Dollis Infant/Junior in Mill hill?

[vannah]

any views/ experiences of?

many thanks

Only just seen this. Friends DC goes there, moved him from another local school. She raves about this school and very impressed with way the able to give such individualised care and attention with a 90 pupil per year intake.

HTH

thankyou for that funkynora, I read the ofsted report it looked a bit grim..
but thats given me hope - we found a lovely house nearby...

Sorry Vannah, was watching loads of stuff on TV last night, so didnt reply then.

Just to let you know that the school isnt generally oversubscribed because it has such a large annual intake. That means you'd probably get into it even if it was your third choice.

Dont know where you are moving from, but if you have a look on the Barnet website, it will show you how far away the furthest admission lived from the school on last years intake. Ive also heard that Frith Manor, St Mary's, St Vincents and St Pauls are supposed to be good schools as well.

Have to say though, that Dollis doesnt have a good reputation, BUT that's the talk from parents whose children DONT go to the school! Apparently, the parents that my friend know at Dollis seem largely pleased and pleasantly surprised with their childrens schooling. Of course its impossible to generalise, but i'd say have a look around and see if you get the 'feel' that your child would fit there. By the way Busy Bees also run an after school club from there until 6pm, which is supposed to be very popular.
HTH

Frith Manor is a lovely school with a 90 intake so you could most probably get in there. Good teachers and lovely children. St Pauls, St vincents either you have to be a church goer or live on the doorstep.

funkynora only just tuned in today and many thanks for replying with yet more valuable info for me again! So far, Ive met one of the neighbours who sends his DC there, he said it was "quite good", and that his dc do have trouble occasionally with the other children re:bullying but that its dealt with.

And to be honest, thats my main concern. The property we have seen is quite close to Dollis, and its in an area that doesnt look especially 'nice', well certainly nothing like the surrounding houses near to the high st and private schools. So Im worried that the children might be a bit rough. Ive taught for 15 years in Islington schools and have seen some dire behaviour from some very rough children and its not something I want to expose my dc to. Would you happen to know what the kids are generally like?
Ive read about the catholic and CofE schools, they look fantastic but sadly we are not Christian.

Lupy, frith manor does look like a great school, but the catchment must be tight. My property is just under a mile away, I think 0.9 - would we stand a chance?

many thanks again

You should be able to get in. A friend of mine has 2 children there and she lives further than you. This was 7 years ago when she got her son in. My son got a place in our primary school, I live about 0.8 mile and got in on the waiting list to a 1 form entry primary school.

Call Barnet LEA and they will tell you how far out Frith went this year and you can judge from that. Put it down as your first choice if you really want it otherwise you might not get the chance to stay on the waiting list.

thanks lupy, will call barnet, thats encouraging...

Lupy one more thing, i did a search on mill hill schools and saw that you once posted about Mill hill county high. Was it hard to get into? What happens when you're on the waiting list?
many thanks for your help

This year Mill Hill County went up to 0.9 on distance. I am 13th on waiting list so wait and find out. I don't think I will get a place. Too far down the list

Hi again Vannah,

I think I posted this elsewhere, but you may not have seen it. If you have a look at the Barnet website (sorry, dont know how to do links!) they will tell you the specifics of the admission criteria for last years intake. By that I mean, for each community school, it will specify the number of sibligs they admitted and the furthest distance they admitted in that intake. Very useful, though does not guarantee anything.

Lupy, thought i'd also say that my DP's god-daughter will be going to MHCH this year. A 'friend' of theirs is currently under investigation for applying (and being accepted) using a fraudulent address. You may well find yourself 12th on the list if the investigations are thorough.

are you within the 0.9 lupy? fingers crossed, hope you get a place.

thanks funkynora, just looked at admission criteria for mhch...they say it's geographicial first.

No, not within 0.9 I am 1.095 don't think I will get a place but I'll keep you posted if I do.

Just gone up one on the waiting list.

Great Lupy! Thats positive news. What's plan B- just in case? We are almost giving up on Mill Hill. Just cant find a good property near the good schools. Prices crazy around frith manor, and very grim area with grim houses around fairway.

Hi Vannah, did you get an update on the friend being investigated by the borough. Did she get the place withdrawn. I'm 10th place now, don't think I will get a place only 4 months to go now.

Hi Mecano,

I think your last post referred to me. I mentioned about someone being investigated and I can confirm that their place was what the LEA have termed 'cordially withdrawn'. I think that just means they wont be taking any further action re the fraud.

Good luck, there's still time for you to inch up the waiting list before September. 10th place is good - considering that they are sooooooooooo oversubscribed.

Hi, funkyNora,

When did they get the place taken away, I friend of mine told me that a friend of hers was being investigated but I think she might have got away with it as nothing has happened. Surely these things happen quite quickly.

I think the whole thing took about 5 or 6 weeks from start to finish. After they received the initial "It has been brought to our attention / A serious allegation has been made" letter, nothing happened for about a month. They were then asked for the unrelated pieces of additional evidence to confirm their current address, as well as details and evidence of all previous addresses. They were also warned to expect a visit at home. I dont think that happened because they caved in and were so stressed out it all. They had applied to schools in their resident borough as well and decided to go with that. When they called the Education Dept, they made it very clear that any checks would be on-going and that the child could be removed from the school at any time during his school life at MHCH.

So, a word of warning for your friend's friend! She may not have heard anything, YET, but that doesnt mean that its over or that she's gotten away with it.

My guess is that they use these strategies to scare people. Of course some people will go to such lengths to try and secure the 'best' education for their child. BUT, if there's a chance of being found out, its prudent to secure the 'best' school legitimately now, rather than risk being removed and left with only the 'left overs' later.

Hope that makes sense. I'd be interested to know if you move any further up the waiting list.... and of course if anything happens with the other person.

My friend tells me that this person has said she is separated from her husband, but when my friend takes her children to school everyday she passes this persons house and sees them all leaving the house to take her child to school. I suppose it is much more difficult to accuse someone if they say they are no longer living with their husband but at a different address. plus we think they must have put the bills etc in her name for the other address she is using.

FunkyNora I will keep you posted.

Think I am about 11th on waiting list now. So hopefully we will both get in by Sep.

In reply to your question vannah I have allready done plan B. I secured a place at a new school Wren Academy in Finchley. Brand new schoool opening this Sep 2008. Not 1st choice but the vision of the school sounds great. No history to go on but the head has a good reputation and on the whole sounds good. check out the website.