Best Primary in the South Lakes

[HoppersMum]

Hi, I'm looking for suggestions on the best primary schools in the South Lakes area from anyone with personal experience please. We've been abroad, but it now looks like a real possibility work will move us there at the end of the summer 2022. My main worry is finding the right school for our 6 year old, who has struggled with his existing school through covid and is just finishing year 1. He has developed anxiety and sensory issues, and has a diagnosis of adhd. We have worked hard to get him help and he is settling down, but a move will be hard for him. I'm drawn to schools with strong pastoral care and small class sizes as he gets overwhelmed in a larger class environment, especially when it is noisy. TIA

It doesn't really work like that round here.

You pretty much go to the school you live closest too. Outside of the main towns that will be the local village school.

Class sizes are generally on the smaller side so there isn't a huge pressure on places.

The south lakes is a big place though and the villages and towns are all quite different to each other. Are you able to narrow it down further than that at this point?

Thanks, we'd potentially be close to Grange-over-Sands, Cartmel, Lindale or Witherslack. Not too far from Kendal. I think we'd be in the catchment for a couple of those at least. I have a younger child of nursery age as well.

You are talking about small rural primary schools that probably only have about 10 children in each year.

Most of the classes will be two years joined together so approximately 20 children per class. It is likely you will able to approach whichever school you like the feel of best and get a place. You don't need to worry about catchments at primary round here- children really do generally go to the nearest one in their community and if for any reason they don't there will be places at other surrounding ones.

Its a funny area where there will be a mixture of 'farm children' and 'offcomers' and the teachers will be very used to having to offer a wide range of support to different children with different needs.

Have a look at their websites and facebook pages but ultimately decide where you are going to live first and the 'choice' may be obvious from there.

Thanks, that's really helpful and reassuring. We'll have a good look online

Your closest. Everyone in Cumbria (just about, unless you live in a town and have this thing called “choice”) goes to their local school.

I echo what @TheCumbrian said, class sizes are small and mixed year groups. The school near me has around 50 DC from Nursery to Y6 and they are split C1 Nursery, C2 KS1 and C3 KS2. Teachers are used to dealing with large ranges of abilities and SEND. Also, ignore the school SATs results, they DO NOT reflect teaching. In some schools each child is worth 10% so it massively sways the results and some schools are so small they aren’t even allowed to publish the data.

Honest advice is to look at the schools, choose the one you like (you will get a place there are always places), get the house, go to the local school. Will help you feel part of the community too. Plus, with the large commuting distances between places you will be thankful you did choose the closest. 10 miles to the next nearest school twice a day for up to 7 years will start to be a right pain.

Just to add, each school has a catchment area map. Might be worth finding out what the catchment school for the house you want is as most children will go to their defined catchment school.

Also, just to note in case it’s of interest, if you are over a certain distance (2 miles for under 8’s and 3miles for age 8+) you will get free transport to the catchment school.

Sometimes I feel like we live in a whole different country when I read some of the primary school threads on here.

I'm sure it's the same in most rural areas but I almost feel guilty that my choice of primary schools was either of the village schools in the 2 villages closest to us and we would be guaranteed a place at either.

One has a class size average of 3, the other a class size average of 11. Both lovely schools with good results. The smaller school was actively 'courting' potential parents to try and boost numbers.

When you read threads on here about people agonising about how many cm they are into the catchment for an over subscribed 3 form entry primary you realise just how different north/South rural/urban is