School catchment for Suffolk Square, Cheltenham

[SuffolkSqr2013]

Hi. We live on Tivoli side of Suffolk Square in Cheltenham and are hoping (on a wing & a prayer, due to not being that close) to get our daughter into St James Primary school. Has anyone who lives on Suffolk Square managed to get their children in? If not what schools have been offered/been closest from this area? We are 2 min walk from the Tivoli pub/Suffolk Road traffic lights, ie inbtwn the two. Thanks x

You need to get onto the Gloucestershire website and plot your distance and then look at their admitted distances. That will give you an idea.

Presumably you are looking for a 2016 start?

Irritatingly, the Gloucestershire application to primary school information leaflet (2015/16 one here: www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=57111&p=0 doesn't include last admitted distances.

The mapping service on their website gloucestershire.firmstep.com/default.aspx/RenderForm/?F.Name=JJogXkzqqFP&HideToolbar=1 suggests that you are around 0.8 miles from St James - you can use your exact address to narrow it down.

The data on last admitted distances on allocation day (may increase after appeals etc) is available on www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/extra/article/117574/Allocation-day-statistics-for-Gloucestershire-schools. It shows that the effective catchment for St James', in common with most Cheltenham schools, is shrinking. In 2014 it was under 0.6 miles. The admissions booklet suggests that there were were an unusually high number of siblings - just over half the year group - admitted for 2014. However, a distance of 0.8 miles would have put you outside the effective St James' catchment for all of 2012-2014.

You can use the same tools to check for the feasibility of other schools.

Your closest schools - none close - are St Gregory the Great (Catholic), St John's, Christchurch and Naunton park.

For some reason, not all of those appear on the last admitted distance list, but St Gregory's gves priority to catholics, and Naunton Park has a very small catchment area. St John's is probably your most likely option, though worth finding out about Christ Church too.

Christ church gives priority to church attendees and often has very few places left to spare on distance.

TBH, you could be looking at a bit of a journey, but there are decent schools in the area you would get into.

Why are you so keen on St. James'? It isn't a school I'm a massive fan of personally.

The data I linked to upthread would suggest that Lakeside, Dunalley (recently expanded) - both Ofsted Good, within the last few years - and Warden Hill - 2008 Ofsted Outstanding rating, since when the criteria have changed - would be your most likely bets for 'in town' schools, other than St John's, given last distance admitted for 2014.

However, bear in mind that all effective catchments in Cheltenham are showing a shrinking trend, so look closely at 2015 data when it comes out.

Also bear in mind that Warden Hill's data is very 'up and down' - not full (did they take a bulge class?), 0.56 miles and over 2 miles over the 3 years of data..

(St John's also Ofsted 'Good')

Are you still there OP? I can add some comments to Teacher's, but not sure if you are still reading?