hackney primary schools, - betty layward, grazemere?

[hulahoops]

hi, we have a choice of 3, betty lawyard, grazemere and grazebrook.

have checked the ofsted reports, the first 2 look the best, however wanted to find out if anyone has children in any of these primary schools and your thoughts? or have any other suggestions for primary schools in that area that are non religious?

due to property prices going down, doesn't look like we'll be moving and would like to get dc into a decent primary school in the area....

won't be applying for entry until sept 09, however all 3 have nurseries attached...

thanks so much!

bump!!

My best friend lives in Newington Green and her dd goes to school at Grassmere. She wanted to get her into Betty Layward but the waiting list was huge. As it's turned out she really loves Grassmere. They seem to do lots of really good things and have an amazing organic menu. Betty Layward is very busy I think, much bigger, whereas Grassmere is smaller and more friendly. I don't know anything about Grazebrook.

HTH.

thanks imaginary!

We used to live around there, although moved before DCs of school age - so my 'knowledge' is purely secondhand, from friends, neighbours etc who's kids have gone to these schools.

Betty Layward (which is reasonably new, isn't it?), William Patten and the C of E one on Stokie Church St seemed to be the ones everyone was clambering to get their kids into. Layward seemed very...umm...white to me for a school in such a mixed area, so I suspect the graphic designers-who-lunch-shop-at-Olive-loves-Alfie brigade all send their kids there ...?

I also heard some good things about Grassmere. A few friends have kids there and are happy with it. My neighbours were generally snobby about Grazebrook and there were lots of 'Ooh, no, you don't want to send your kids there' type comments at M&T group, although what they were based on is anyone's guess.

Sorry, that was just a load of unhelpful hearsay, wasn't it?