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Original poster

Catchemnt Area: Nascot Wood, Watford

30 replies

me4sunny · 19/02/2010 16:52

Does anyone know what nascot wood primary catchment area is? Would really appreciate some help - we will need to move in two years time to get into Nascot/cassiobury (can't really afford cassiobury though) would be a night mare to move close (aka expensive) but not close enough and at the end not get into the school!

Are there any other schools that tend to feed pupils into the grammar schools in Watford?

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Wigeon · 19/02/2010 19:57

Have you seen incredibly helpful website www.schoolguruhertfordshire.co.uk/? Basically, there isn't a catchment as such, it depends each year on how many people are applying. So some years you might get in to a school even if you lived x distance, and some other years you might not. This website explains your chances in preious years.

The grammar schools both have entrance tests, so admission is based on whether your child passes the test rather than specific feeder primaries.

Have you thought about Parmiters as well as the grammar schools? 25% selective on academic ability, and up to a further 10% selection on musical aptitude, but very good results too.

Our DD will probably go to either Parkgate primary or Knutsford (not sure about secondary as she's only 20 months at the mo!!).

We are in north Watford - where are you at the moment?

Wigeon · 19/02/2010 19:57

Sorry - crap linking: again www.schoolguruhertfordshire.co.uk

Wigeon · 19/02/2010 19:58

www.schoolguruhertfordshire.co.uk/

Wigeon · 19/02/2010 19:58

Sorry - still can't get it to work! You get the idea though...

2boys2 · 19/02/2010 20:09

i went to parmiters and lived in north watford. I know of others who went to nascot who lived on courtlands drive who also went on to go to parmiters.

2boys2 · 19/02/2010 20:10

and i went to parkgate - oh happy days!!

Original poster
me4sunny · 19/02/2010 20:10

we are just off Leavseden road, at the very beginning of it, so just across the rail tracks:-)

I've checked that site and than i also checked "good schools guide" and the data for the previous years differs - in particular with regards to our are which is so close to the Nascot wood but is not in "the wood":-)

The reason I haven't considered any other schools was because of the Grammar being "the only" oxbridge schools in the are (apart from independent ones) ...

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2boys2 · 19/02/2010 20:13

sorry what are oxbridge ?

Wigeon · 19/02/2010 20:34

Hi 2boys2! That's funny! Oxbridge is an abbreviation of "Oxford and Cambridge Universities" by the way.

We are just round the corner from you, meforsunny! How old are your DC? Might have bumped into you at playgroups / Sainsburys/ Asda!

Parmiters does send students each year to Oxbridge, by the way! I am assuming your DC(s) are primary age at the moment - who is to tell whether they will want (or be able...) to go to Oxbridge when they are 18?! And a bright kid will get into Oxbridge whatever school they went to.

Original poster
me4sunny · 19/02/2010 20:38

oxford -cambridge - top unis:-)

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Original poster
me4sunny · 19/02/2010 20:39

my son is turning 1 on Monday:-) copsewood road

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Original poster
me4sunny · 19/02/2010 20:41

Parmiter just sounded odd- no idea why and what! so this statement is veeeery subjective!:-)

do you go to cha-cha-cha at all? or gymbore? or swimming?

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Original poster
me4sunny · 19/02/2010 20:44

we want a second child - that's the reason i am looking for a very good, cosy state primary - i can't afford two independent schools ... if he ends up to be the only child than it's a bit easier, I have already put him down on the list for the aldenham nursery

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Wigeon · 19/02/2010 20:55

We were just in Cha Cha Cha today after having been swimming !

Good luck with your search for a great primary - I've heard Nascot Wood is very good, as is Knutsford apparently - I think we are lucky round here as there are several good ones.

Original poster
me4sunny · 19/02/2010 20:59

lol and we went to gymboree today:-)

though actually it was my son and my nanny as I am a fulltime working mom!:-)

well... everyone says that "oh you are so lucky, watford is full of good schools" but I feel that we are not in any catchment areas of any of these schools ...

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Wigeon · 19/02/2010 21:05

Ha!

How did you find School Guru? Was it useful?

