Yet another question on Muswell Hill primaries!

[Paris17001]

We live close to Planet Organic in Muswell Hill and looking at the latest catchment info we are realistically only possibly getting into Tetherdown. Sounds like you have to attend tchurch for 2 years to even think of St James and Muswell Hill primary is probably not in our catchment.

Is Tetherdown good? Do we really have to go to church all the time to even think of St James? Is Muswell Hill way too far way?

Some feedback would be great!

I think you will have a good shot at muswell hill primary if you stay close to planet organic. The catchment areas really shrunk this year but still people around that area were at the top of the waitlist and then got in.
I visited Tetherdown and really liked the school. They have a great space and kids really seemed to be having fun. But I wouldn't recommend it if you have a 'more able' child academically. Their last Ofsted report said that they don't help more able children much and my visit gave the same impression. Otherwise a really lovely school. So really depends on your child.
I visited St James as well. It's a much smaller school. I really do think it's very tough to get in because their intake is much less. You don't need to go to church to get in because they welcome applications from everyone, but you do get preference (which makes a lot of difference).
Seems like your child will be starting reception next year. Do tour all the schools and see what suits your child the best. There are so many excellent schools In the area and yet they are all so different. Also, suggest touring highgate primary. They have a big catchment area and is highly regarded.

Thank you Invem!
Tetherdown is literally the closest to us (0.20 m crow flies). If we do get in we will consider ourselves lucky. I am a bit concerned about the kids not being pushed academically.

Muswell Hill primary sounds excellent but it is a bit further away. Do they really push the kids more? If I read they haven't been inspected by Ofstead for some time.

You should definitely get in tetherdown then unless the number of siblings skyrocket that year. I am really not sure how muswell hill primary does academically with kids. If the results are anything to go by, then this year they had the best results in the area. Tetherdown also had pretty great results. Our child will be starting reception in MHP this September so hoping for the best. They got a new head teacher and from what I hear she has been very proactive.

Good luck!

My kids are a long time out of primaries (they went to MHPS but with a different head etc many years ago - both kate teens now). Tetherdown and MHPS are both very good, the demographic in the area is so helpful and positive I dont think you should worry about which is better. Parental interest and input and a conducive learning environment are pretty much a given. If your child is pre school you have no way of knowing whether they will be gifted, average or will be a slow developer. I had the range. But they will undoubtedly go through ups and downs with friendships and emotional challenges - who will help them grow and develop through this period?

So I'd really go on visiting and look at the culture - which place seems to care about the individuality of the child, present a caring and safe community, lots of activities including art and sport and focuses not just on results but about enabling whole child development - educational, emotional, confidence and resilience. Trust your gut - the head teacher is crucial in terms of trust and enthusiasm and real understanding of what learning and growing means.

The thing about Tetherdown is that everyone tutors from at least year 4, for private or grammar or to get into the top set at Fortismere. As long as you're prepared to do the same, it's fine. If you're expecting the school on its own to produce the results you see in the league tables, you'll be disappointed. That was why it was downgraded at the last ofsted.

@Boulezvous thank you. That's a good way to look at it. It's so easy to get caught up in the exams results!

@redstapler Everyone says that. Do you know from personal experience?

@Paris167 close friend of mine had two kids at tetherdown and everyone in both their classes was tutored.

@redstapler do you think there is no need to tutor if you were to attend MHP?

What about Our Lady of Muswell?

Don't know other schools in the area, but I'd assume they'll all have a fair number doing the 11+. Tetherdown maybe unique because so close to fortismere so you get the tutoring for the top set there for those who aren't doing the 11+.

@Legoroses Our Lady of Muswell is over 15 minutes walk away from us in the opposite direction where we need to go each morning. It does sound like a lovely school but logistically it's probably not possible.

@redstapler thank you

I'm slightly further away than you, and I can do it in 12 minutes! But, yeah, it's the wrong direction.

