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New Ashmole Primary School, Southgate

113 replies

JSpen · 16/12/2015 22:47

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?

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2014mumma · 27/06/2018 12:46

Hi Tashki17! Thanks so much for replying. I totally get your reasoning and I’d have to say I agree with them all.
I was worried there because on this thread and another there’s no mention of positives about west grove (although no negatives) apart from the children being happy there of course. Which is important! I just wondered why more parents didn’t fight for it-as I put it down as my third choice and got it (after Walker and wolfsen Hill-I forgot to submit the extra paperwork for this school so t was an instant no unfortunately). I was actually happy about getting a spot at west grove-I just got worried and thought I’d made a poor choice because initially there were still places available for the school-with no rejections. I didn’t view the school-primarily it was by personal experience of a friends daughter (who now goes to winchmore) that I thought it agood choice.
I’m really happy with the fact my son got a place there-I just wanted some feedback on the school and why parents didn’t seem to rate it as much.
Like yourself -I do live a bt of a distance from the school-but I will either bus it in or drive (depending on the weather), and park a bit further away. If I do take the bus I’m happy to get off at the station and walk-it’s not far to the school gates from there.
Challenge will be getting. To school on time but I’m quietly confident!
Also I see they do a breakfast club from 7:30am onwards-so this might be a good option in avoiding traffic and parking issues etc.
I’d be happy to meet/chat with you st the gates-I too am not from an EAL community so often feel a bit left out for the same reasons. This why I chose wolfsen hill as my second choice because I thought the support would be better.
But I’m still really happy with the fact we got a place here-as I said itwas my third choice
Despite the distance.
I’m so glad I asked-thank you so much for your in depth reply.

2014mumma · 27/06/2018 12:46

Thanks so much @ourkidmlly

morningtoncrescent62 · 28/06/2018 13:30

Nothing at all to add, but just to say I've enjoyed reading this thread. Walker was my first school - in the 1960s!! We moved away when I was 7 so I never made it into the juniors... All I really remember about it was that there were glossy red round pillars inside and I got into dreadful trouble one Christmas when the pillar had been covered in decorative paper which I accidentally tore while playing 'it' inside (which wasn't allowed). Teachers could still smack children back then. Sad

And the school was very full so there was a class (not mine) in the corridor.

I'm not sure I would recognise it if I went back now! Hope everyone's DCs are happy and doing well in their various Southgate schools.

Wheret0n0w · 03/09/2018 18:30

Hello hope you are all geared up for your DC starting school shortly Smile. Good luck all and hope it’s just parents crying 😢

Amma19 · 03/12/2018 12:08

Hi There,

Sorry to open up this thread again! I have my LO starting school in Sept 2019 and we are quite torn between Walker and Ashmole. Quite happy to read about the community feel at Walker. We have been to open days at both schools and there are pros and cons to each, both are good schools. The thought of my LO being in a mobile classroom in the first year with limited access to facilities is quite off putting but I’m trying to look ahead.

Parents of little ones at either school how are they getting along?

It’s quite scary to see ppl are getting their 5th choices as we’ve not seen that many schools!

Any feedback is much appreciated.

Tashki17 · 03/12/2018 21:59

Hi Amma19, we were offered a place at Walker, our 1st choice, at the beginning of term after being on the waiting list. I can honestly say that we are absolutely over the moon with the school - my DD has settled brilliantly and is very happy there. She has made lots of friends, looks forward to going and is loving the walk/scoot to school and bumping into her classmates along the way. I have seen huge developments in her reading and writing in a short space of time and she seems to be really enjoying the learning. The staff are fantastic.

I have found that the school has a really strong community feel to it and have already been for coffee and evening drinks with the other mums. Both parents and kids alike seem really proud of the school. Everyone has been so lovely and friendly. It is the Christmas fair this Friday from 3.30pm so worth popping along if you can make it to get a feel for the school.

I have heard really good things about Ashmole too, so I am sure whichever one you decide will be a great choice. Having been in your position this time last year, I know how it feels and happy to answer any questions you may have. Good luck.

Amma19 · 03/12/2018 23:05

Hi Tashki17, thank you so much for your helpful response and congratulations on your daughters place at Walker! It’s nice to hear she is enjoying it there and making good progress.

Do you mind me asking how far you live from Walker and Ashmole? I notice in the previous posts you mentioned you put these down as your 1st and 2nd choice and didn’t get an offer from either in the first round of offers? I am just thinking if I put Ashmole down as 1st choice there maybe a better chance of an offer as there are less siblings. I really haven’t looked that closely into 6 schools we are happy with, but I think I should as there maybe a good chance that we end up with any one on the list!

