Acton primary schools?

[Jourdain11]

We are moving to Acton (near Acton Park) from another part of West London, and unfortunately the distance to my DCs' current primary school is a bit on the long side (they are years 1, 3 and 4, so it's not even a case of just making it work for a year). Does anyone have advice or experience of Acton schools? I'm getting very mixed reviews and most recommendations being made to me are for super oversubscribed schools further into Ealing, which wouldn't be convenient anyway.

They are currently at an RC school, but this is more by chance than design and we wouldn't be particularly bothered about them attending a religious school. DD2 and DS are very sociable and would probably like to go to a school with lots of clubs and extra curricular! DD1 has complex needs and is in the process of getting statemented; at present she is struggling to follow muxh of the curriculum and really needs extra classroom support a lot of the time. So I'd be very concerned that it's a school with good pastoral care reputation and strong SEN provision.

Thank you in advance

Could you try Ark Byron or Ark Priory?

I've heard mixed things about Ark! Does anyone know much about Ark or those two schools in particular? Ark Byron and East Acton would be closest, or Derwentwater. Feel free to PM if you prefer

When are you moving, and have you spoken to Ealing council?

The process is that you would need to contact Ealing council when you have an address in the area, and they will tell you which schools have spaces. Unfortunately, this may not be at schools of your choice, and it may not be the same school for all 3 (though once one child was in to a school, the others are very likely to go somewhere near the top on the waiting lists).

The council have to offer places for all your children, and you can appeal if you don't get places at your chosen school, thought the appeal for your youngest is likely to be Infant Class Size and thus very hard to win.

Sorry if you have already done this, but the question frequently comes up here and many people don't seem to know that this is the process.

Thanks for this! Yes, we've spoken to the council and there is one school which has places available for all three, another which would have places for the elder two but not DS...

As soon as we had the move in date and address fixed we contacted them, although we haven't actually moved yet.