expand in the next few years; St Georges, which traditionally always was undersubscribed but has a new Head and is becoming more popular; Raglan, which has a tiny catchment but lots of houses around it (if that makes sense) .
This has turned into a bit of an essay! If you have any questions, please ask!

Is the new school the Harris primary academy? I've heard rumours of it?

Oh and thank you

No it's La Fontaine, a Language school - if you Google it, it's currently on the Princes Plain school site but looking to move to a permanent site.

I looked round sT George's last year and loved it - fantastic headteacher. While is technically COfE there's no church attendance admission criteria. I hear Scott's park had a tough time, but I've always thought of it as a good solid school and friends have been very happy with it. Highfield has good results.

St Mark's is a church school, but priority is given to children living in the parish over any church attendance categories, so you don't actually have to be religious to get a place. In fact, DD1 got in purely on distance as we live just outside the parish but close to the school - although that was a couple of years ago and I think numbers of applications have risen a fair bit since then. The intake is increasingly mixed, with families of all religions and none. There is a lot of emphasis on Christian prayer and Bible stories, though, so it depends on how you feel about that (I'm an atheist myself, so I've had to come to terms with it).

Harris Shortlands is currently in the old DSS building opposite Bromley South, but will eventually move to a site on Kingswood Road.

I would pick a school you like and then buy a house as close as you possibly can to it. To help with this go to the council website and download the most recent guide to primary schools. It has a section showing application numbers and places and the furthest distances offered in the last few years. It should give you a steer where to look.

I have friends with children in Reception at Scotts Park and they are happy so far so don't rule it out. Part of the problem is that schools like SP are having to take an extra class each year and there are teething problems with the expansions.

There is a thread on here about La fontaine, the new bilingual free school and parents rave about it so it is worth considering, although the uncertainty over location is obviously an issue.

The new Harris is also worth looking at. Again, I know someone with a child there and, again, they are happy so far.

To be honest, the primaries in Bromley are all pretty good in the scheme of things.

Good luck.

Parish is a CoE but takes now 3 classes permanently and also admits non-churchgoer and other religions. Not sure of the exact criterial but I have a RC friend with a child and some who are baptised but not practising CoE.

We actually moved away from Bromley North, we were in the
Burnt Ash area and chances are bad there and it can be a bit of a black hole if you don't make the cut.

Are you set on the area? It may be worth considering going from Bromley
South towards West Wickham, you have Pickhurst Infant and Juniors there, with 4 classes the catchment is large.

We have applied for BN primaries for entry in September. We viewed St Josephs, Scotts Park and Parish. We are practicing Catholics and hoping for St Joseph's but we may be too far away depending on the sibling intake.

Valley has a tiny catchment but we put it as out fourth choice and it was my least favourite out of all of them.

Scotts Park went through a phase but has a new head in place and they are officially expanding to three form intake instead of just accepting bulge years. We put it as our second choice. There is a big building programme planned (with no loss of land, they are going up instead) and I just really liked the feeling of the school.

Parish has also been accepting bulge years and seemed really cramped, the mansion house looks lovely but it is not practical for a school and seemed pretty dilapidated. he kids were literally bursting our of it.

If you're planning on staying in the area its also worth considering secondaries - Bullers Wood catchment does come down to Sundridge Park most years.

Hi i agree with other posters nearly all schools in Bromley are good Highfield is a very good school also is Pickhurst this is quite big, four form entry but has a lovely feel about it .I would certainly look at secondry schools as the catchments can be very small such as Hayes and the Langley Schools .

This is all great stuff - I have friends who are a fan of Harris in another area. Looked at St Georges website and got a nice feel but Scotts park reading the ofstead report and looking at it online I didn't get a great feel.
Guess Bromley North is off our list and we need to keep closer to Bromley South Shortlands for a move.

The sundridge/plaistow area has I think the greatest shortfall in spaces in the area, at primary age.

Hayes/west Wickham are very well set up primary-wise.

I have heard good reports of Parish school. They don't differentiate between religion as a basis for entry.

Friends have children at Scotts Park and they are happy with it.

My dentist has children at St George's and she think it is great.

St Joseph's accepts Catholic children as a first qualification of entry. Then (or maybe this comes first) siblings. And then geographical distance from the school. So children can live next door and not be Cathlic, and not get in. True story.

I think you need to see all of the schools in person, as people on MN are coming from different perspectives and their views may not be representative of the views of parents with children at these schools.

