Sinai school in Kenton

[petelly]

I know it's a bit of a long shot but does anyone know anything about the school?

We've jsut been offered a Y1 place.

My SIL is a teacher there, but I don't know any parents there. I assume you mean a Y1 place for January rather than for September?

Its supposed to be a very good school - where is your DC now (ie why is your moving now?)

some of the boys at DS school went there when they were younger and they are "nice" boys IYSWIM

I don't know the parents enough to ask them about their DSs primary school

now they are 14/15 years old so obviously left quite a while ago

Yes, the place would be immediate, so I guess for January.

I know two parents with children at the school. One parent I've emailed and he said it's great but haven't managed to speak to him yet. The other couple hate the school and said head only cares about league tables. But the first couple are very laidback and easygoing and I could imagine them being positive about most situations (which is a generally good life trait !!}

My dd's at a local community school - not one we'd have chosen, but the best one with a vacancy within reasonable distance. We just moved to the area over the summer so she's only been at the school for one term. We had her down for Sinai then but it was full at the time.

I'm really not sure what to do for the best. Can't say I'm over enthused about the school's she's at for various reasons. But dd is happy, settled and started to make friends. She doesn't want to move and I'm hesitant to force since it'd be her 3rd school and she's only in Year 1!!

I don't know if it's considered good because of its SATS, which you'd expect to be good considering the intake or because it's a genuinely good school. And is it sufficiently better than the one she's at to justify moving her. That's my dilemma at the moment!

From what I have heard its a good school - and no not just because of SATS. My SIL loves the school (she teaches Y4).

Presumably you prefered a jewish school and hence thats why you put her name down - move her, she'll get over the move quickly and make friends. And you'll be more likely to make friends with the other parents IYSWIM.

I have a friend with a DD in year 1 at sinai(my DD is in year one but at different jewish school) - if you contact me I can give you her number.

I moved my DD each year different school for pre-nursery, nursery and reception and one term into the new school in reception it was fine.

MumNWL: Thanks for the info - just tried PM-ing you for the contact details (or to give you mine if preferred). It'd be great to speak to another parent, especially Yr 1.

We did speak to the other Yr 1 family we know and they enthused about the school, absolutely love it.

We're kind of torn with the Jewish school thing. We are quite religious and go to synagogue, celebrate festivals but it's all reform/liberal. I also don't like that Jewish school means almost no ethnic diversity. Her last school was Jewish but liberal and had quite a few non-Jewish children.

Unfortunately, what's happened in our area (Edgware) is that nearly all the Jewish children go to Jewish school so in dd's class, slapbang in the middle of a Jewish area, there are no other Jewish children. On the other hand, it is nice for dd to learn Hebrew and Jewish history (although she already goes to Sunday school). And the Jewish schools also tend to be very good ones.

I'd also, if anything, prefer Rosh Pinah which is walking distance. We've put my younger dd down for nursery there, which would (if she gets in - apparently loads of applications this year) put my older one at the top of the list. If we go for Sinai, we're committing ourselves to a 4 mile drive every morning.

It's all so complicated!! I'm going to see the school this afternoon so will have better idea then.

Hi

My son is in year 1 at Sinai and is doing so well. He can't wait to go to school in the mornings and we are very happy with his progress in all areas. We have always found the school very helpful and approachable if you want to speak with the teacher, either at the end of the school day or on the telephone. I would have no hesitation in recommending that your daughter joins Sinai if you want her to have a Jewish education.

Mummyandbaby:

Thanks for the info. Much appreciated!!

Can you try and call Rosh Pinah explain the situation and find out what your chances are for your younger child as the closing date for applications is probably past, as i can see you just couldn't move your older DD AGAIN, and its better to be at a more local school.

Also are you applying for a reception or a nursery place for Rosh Pinah as a lot of these schools give priority to kids in the nursery so if your DD is not at the nursery probably impossible to get reception place.

have just enabled the chat thing so you should be able to contact me.... another thought is that you also apply for sinai for younger DD and wait to see where she gets in and then you can move your older dd to whatever school her sister gets a place at.

Thanks MumNWL, will pm you.

Good idea about RP. They were a bit cagey about chances on Monday when we submitted the nursery application but may have more info now.

I agree, couldn't move her for a fourth time! Poor little thing!

Sinai is a nice school and I am sure that your DD would be happy there but if you are walking distance from Rosh Pinah then I'd drive them mad until you get a place there, there really is a steady turnover. The beauty of RP is that most of the children are local, my DS's class are entirely Edgware and Mill Hill and there are always people popping in and out of our house, it's a real community school, it has its faults as all schools do but hand on heart I wouldn't move my kids from there if we won the lottery.

I have also heard that the nursery for next year is very sibling heavy but if you are walking distance then you've a good chance of getting in there. If you don't get in then Sinai is still an option and they take another 30 at reception so you'd eventually be able to move both of your children there.

I agree with yayits's comments about driving RP mad. I know its all supposed to be done strictly in distance when places come up, but I am not convinced it always works that way and its often the case that the person who shouts the loudest gets the place. I presume you have applied there - suggest writing each term to tell them you are still waiting and following up each letter with at least one phone call.

What did you think of Sinai? They have just launched their new website www.sinaischool.com.

I'm still torn but leaning to taking the place.

We met with the assistant head who seemed very nice but we met him at 3 and he only showed us the school at 3.40 - so we didn't get to see any of the teachers or children!