Have you heard much about Brunswick Park? I am also a bit confused about Bowes on the Green do you know if there are plans do make an upper school for this or do they move across to the other school?

Tashki17 · 04/12/2018 22:10

Hi, we live at the top end of Fox Lane. It's a very tricky area for schools but when Ashmole opened its primary school it did make a difference. In 2017 we would have got into both schools. But by 2018 Ashmole was on its third year and started taking siblings so its catchment shrank significantly, I think it was 0.5 miles. Walker historically only went out to 0.2 or 0.3 miles but in recent years it has gone out a bit further because of Ashmole. In 2018 I believe it was also 0.5 miles.

I don't know anything about Brunswick as its not in our area. I did look into Bowes Southgate Green, it is on the site of Broomfield School, is that the one you mean? It is part of Bowes Primary School. They opened this extra site to try to address the problem with primary school places in our area and actually measure the catchment from the top of Aldermans Hill. I have heard good things about it but we decided against applying for it as I was not keen on the location and there was uncertainly about where its permanent site would be at the time.

You should list the schools in your true order of preference, how you order them doesn't decrease your chance of getting in - say you didn't get your 1st choice, your 2nd choice would move up to your 1st choice and you'd have the same chance of getting a place as someone who had put it as their 1st choice. Does that make sense? But definitely list several schools and make sure that there is one school on there that you are pretty much guaranteed a place and that you would be happy for your child to go to, just as a back up.

Amma19 · 04/12/2018 22:57

To be honest I’m not sure which school we would be guaranteed a place. We live equal distance to both Walker and Ashmole which are the closest. I didn’t realise there was a shortage of school places in the area. It’s lucky they did open Ashmole Promary otherwise we would’ve been quite stuck.

For some reason I thought it was if you put the school down as your 1st choice you get priority. I spoke to one of the school offices and I’m sure they mentioned that this is how it works!

So sorry to ask you so many questions, I’m just trying to get a 2nd opinion so I can try and choose one of the schools as our 1st choice! Why did you choose Walker over Ashmole as your 1st choice?

Thank you so much for your help!

Tashki17 · 05/12/2018 21:35

So how the admissions system works is - say you put 6 schools down. The council will take your application for each of the 6 schools and use its admissions criteria to determine whether you get a place. So you could, in theory, get a place in all 6 schools. Then it will look at your order of preference and give you your highest preference choice. So it's really important to put schools in true order of preference rather than because you think you have a better chance of getting into one.

Have a read of the council's admissions booklet (Enfield and/or Barnet) and they both explain this, probably a bit better than I have!

I am not sure how far you live from Walker and Ashmole but if it's within 0.5 miles I'd say you've got a good shot of a place. There are other schools which tend to be undersubscribed (like West Grove, Garfield) where you'd be pretty much guaranteed a place. Of course things change year on year. This website is quite handy as it tells you which schools you'd have got into over the last few years (although they haven't entered 2018 data yet): www.schoolcatchment.co.uk/

We chose Walker as it is closer. We wanted to be able to walk to school and to have friends that lived in the neighbouring streets. We also loved the location of the school and the community, "village" feel that it had. Plus it is an established school and has a history of really solid results.

That being said, I was really impressed when I went to see Ashmole, it looked like a great school. I know some people whose children are now in year 1 and they speak extremely highly of it.

I really think they are both good choices. And it's important to remember that all Enfield schools are good, so we are lucky to live in this area, even though it doesn't feel that way when you are in the thick of school applications and it is all so overwhelming and emotional (I know, I've been there!).

Amma19 · 05/12/2018 23:02

Hi Tashki17,

I had a look at the booklet and yes it pretty says exactly what you outlined. The person I spoke to at the school office must have been confused and kindly passed on the confusion! 😊

I think we are within catchment for both according to previous year catchment areas. We will try and attend some of the Xmas Fairs this week and hopefully make a decision from there.

I just drove past Walker today and I was thinking the exact same about the lovely village feel!

Thanks so much again, it is hugely appreciated and has made things a lot clearer for me to make a decision.

Wheret0n0w · 16/04/2019 21:33

Hello Amma19 have you got an offer today? Which school? Hope it is what you wanted.

MrsMoon1 · 17/04/2020 15:53

Please can someone advise! We missed out on our first choice school Ashmole primary despite being

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