Hello, I'm looking for local expertise to help with choosing which Ealing primary school or schools for my children. We are moving imminently so we can only take places in schools with vacancies (in year admissions process). We don't have any religious beliefs or attendances, so all the RC/ COE/ etc schools are out. They are doing well at school at the moment.
For my year 1 child, the only place with spaces is Woodlands Academy (formerly Hathaway). The ofsted makes for pretty grim reading, but it has improved since the last inspection. I'm plannng to visit this week so that I can meet the head and see for myself.
For my year 4 child, there's more choice (Grange, Hobbayne, others... )
Our longer term aim is to get them both into North Ealing and I am assured they will get there eventually, provided we are patient and wait for the vacancies to arise. However this could be 6 months, a year, 18 months...
Can you help to advise us what to do in the meantime?
- Send both to Woodlands which is geographically convenient until place(s) come up elsewhere. I know that schools with a poor reputation often are staffed by altruistic and good teachers, and there can be an injection of cash/ a superhead after really bad ofsteds. Would love to hear your experiences and opinion of this school.
- Send child one to Hobbayne/ Grange and child two to Woodlands. This will be a pain logistically to cope with two drop offs and pick ups. But child two will be higher on the waiting list for their sibling's school.
- Go private for child two???
- Go private for both children???
- Any other options I've missed?
thanks for your help, really struggling with decisions here