@Legoroses I will still go and visit it.
Is your child there? Are you happy with it?

I'm surprised people get tutoring to go to Fortismere (where both my kids went). Most of the people I knew who tutored were trying to get their kids into Latymer, Henrietta Barnett or fee paying schools like Highgate. (Though some kept quiet about it). The worlds gone mad if they are tutoring for a comprehensive!

Streaming is helpful as it matches style and speed of learning so being in the top set might not best suit a child who isnt naturally as proficient as others whose been tutored to be there. That could actually do more harm than good for their learning. I recall my daughter going up a set in maths and then being very glad to go down again - the teacher explained more and was more supportive and she was much happier being top of the lower set than bottom of the set above and struggling to keep up.

And if you then need to keep tutoring throughout secondary I wonder why choose a comprehensive and not go the whole hog and go private. Of course tutoring makes sense if a child is struggling to keep up in a particular subject and getting nearer to GCSEs or A levels but it's a bit mad at primary if it's just for SATs and setting. Or is it something which parents choose to relieve them of assisting with homework?

Yeah, you've got 6 choices. You might as well.

It's his 2nd school, as we moved, and it's a lot more straightforward and normal than his first! But I don't have a brilliant sense of it to be honest, perhaps because we joined late.

@Boulezvous the local opinion is that Fortismere is only an excellent school if you're in the top sets and it's worth tutoring to get into them.

I know it's an excellent school.Both my kids left Fortismere last year - one after A levels and one at 16 to take up a scholarship at a 6th form elsewhere.

I think parents are stupid to tutor to get into the top sets. If that doesn't reflect their child's natural aptitude it's a false benefit since the teaching might not suit their learning styles. Most children will have variable capabilities Top set in some subjects and less high sets in others. Half the time I think parents are doing it for their own ego not with the well-being of their child at heart. Not everyone is top set material but all children have potential strengths and skills. Fortismere serves all skill levels well.

It's good to learn self motivation, discovery and self learning. Not to have everything spoon fed. And the parents are robbing their kids of their childhood! Spending vital happy and free primary years with tutors. Bonkers.

@Boulezvous what is the top set? I haven't done my primary and secondary education here hence I am unfamiliar.

@Paris1967 setting is splitting the kids by ability, so the top set in maths is those who are best at maths, second set is the next best etc. Usually done by subject so a child dmight be in the top set for maths but not for English

Red stapler is correct. Only a few subjects are put in sets (on the basis of ability/test results). At Fortismere they only use sets for maths, languages, science and PE. Top set is the highest ability - there might be 11 sets (it's a very big school) but all of the top 3 would be expected to score top grades at GCSE.

So I'd be interested whether these silly primary school parents are tutoring for the right subjects. Sure maths is a common one to tutor - it is important. But being in a set that moves faster than your level of understanding can be a real barrier to progress. And for the others? Are they getting tutoring for science and languages? Given that they only start studying science separately in secondary school. And Languages are split on the basis of preferred language on entry into the school - French or Spanish and those that excel at either of these have the option to study mandarin. I can't imagine many of the parents are tutoring for French, Spanish or mandarin. So it's all rather silly in my view. Competitive middle class parents easily parted from their money.

@redstapler and @Boulezvous many thanks for explaining.

And just for good measure. Fortismere will move students who don't keep up the standards for their set on at least an annual basis. So if parents tutor to get them into a set above their ability they may need to continue to do so to prevent them moving down to a set more suited to them. Both my kids moved sets twice for Maths during their time at Fortismere.

Is this ' local opinion' actually based on any firm facts or knowledge of the school?

Or us it really people not admitting they are putting their kids up for Latymer and fee paying schools? That would make more sense since you can actually get specific tutors who focus on those particular entrance exams. Whilst tutoring in year 6 for maths, languages and science which they are not yet studying and don't even know the course curriculum of for each exam board is a bit pointless.