Grazebrook or William Patten School in Hackney anyone?

[Feedtheducks]

Might be moving round there and while generally being quite relaxed about whatever the local school happens to be (well so I thought anyway, maybe not!) would love to hear from people who know these schools. More interested in the culture and vibe than academic success etc etc

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Sorry cant help re: culture vibe, but know the area and would strongly consider moving within 100m of both these schools if not less! Another school is Betty Layward you may want to look at.

Both are well thought of - I know someone with kids at Grazebrook who are v.v.happy. Someone told me today Betty Layward's dull, though that's only one opinion. She said the curriculum's unimaginative, so might not be for you. Go visit, you'll get a good sense of each more easily.

BL a bit authoritarian (for Hackney!) from what I saw, WP much looser (we toured and weren't even allowed to talk to the teachers) Grazebrook goes up and down in local opinion like a yoyo. Huge pressure on the'good' N16 schools (WP, BL, Grasmere) which leaves the rest of them looking somewhat deprived. Catchment for both WP and BL is around 0.2 miles at the moment I think - details on the Hackney Learning Trust website.

thanks all. that catchment looks tight cockles. can't find on learning trust website but guess i'll call them on tuesday.

My daughter is in year 1 of Grazebrook and she is very happy indeed. It certainly isn't seen as "the" school to get your child into, which i think, benefits it. A new Head started last September and the school has just gone from strength to strength. It has improved in all areas considerably, the outdoor space works really well and they have an array of after school clubs, a breakfast club, a very good football team.... The list goes on. I was a little unsure when she started, but i can happily say, that i am really pleased she goes there. Oh, and there is a school uniform. If you want any other info, just ask.
Emma

Hi. I'm also interested in this thread as Grazebrook is where our daughter will most likely be going next year. Snowdropemm - I was very pleased to read that you and your daughter are v happy with it. We liked the school when we visited but my only two slight niggles with it were a) the fact that a lot of 'bribery' seemed to be used (green card system in classrooms and attendance prizes for class etc) and b) the corridors didn't feel like a very creative space. Is this reflective of the school? Other schools I've been in have big displays of childrens' work all over the walls but Grazebrook felt rather bare. Anyway, not major worries but I'd be interested in others' opinions. thanks!

My dd is at William Patten - started reception last Sept - she loves it. It has a nice vibe and their is lots going on.
Another nice school is Jubilee - we were in the catchment area for both and would have been happy with either.

Mrsseahorse,

There is quite a bit of work on the walls, mainly large displays by year group, and there are also displays in the infant hall...When did you visit?
My daughter only got a certificate for 100% attendance, i know nothing about prizes. That may be for juniors? Attendance used to be a problm but it seems that the children love coming to school now...as reflected by the reward system. Getting on gold is a great challenge, one most of the children seem to relish...and the main reward for this is a sticker and a postcard home to Mum and Dad...rarely does a child go below green, and if they do the reasons are talked about. It seems to work really well.
This school has improved no end, and the encouragement from the Head is just fantastic...
Emma

This kind of 'bribery' seems universal - I've seen it in all the schools round here and the teachers seem pretty keen on it & think it works. As far as Grazebrook goes, check with the learning trust what the furthest distance of this years' intake was - its catchment has shrunk considerably as it's very popular.

I was a bit put off by uniform, and also bribery stuff (only from reading here). the other local school is holmleigh. outstanding ofsted, lots of kids with esl. i like the sound of william patten but at .3 miles away might not fit the catchment?

ps but agree in its favour not the be "the school" - which is grasmere, no?

snowdrop nice to hear from someone with a child there. i read there is a little bit of woodland - sounds lovely. is that true? (need to go and see the school for myself obviously!)

Hi Feedtheducks,
There is woodland, its also got some "adventure" type playthings which are used by year 1 and upwards. My ds thinks it the best part of the 2 play grounds.
Having had tons of nice clothes ruined at nursery, i really like having a uniform - its black skirts/gymslips or trousers with a white or pale blue polo shirt and the grazebrook sweater. it also ensures that each child is seen as the same, which is good. equally there is also fair proportion of esl children as with Homleigh.
I really dont see the reward scheme as bribery. in my mind in encourages the children to think about their behaviour and the consequences. And they seem to get along with it well.
We have a summer fair on July 3rd (i think) so come and have a look.

Hi Emma
thanks for your comments. All heartening stuff. We visited in February (I think). Maybe they were just in process of changing displays or something.
With fingers crossed that dd gets in, I'm kinda looking forward to it. Agree that schools without the pressure of being 'the one' are probably far better/healthier/more interesting places... For anyone interested the 2010/2011 intake cut off distance for grazebrook was 0.388 mile (rang Learning Trust today). William Patten was 0.183 mile. Crazy...

that's funny mrsseahorse - i rang them too - they must wonder what's going on!

anyway, look forward to visiting...

hello
I have a DS at William Patten. It is a lovely friendly school in an old Victorian building (no lift) with a community vibe--famers market on Saturdays.
Grazebrook is a more modern building, more space, had some recent issues (I think it was on special measures) so there are mixed feelings locally about what it is like now. But all local schools are pretty good really unless your child has SN. DD would not have gone to WP because it's the wrong environment fo rher--too noisy, too many stairs, too many kids. So she would have gone to Holmleigh (single form entry, very friendly, definitely recommend)
Anyway I would strongly advise visiting, you will get a gut feeling about which schol is right for your child and where they will be happiest.
PS welcome to Stokey--we are leaving after 15 very happy years.

Hello

We're trying to move to Stokey but the catchment areas of the schools are making this impossible! So many other families all trying to move into an area covering about 4 streets - madness. Anyway good to hear some more insider info about the schools. I have friend whose daughter is at Grazebrook and they also really like it and have good things to say about the head. I think Grasmere only has an intake of 30 each year so makes it even more impossible to get into! I like the look of WP but houses around there seem few and far between at the moment.

PS. Arabica, don't suppose you want to sell us your home??

thanks so much for replies.

jeez the cost of houses now though! and it seems to go up about £50k depending on which school it's near. Shocker...

are you leaving london arabica?

Twinkle, we only have a 2-bed flat, which you can see on the Next Move website. Victorian house with a tree outside. Sadly we can't afford to upgrade to a house anywhere in Hackney so we are looking in Waltham Forest which is cheaper.

Am intrigued by the comment about four streets. There are many more choices than that--which schools are you after?

Hi Arabica - nice flat if it's the one I think it is! We were just gazumped on a house in that street, sadly. The prices are crazy, though less so than where we currently live!

Maybe 4 streets was a bit of an exaggeration but looking at WP school, the catchment area last year was 0.296 miles/476 meters according to this. That covers (to the South of Church Street) Dynevor Road, Dumont Road, Kynaston, Lavers, Chesholm, most of Nevill, Kersley raod and Brodia road but stops at Oldfield road. That's a pretty small area to be house hunting in. Grasmere is a smaller catchment because of the one class intake but Betty Layward is slightly bigger. Can't find Grazebrook on that list but properties around those streets seem even more expensive despite a less popular school!

Hope you find a lovely home to move to.

Nosied at this thread as we have just moved from Stokey. We would have applied to Sir Thomas Abney (Stamford Hill) for dd - she was at Grasshoppers playgroup there and I really liked it. Holmleigh lovely and small (WP is huge) too.

Arabica, we have just moved to north Walthamstow, near Lloyd Park -no regrets so far (and lovely to have a big garden too)!

(Ps to the OP, think you are right to not worry about it - all the local primaries are fine)

That wp catchment has around halved this year, btw.

anyone know anything about northwold? satisfactory in 2008 but new head - has it improved?