St Matthews C of E Primary School

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Is there anyone in the Leeds area who has knowledge of S Matthews C of E Primary School and other schools in that area.

What do you want to know?

It is an area of chronic place shortage and so choices are very limited. St Matthews has faith admission criteria then general.

Do you have faith or live very close?

I'm asking for a friend who has just moved to that area and was going to select it for her child as it has a lot of places compared to other schools. I don't know anything about it. Is it a good school do you know. Well behaved children etc and performing ok?

files.api.beta.ofsted.gov.uk/v1/file/2577085

Have you looked at the Ofsted report?

Yes we've both looked at the Ofsted it's good now but has had problems in the past but scores for reading writing and maths now are not good.

Do the school say that they have places?

Why do you think that its results are low? The are above the national in 2016 and 2017. Has your friend asked them what their 2018 KS2 results are?

Why are their scores not good? What information are you looking at ?

2016 2017
School 68% 66%
Local authority 48% 56%
England state-funded schools 53% 61%
England all schools 53% 61%

I would say that if the school genuinely has places- rather than the LA just thinks they have your friend should be accepting one quickly as they will go. Depending on the year group there are very limited places at all schools in that area.

I've read the Ofsted reports and looked on the Government's website and they are Well Below Average for writing and only Average for Reading and Maths. I've been looking at this school and it has had places available since July in different years but they claim to have a 'waiting list' so 'm would be concerned as to why they are still available.

they are Well Below Average for writing and only Average for Reading and Maths

No they are not! They are ABOVE the national.

Their progress in writing was lower than the national in 2017. Leeds was identified by FFT as an outlier LA for writing in 2016 and 2017. The DfE says writing progress nationally is unreliable.

To repeat they have KS2 results ABOVE the national.

They border Harehills which is an area of high mobility. Some EU families are moving back overseas, migration s slowing. The places will be gone is a few weeks at most.

They will restart their waiting list in September, they will contact those on it and ask if they still require a place, so it is not unusual for lists to change.

I would be very surprised if they have places in most year groups and if they do they will go in weeks.

They’ve had problems in the past because of the previous head - the present head is very good and the staff and children are reportedly much happier.

Only average

And people wonder why teachers and schools hate league tables....

I know plenty of people whose kids have gone to St Matthews and not heard of any particular issues. I'm surprised that it isn't over subscribed, given that there have been massive issues in primary school places in North Leeds in recent years. Maybe they're increased the number of places.

Your friend should go along to the local schools and see which one they like best and apply. If they have a place then great, if not then go for the next one. Carr Manor, St Matthews, Chapel Allerton are all decent enough.

Only average

That made me laugh. It is on the edge on inner city Leeds-borders one of the most socially deprived areas in the country and has a pretty mixed catchment itself.

I'd also add that my kids' school was 'well above average' for reading and maths but 'only' average for writing, which goes along with what WDD about writing in Leeds generally.

I'd also add that my kids' school was 'well above average' for reading and maths but 'only' average for writing, which goes along with what WDD about writing in Leeds generally.

If you have average/above average KS1 and average/above average KS2 then your progress will be average. Its the way it works.

School with high positive progress scores at KS2 generally have either low Key Stage 1 results and/or high numbers of pupils who were at the early stages on learning English at KS1.

The same with progress 8 at secondary- that is why Heads think it is unfair.

The advice has been really helpful and I will pass it on to my friend. I think it is the fact that it seems to take children from a wide catchment area that include more deprived areas that is the worrying bit. The other school she has been looking at is Mill Field and I don't know anything about that school either.

If they are from a 'more deprived area' then it is likely because they attend church, if that makes you/friend less 'worried'.

But I'm not sure where you have got your info from. 54% at Mill Field are eligible for free school meals, compared with 17% at St Matthews. St Matthews has much better overall results. Progress (which is flawed as WDD has said) is similar between the two.

If I was looking in that area I'd be considering St Matthews, Carr Manor and Chapel Allerton.

I've heard of Carr Manor but understand it's quite popular but will tell her to look at Chapel Allerton too. I've just looked at the Ofsted for Mill Field and it's not good so will tell her to give that one a miss.

There are two Carr Manors next to each other - one attached to the high school, making it a through school, and a separate primary. I've heard good things about the former (officially called Carr Manor Community School).

Where does she actually live?

Most schools are full and so the LA will allocate you a place at the nearest school with a place, depending on where that is you may then be able to do fair access. You can go on the waiting list for others but unless you live very close you are unlikely to be top.

What year group does she need a place for?

It would be YR1. What is fair access?

Agree with pp that the problems were with leadership, but now this has changed everything seems much more settled and there has since been a positive Ofsted.
Carr Manor Primary (not the Community) had an excellent recent Ofsted and is very good.
Don't know much about Chapel Allerton but I think they have improved in the past couple of years.
I don't know much about Carr Manor Community, but certainly haven't heard anything negative about it.

I'd be more concerned about secondary schools in that area.

Really? Roundhay is excellent, and many St Matthews kids go to Abbey Grange, which is also v good. I have lots of friends with children at Carr Manor who are v happy. Which secondaries concern you? I would agree that Allerton Grange is ropey.

Most of the above primary schools are good with the exception of mill field. Unless your friend lives on the doorstep she or he may struggle to get their child a place. Roundhay high has the best reputation but it's very expensive to get a house in the catchment area.