Bromley schools, especially primaries, on the whole tend to be very good inedeed. Most will be bigger schools, as the area is so residential.

Yes, by and large, I think you can pretty much rule out St Josephs unless one of you is a practising Catholic (you have to get your parish priest to sign you off as such) and/or you have another medical or social reason to go to the school. It is only a one form entry so, taking into account siblings, this can in some years really reduce the number of available places. That said, particularly if you are Catholic, I wouldn't be put off by distance from the school. Plenty of parents drive there and by no means live within yards as you need to for some schools in the area.

Generally, I wouldn't rule out Bromley North/Sundridge Park if you otherwise like the area. Provided you are very careful where you move to, you have Parish and/or Valley (both of which are OFSTED outstanding) as well as Scotts Park to choose from. And I would give Scotts Park a chance. As hellospring says, they are making plans and with the new head and a bad OFSTED behind them, they are going to be keen to go from strength to strength. Their grounds are nice and big too (as are Parish's).

Bickley Primary School is also worth looking at. It also has nice grounds and I really liked it when I looked round. Unfortunately, we were too far away to make it a realistic option for DD. It is very close to St George's so gives you a couple of options round there.

Really appreciate everyones opinions. Were starting to look for our first family home now so we are in place for ds primary admissions next January. I'm definitely going to refer back to this thread as I look at houses!

DP and I have quite different experiences of schools - I went to Crofton and he went to a very rural village school. Also I suppose distances and things might change as reference when the places for this year are revealed in April

I have friends with children at Crofton and none of them are happy. You're right, Crofton is an extreme in terms of size.

The people I referred to in my post who are happy with St George's and Scotts Park and Parish are all discerning people, they wouldn't be happy with just any school. They made a positive choice to send their children to those schools and would move them (to other state or private) schools if they weren't happy. But their DC are doing well and are settled and they have no complaints.

Go and have a look when you can.

I live in the Bromley North area (DC go to a private school) and I really like it.

Yes Crofton and the time was described as the biggest school in the country - i don't have many either positive or negative memories. Although I loved my time at Bullers Wood.
Dp and I discussed private last night - but tbh I'm not really into the idea. We live in north London zone 2 and part of the reason for the move was to get better state schools (and to be a bit nearer my aging parents). We might as well stay put if we went private as I love our current location - just priced out ;-( and it's a real pay or pray to get a decent school here.
I'll try and have a look I'll keep an ye out for summer fete's etc where you can have a nose - that's what I did with our local schools here at Christmas fetes etc.

Just because I feel I must, can I add that my children are at Crofton and are both very happy. Academically it's great, and the resources are amazing.

I think it is still one of the biggest schools in the country, but they work very hard to make it feel smaller (for example, in the juniors there is a playground for years 3/4 and one for years 5/6). And of course the children don't know any different. It has its faults but I think most schools do.

I too have a child at Crofton (plus one starting in September) and she loves it there.

I'm more than happy with how she's progressing as well.

Please do consider secondary if you don't wish to move again!
Bromley (and Bexley and Lewisham and Greenwich) have had huge pressure on primary school places since 2007 and you are late to the party with no siblings! So far, not one of these councils has made any plans with regards to secondary schools for this huge increase in pupil numbers.

So if you're here to make plans on good schools, be close to a good secondary as well!

(Apologies for my fear inducing opinion! It is based on my own fears)

The council isn't allowed to open a new school - demand for places should be met by free schools, acc to gov. Pah!

Bullers wood school for boys is about to put in an application for planning permission. To be 6FE on St hughs's playing fields.

Another new free secondary proposed in beckenham. Mixed 6FE.

Does anyone know of a decent state boys secondary in the bickley/bromley north and central/sundridge park areas please?

No its all primaries atm. But as Pools says Bullers Wood for Boys is in the planning and should take from those areas. Depends when you need it really. Otherwise, most of the secondaries nearby are all girls (bullers) or mixed (ravensbourne or the one at Bromley common). The nearest all boys is Ravenswood I think.

Pooka, sorry.

Yes I'm keeping an eye on secondaries as well - I have noted interested in Bullers Wood boys. ( i went to the girls) my brother went to St Olaves but there is never any guarantee of that obviously (maybe ds has inherited the brain that helped my dp get his phd but it's too early to tell) but I am factoring boys secondary schools into the mix.

I went to Bullers went to a Russell groups uni and have a reasonably successful career so I'm not snobbish about the non grammars in the area at all.