Primary schools in Dorking

[Aleesh]

Hi there we've just moved to Dorking and whilst there seems to be pently of choices for our reception aged child, we're stuck with no spaces for my son in Year 3. Closest school would be St Paul's for Reception and the only 2 schools that will accomodate both is St John's. Surrey Hills in Westcott can take both, or just my son.

Need advice please on how good these schools are. Does anyone have experience of them or have moved to/from them please?

We ideally want to keep the kids in the same school but logistically we're having driving lessons and St Paul's is closest. There's only 1 bus into Wescott from Dorking so am hoping it's reliable else we are stuffed if we choose that school!

We are having the EXACT same problem. My younger son has a place at St Paul’s for reception but I can’t get my year 3 son in anywhere! Think he is in a very high birth year. I’ve tried St Johns, North Downs, St Martins, Powell Corderoy- all full. If St Johns offered you a place for both children I would go with that, they have fabulous facilities (swimming pool, Jolly Johns play farm) and are rated Good.
My 7yo is on the waiting list for St. Paul’s and I’m hoping a place will come up soon. In the meantime we are temporarily home educating because I have younger kids I can’t easily manage two separate drop offs! Good luck!

ah thanks for this it's a nightmare isn't it? I'll take a look at St John's. Do you know anything about Surrey Hills?

I’m afraid I don’t know anything about Surrey Hills - when I googled all the primary schools it was showing as “inadequate” (see photo) but I have no idea if that is accurate or not. I’m interested that you can get both in at St John’s because they told me that year 3 was full there too so I’d definitely accept a place if they are offering you one! I’m going to hold out for St. Paul’s I think. Have you had any support from the local authority?

No suppport at all unfortunately and they're slow to answer the phone or respond to emails. I hear there's a backlog they're sifting through so am not sure. St John's was on the condition I sent both children. They would not offer just year 3

Ah ok! Well I would definitely visit St John’s and see what you think. If you end up going with St. Paul’s I’m v happy with reception so far, although granted it’s only been a few days 😆 Hopefully someone will take pity on us as the birth rate for 2014-15 must have been extremely high!

Surrey Hills showing inadequate is all data. There were two Surrey Hills schools - one in Abinger and one in Westcott (I live in Westcott). versus the other local schools they were underperforming hence the inadequate . They chose to close the abinger site and have a new male head at the Westcott site who appears to have turned it around (I can't say with any great certainty as we go to a pre pre in horsley) but he is very present in the community and hands on and general sense seems to be happy with the school. I would look at it. The bus service westoctt to dorking is only hourly tho...!