We spoke to some parents of Sinai children at services at synagogue this evening. There was a general feeling it was a good school although people weren't overly enthusiastic about the head.

We might not get our little one into RP if it's sibling heavy and then we'd be completely stuck. We're about half a mile from the nursery and a mile from the main school so not for sure we'd get her in as it's not like we're on top of the school - although if you've got children from Mill Hill at RP then maybe?? Yayit - do you know approx the cut-off distance for non sibling children? How far out are children coming in from?

I kind of thinking a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. At least this way we know both of them can go to Sinai. My youngest would nearly definitely get into nursery there if the older one was at the school.

There isn't an actual cut off for distance, a lot of the Mill Hill children are siblings and the non siblings are either at the end of Hale Lane coming into Mill Hill or Apex corner up to about Mill Hill Circus. You just don't know because things can change each year.

Can you go into Sinai during the day to have a look round? It's a really good school and should get your DD well prepared for wherever you want her to go later on, although I am fairly sure that the vast majority go on to JFS, and there are plenty of Edgware / Stanmore children there so I am sure that she'll be fine and make some nice friends.

Thanks yayits.

I really appreciate the info.

If non-siblings do usually go out that far we've got a good chance, especially if they measure from the nursery rather than the school (I'm going to check it out on Monday) although they did warn us that they had lots of applications this year so, like you say, things could change. And even if my younger one gets into nursery there, it's no guarantee that the older one will since it all depends on whether another child leaves even if she is at the top of the waiting list.

It looks like most Sinai children do go to JFS. And the teacher told us there were loads of Edgware children there (they might even start a coach service). We don't have any local school friends anyway because dd's school is in Stanmore and nearly 2 miles away.

There will not be a catchment area - it will just depend on how many siblings in a particular year, so in some years there will be less siblings and families from further away eg Mill Hill/Stanmore will get places IYSYIM. In other years if lots of siblings you'd have to live much nearer.

However its a 2 form entry school and if your older child is top of the list (as your younger child is there) she'll def get a place eventually there is always movement.

Most Sinai children go to JFS but there is a a new cross communal jewish high school opening this year which may suit you better if you are reform/liberal.

The admissions for RP is here:
www.barnet.gov.uk/guide-to-primary-education-in-barnet-2010.pdf
its distance from the school not the nursery so maybe you are right and a bird in the hand is worth 2 in the bush as your younger child would then definately get a sinai place.

Also you should check out what they mean by paragraph d) is it implies that preference is given to people involved with an orthodox synagogue (as school has orthodox ethos) - this might not be right but worth asking.

Thanks for all the info everyone.

Think we're going to move her to Sinai...deciding factor for dh at any rate was dd happily singing 'Away in the Manger' this morning. He looked decidely unhappy when she got 'Lord Jesus I love you'!!

ha ha at Lord Jesus. A mum in DS's class moved her big ones from a prep and said the deciding factor was when her son told her "Jesus loves you". She decided that she was much happier with "Hashem loves you".

LOL Lord Jesus! Mine have come home this week singing "Sevivon" - and telling me the candles have to be "eight and straight" - if you'd prefer that then probably best to move her!

Thanks everyone.

Your input has been really helpful.

We've decided to move her - just phoned school to let them know.

Now I need to break the news to dd. She doesn't want to move, poor thing. I feel bad doing this to her but I think it's for the best in the long term.

The lady I spoke with at the school was lovely and suggested she come along to the Chanukah assembly which I think my daughter will love. She's also going to get the class rep to contact us to arrange for dd to meet other children in the class who are local.

I hope we've made the right decision!

I have been looking out for your update.

Well done on making a decision and I'm sure that it's the right one in the longterm. I know that one little girl came to see the Chanukah show last year and then spent the afternoon in class and it really helped, would they let her come and join the class for an afternoon to get to know her new classmates?

Hope it all goes swimmingly, I just love the spirit in the Jewish schools and we're not particularly religious, it's something really special that I can't put into words.

Well done on making a decision - it will be the right one for you and your DD.

Really recommend playdates over the winter holidays with as many other girls from her new class as possible.

The first few weeks of term will be hard though so be ready for that. And at least this way your LO will be sure of a place.

Good idea about spending the afternoon in the class too - def worth visiting classroom if afternoon in class is not possible.

We've arranged for my daughter to come for the Chanukah assembly next week so she can meet the children and teacher then. We're trying to be positive about moving schools but she's calling the school 'Idiot school' right now!! I just hope this Chanukah assembly is a lot of fun!

I think she's just sick of being the new girl and having to make new friends etc. We only moved back to the UK last year (which dd didn't want to do) so Reception was new to her, she just settled there and then we moved away (which she didn't want to do!) and she began at her current school - and now we're moving her again after a term. Poor little thing, I really feel for her.

Unfortunately, she won't have time for many playdates, if at all, becaue we're going to Israel for the holidays. But the day after we get back, she'll be starting at Sinai so hopefully she'll be ready for the change.

Thanks again for all the input - it really helped.

Just arrange some playdates for the first few weeks of term instead then. Might be more useful then as you can target them more at the girls she has been talking to in school.

I had a hard time with DD at the start of reception - we got a nursery place at our 2nd choice of school not first choice and she spend a year there and then got call very late on (July) did we want reception place at first choice... naturally we said yes but DD was happy in her nursery and thought she was going to reception with all her friends. Although she settled in well at nursery she cried for the first 3 weeks of reception and in the end i had to bribe her not to cry!

Now of course, 4 terms later she's happy and settled...