Primary Schools - Westcliff on Sea, Essex

[Pati01]

Hi, we are relocating to the Westcliff on Sea area in July this year. Our eldest daughter will be attending Westcliff High School for Girls from September but I need some advice for our 4 year old please. She will be 5 in January 2019 so I understand she can attend reception full time from September. I've looked at Chalkwell Hall and Earls Hall - are these good schools? Any recommendations please? Thanks xx

Hello. Local primary teacher here. They are both good schools and I've heard good things. Earls hall a all through primary. Chalkwell has separate infants and juniors. Chalkwell get marginally better results but both perform well. Chalkwell in a more affluent area. If I had the choice for my child I would visit both schools and make a decision based on the feel of the school and which suited my child based on the info I found out by asking questions.

Yes-they are both good schools, as is North Street in Leigh (Leigh County). Go and visit and meet the heads. I’m sure Chalkwell have reduced their catchment recently making it more difficult to get a place though.

Where will you be living, as catchments are quite important!?

Thank you! This is so helpful. I am hoping my husband can visit one day soon as I am based in South Wales with an older daughter currently doing GCSE's so its a little difficult.
Thank you so much for your help xx

Thank you so much for your message. We don't have a property in the area as yet, we won't be moving there until the end of July. The council have told me to just apply using our address in South Wales with a cover letter explaining.
Thank you so much for your help xx

Have you applied already using the council form? You’ve said she is 5 in January 2019, but we are obviously in March 2019 so I’m presuming that’s a mistake?!

The allocations are out next month, so are you hoping to get a school place for her then?

Both those schools are very popular and over subscribed-if you don’t get allocated a place in April, it is fairly unlikely you will get one, even in catchment.

Sorry I meant she is 5 in Jan 2020. We've put the application form in today but I've also looked at other schools too. Fingers crossed xx

They are both good schools but I think you have to live in catchment to have a chance of getting in.

Transport is good and as much as WHSG is named Westcliff, it's kind of on the border of Leigh so you could live anywhere and your elder daughter could get to school ok.

You will be paying a premium for living close to Chalkwell or North St schools but I don't know if that's a consideration or not. All the Leigh schools, including the Eastwood side are good.

If you have put in a late application for September and you don’t already live in catchment, I think the chances of you getting a Reception place in either of those schools is virtually nonexistent.

I agree, however the number of pupils applying locally this year is lower than it has been, so whilst some primaries which are traditionally over-subscribed (ie; London Road schools) will still be difficult to enter, there's a good chance of getting any other school of your preference.

Try to visit a few and get on waiting lists if you don't get your preferred school. There's often a lot of movement.

I’d be happy with either of those schools.

I’d have a look at schools slightly further afield as well that won’t be so over subscribed-Darlinghurst, Blenheim, Eastwood, Edwards Hall etc

That's great, thank you so much for all the advise. We are definitely going to try and view a few of them. I've looked for houses to rent within the catchment for Chalkwell and there don't seem to be any so I think I had better start looking further afield! Thanks everyone xx

There are quite a few houses for rent in Chalkwell catchment. What search criteria are you using?

Hi everyone, thank you so much for your help with my previous posts. We have finally got a house in Woodside. This seems a nice area, does anyone know if Fairways primary is a good school?
My daughter also enjoys ballet, can you recommend any schools please? Thank you so much xx