New Ashmole Primary School, Southgate

[JSpen]

I was just wondering if anyone was considering the new Ashmole Primary school opening in Southgate (North London) in 2016 for their child. Any thoughts on the proposal, pros / cons?

Yes ı have send the tenancy agreement to Barnet school admıssıon also ı ve send ıt to Ashmole Academy

Hı lost2010 do you thınk he has chance thank you

Hello

I am sorry I wouldn’t know. It would depend on whether there is any movement on the waiting list and if the council revises your position on the waiting list. It is a popular choice with parents with first child going to to school.

Which school have you been offered?

He has offered Place at Wınchmore school

Hello this thread is for Ashmole Primary School. Did you mean 154 on the waiting list for Ashmole Academy?

Yes ıs for Ashmole Academy ı also have daughter whıch she ıs goıng to start receptıon next year my fırst choıce wıll be ashmole prımary

Hi all,

Hoping to revive this thread, hope you don't mind! My DD is starting reception in September 2018 and we got offered our fifth choice this week (West Grove) but we are 6th on the waiting list for Walker which is our first choice. It is much closer for us so I have my heart set on it. We are 40th for Ashmole, our second choice.

I know some of you have had experiences of waiting lists so I would welcome any of your stories on this - where you were, whether you ultimately got offered a place and if so when in the year?

Thanks so much for your help x

Hello Tashki17,
Ashmole was our first choice and still hoping. Have you received any updates with the second round offer? Did Walker contact you?
Many thanks

Hi, yes we actually moved down the waiting list on Walker to 8th after the second round of offers! I didn't even bother contacting Ashmole given our position on the list.

After the initial disappointment I have made peace with it and am looking forward to my daughter starting at her new school. May I ask where your child was offered?

Hello Tashki17, thank you for your answer. I understand so well your feeling. Now I am also in peace with the school they offered. I am sure it will be a good school and everything will be fine. My child will start at Grange Park Primary school. x

Hello - the waiting list can move either way all the way till the school starts and even after that. So if it suits you, keep in touch with the schools.

Hello Wheret0n0w, many thanks for your advise. It is always very useful and reassuring to hear from people who have had (or heard) previous experience. x

Yes thank you for your reassurance, I know the waiting lists can move and that we still may have a chance at getting in, but moving down two places was very disheartening. Plus I was in danger of going a bit mad about the whole thing and contacting the council every five minutes to find out our position on the list. It was all getting a bit much!

So instead I have decided to embrace the school she has been given and if we do end up getting offered a place at a higher preference school, then obviously that will be a delightful surprise.

Mirtle2018 I have a good friend whose daughters are going to GPPS, hopefully there will be a good network of parents there for you to meet and make friends with x

Thank you Tashki17. Yes I have heard that a lot of children from the Fox lane area are going to Grange Park. It seems they have been split between Grange Park and West Grove. Wish your daughter a lovely start in September. I will be in touch here again after the summer term to know your opinion about West Grove. Have a nice summer x

Tashki17 - just a last thing. Do you know anything about the works they want to do at Walker? Do you know how long will they take? And where will the children be relocated during the rebuilding works? I am asking this because this was one of the things I am happy with the offer we received. When I went to see Walker I had the impression there was still a bit of confusion about how the building works would be dealt with x

Hi, I only know what you already know, which is what we were told on the school tour. It might be worth going on to the school website and looking through the newsletters as I imagine they might update parents that way. Are you on the waiting list for Walker too?

I wish your child a very happy start at Grange Park too x

Hi Tashki17, Walker was on our list so yes we are on the waiting list I suppose but I have not contacted them since I received the school offer - since then I tried to redirect my energies towards the school we were offered xx

Those schools are a long way from Fox Lane. That’s a shame.

Great schools though!

What about Hazelwood?

From memory, we were 55th on the waiting list for Hazelwood

Hi does anyone have any opinions on west grove school? How does it fair with other schools in the area?

Can I ask-is west grove a bad school then? I thought it was a really good school. I’ve only ever heard great things about it. But everyone’s seems to rank this school quite low down the list-can someone please give me some insight on west grove and why it’s not as sought after as other schools? The location is pretty good-it’s central to everything (even if we have to travel to get there), and the kids are so polite that gonthere and that have come out of there. I’ve looked and asked and heard nothing bad said about the school-but I’m a bit dismayed about the ranking it’s given on here and why there seems to be places still available at the school? It makes me wonder if there’s something bad about it. Anyone with any information on the school I’d love hear your thoughts!
Thank you!

Hi 2014mumma, West Grove is most definitely NOT a bad school. I believe it is a very good school. I have done a lot of research over the last few months and tried to speak to as many people as I can about it. Feedback from parents whose children go there is that their kids are very happy there and that the teachers are fantastic and really care about their pupils. The facilities and space are wonderful.

The reasons why I put it as my fifth choice are these:

1. West Grove isn't our nearest school. The other schools I put first are nearer. It is too far for us to walk and it is a nightmare to drive because it is on a main road which has parking restrictions. There is no direct bus. I have always dreamed of being able to walk my children to school, chatting to mums along the way and her friends living in neighbouring streets. I know that probably sounds a bit Waltons but I felt strongly about this.

2. The sense of community is not a strong as other schools like Walker and Hazelwood. This is most likely because it has a much bigger catchment area, also a very high proportion of EAL students (over 60%) and in my experience many of these families tend to prefer to mix among themselves. My daughter is in the nursery at West Grove currently and this is what I have experienced when I have tried to engage people in conversation at the school gates.

3. The KS1 and KS2 results, while absolutely fine, are not as good as other schools in the area.

None of these are a deal-breaker but all put together, this is why it was my fifth choice.

But as I said in a previous post, after the initial disappointment I am very much embracing this school and looking forward to my daughter starting. She has loved her time in the nursery there. It might also be useful for you to know that this year the school is full and there is a waiting list. I hope to become involved in school life, make new friends and help forge a sense of community. I will let you know how I go.

Is your child starting school soon?

Totally agree. West Grove has v dedicated staff and will maximise your child's potential.