What are the odds of getting into Fox primary school Notting Hill

[passerby22]

We are contemplating moving to the area to get our son into this school. Is it worth the gamble. I have seen the tiny catchment area and all the categories. How lucky do we need to be?

No idea but the position of the “0” in your thread title made me smile ie zero chance 😁

No one can tell you any more than the admissions data. You would need to be living practically on the doorstep to be (almost) sure of a place.

Have you considered Hampden Gurney in Marylebone? It is slightly less oversubscribed.

Another thread.

Nobody can tell you.

It will depend on where you move to and how many other people apply. it’s not luck though.

I would imagine the cost associated with moving to its doorstep would make private school seem like a bargain…

If you can afford to live in the catchment for Fox Primary then you can afford to get your child a good education one way or another

I thought they do a random selection within the catchment area, so it does not matter where you live inside the area.

Any statistics on previous year.

We already live in west London, so we would have to pay extra but not that much.

P43

www.rbkc.gov.uk/media/document/primary-school-admissions-brochure#page43

Suggests 27 places were allocated under the random allocation criteria from 63 applications under that criteria.

Thanks Patricia, that's exactly what I was looking for. so the odds are slightly less than half

Why do you want your child to go there?

It is not some paradise for kids nor is the education exceptional.

I am a former parent (my DC is now 23). At the end of the day the school is not that different from other schools in the area. All the schools in the local area are good but some are more fashionable than others.

Yes my DC liked it there but the facilities are nothing special. You just get a posher than usual demographic. There were some things I actively disliked about it.

More than half the places go to siblings etc and you are competing with hundreds of others. So upping sticks and moving nearby is not a good idea and the very local alternatives in the state sector may not be to your taste.

Because of idiots paying extortionate amounts to rent within 200m or falsifying their residence there is now the situation where even people in social housing have to enter the lottery with everyone else.

Stay in your local area, choose a local school where you can be part of the local community and your kid can make local friends.

Would it be easier to get into Fox after reception? when the child is 5. anyone knows if there is less competition?

After the reception intake, the school will be full. There are no other standard application intake points for a primary school. You would be dependent on someone leaving, and then you being the only one wanting it - or being drawn via lottery if is more than one child on the waiting list. So no, it's not more likely you would get in post reception, I don't think.

Back when my DD was a pupil, quite a lot of kids used to leave in year 3 ie age 7/8 for the posh prep schools. There were also quite a few expat families who left at various points. I don’t know if that is still the case. But given the way places are allocated your chances are slim.

I repeat the school is nothing special. There were some things that really pissed me off during the time DD was there. It is crazy IMO to obsess over this particular school. There are a lot of good state schools in the area. Have you even visited the school?

It is crazy IMO to obsess over this particular school.

You're right, there are lots of other very good schools in the area and differences are minimal, they may be better in many ways. But Fox Primary has had cachet for decades - it's been ranked number 1 in the Times league tables, it's always in Tatler's good school guide. In fact, I remember it being in Tatler as "the state primary to send your kids to" back when I was at school and I'm 50! My boyfriend lived on the next street and I always thought it looked a bit grotty 😂Holland Park always had the same cachet and look what turned out to be the reality... The other equally good schools are just not as well known.

My daughter is at Fox now. It's a great school; trust me, all the parents we feel very lucky! The teachers are fantastic, and checking my daughter's progress compared to her other friends ( all in private schools), I can say that the teachers are doing a phenomenal job. I advise you to check the catchment area and find a flat. And if you don't get the position, try again. Not all the kids live 5 minutes away from school.
Good luck! X