2boys2 · 19/02/2010 21:10

Let me get this clear - you are planning your house buying to be in a catchment area of a "good" school that will feed into a "good" secondary just so they will go to "oxbridge".

I think you need to get a grip and do one thing at a time.

Just because you get a good primary doesn't mean you will get a good secondary and even going to a crap secondary doesn't stop you getting into uni.

Catchment areas and the admission rules change a lot over time - more example some schools do not have sibling links.

A friend of mine is head teacher at one of your preferred primary schools, i will tell her how sort after her school is

Original poster
me4sunny · 19/02/2010 21:49

i have a sneaking suspission she knows it already:-)))
to be honest all I want to know is how I can get into school I want - i may than change my mind, but what really upsets me is that I can't control such an incredibly important thing!
And yes, one school doesn't lead to the next good school and vice versa - it's just that to get from one good into the next good school is easier if you are an average pupil, than to get from a less good school. If you are talented than the sky is your limit, but not all of us / our children are talented!:-) some might be average and still even if my son will turn to be average I'd rather he has some advantages from the very beginning:-)

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Original poster
me4sunny · 19/02/2010 21:53

i have a sneaking suspission she knows it already:-)))
to be honest all I want to know is how I can get into school I want - i may than change my mind, but what really upsets me is that I can't control such an incredibly important thing!
And yes, one school doesn't lead to the next good school and vice versa - it's just that to get from one good into the next good school is easier if you are an average pupil, than to get from a less good school. If you are talented than the sky is your limit, but not all of us / our children are talented!:-) some might be average and still even if my son will turn to be average I'd rather he has some advantages from the very beginning:-)

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Original poster
me4sunny · 19/02/2010 21:53

could you friend please tell me which post codes are more likely than others to be in the "catchemnt area"?

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green57313 · 14/03/2010 14:44

me4sunny, this should help www.hertsdirect.org/docs/pdf/u/orpri09.
Basically you are OK if you live within 1500 meters of either school.
PS If you are after Oxbridge, have you considered Buckinghamshire schools?

Primeroset · 23/06/2013 11:50

Hey, need some help and information from anyone please. I currently stay in Basingstoke. We liked a house and we are planning to buy it. It's in wartford leggat green. We have no clue how this area is and how good and which good normal schools are around here. We need to sign the documents tomorrow. Please any help and information is welcome. I do need it. As I m having a dilemma should I cancel the house purchase.FYI - son is in yr 4 now and DD is in rec. house is in build up stage and completing in dec. HELP ME PLEASE !!!

ThreeBeeOneGee · 23/06/2013 21:41

If the end game is to get your child into WBGS or WGGS, then it's important to understand that it won't make any difference at all which primary school they go to. Primary school is not considered under the admissions criteria of either of those secondary schools.

Unless your child is 'looked after', has a statement of SEN or has a sibling at one of the schools, there are only three ways of getting in:

  1. 10% of places go to the applicants who live closest to the school. This year you had to live within a few hundred metres, and that's a low birth rate year. I will get back to you with the exact distances.

  2. 25% of places go to the children who score highest in the academic test.

  3. 10% of places go to the children who score highest in a music audition. Only those children scoring highest in a musical aptitude test are given the opportunity to audition.

(4) In some years, there are extra places left over for the children living closest to the school. This year at WBGS, one place was awarded under this criterion.

To be honest, (3) can be a bit arbitrary. Many talented musicians don't even get the chance to audition. (2) can work if your child is in the top 5% of academic ability and has a good day on the test day. (1) always works if you move (long-term) to within 200m of the school.

ThreeBeeOneGee · 23/06/2013 21:48

Ooops, have just noticed that the original thread was 3 years old, so presumably the OP has made the move to Watford by now. Oh well, hopefully my advice will help someone else if they find this on a search.

To Primeroset: I don't know that area specifically, but most of the primary schools in the wider area are of a good standard. Would you move in the January? It might be tricky to get a Y1 place and a Y5 place in the same school immediately, but once one of your children gets a place then the other would be a high priority as a sibling.

ThreeBeeOneGee · 23/06/2013 21:52

Is it the Taylor Wimpy development? If so then I think Berrygrove and Leavesden Green schools would be close to you. I haven't heard anything negative about either.