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Primary education

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Original poster

Teddington or North Kingston / Ham?

35 replies

Bestbabbymum · 28/05/2010 13:31

Hi, I am thinking to move to one of these areas mainly because of ds who is now 2. Which area are better for schools and as a place to live? we went to both and look ok, but have not found our dream house yet so thought that we need to decide on the area first and then look for houses/schools...Any suggestions?

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aznerak · 28/05/2010 14:26

The schools in North Kingston are fantastic. We bought a house in KT2 in 2002, when our son was 6 months old and stupidly failed to check out the local schools. We SO fell on our feet. Latchmere School is the closest and is a wonderful school. We were also offered a place at the next closest school, Fern Hill, which by all accounts is equally good, I just can't explain as well as we have no direct experience.

North Kingston is a brilliant place to live - walking distance into town, between Richmond Park and the river, very good surroundings, etc etc

I can rave on for ages and if you can find a house in latchmere's catchment area, then I can't recommend it highly enough. Just beware though - its common knowledge that North Kingston primary schools are among the very best in the country and so they are ridiculously popular so you need to live VERY close to stand any chance of getting in.

If you want to know anything else, just ask!

xxx

squashpie · 28/05/2010 15:57

You need to bear in mind secondaries as well. I know your child is only 2 but the secondaries in kingston are dire (well, for boys, at least. Coombe Girls is ok) and the grammars are virtually impossible to get into, which only leaves very expensive private schools. There was a plan to build a new north kingston secondary but that's been put on hold apparently. As previous poster noted, the primaries are outstanding.

Whereas ... Teddington has a great secondary comprehensive school(which you MIGHT scrape into if you lived in North Kingston, I suppose. Not sure).

may19 · 28/05/2010 16:42

My vote would be for Teddington. Although primaries are lovely in Kingston as well. To get into Teddington School you normally have to come in as a pupil from a linked primary school.

cyb · 28/05/2010 16:43

North Kingston always oversubscribed. But is FAB place to live

wibbleweed · 28/05/2010 17:18

I live in Teddington and wholeheartedly recommend it. It has great primaries - DS currently at Collis, which we're v. happy with, but Hampton Wick, St Marys/Peters and Sacred Heart (latter = catholic) all have good reputations too (and all linked to Teddington Secondary) But the area is so popular with families that each year the distance needed to get into many of these schools is shrinking, so you need to be careful where exactly you live.

In North Kingston you've got to be very near Fern Hill or Latchmere to get in. I've got a friend who was about 800m and didn't get into either for her child this year...

We love Teddington - happy to give more of a lowdown

mebaasmum · 28/05/2010 17:20

Teddington has good primaries, Collis (?soon to be 4 class entry) Sacred heart catholic , st marys and st Peters (C of E)and Stanley. As well as Hampton wick infants/ St John baptist juniors. You would need to be careful with Stanley as I believe some of their kids are not getting into Teddington being pushed to go to HCC for secondary. However HCC is due to become an academy in Sept so may be rewally good by the time you need secondary,

deaddei · 28/05/2010 18:52

Coombe Boys is not dire....it is rapidly improving, and I am proud to send my son there.

cyb · 28/05/2010 19:06

dead i dindt know you were local to me

where art thou?

deaddei · 28/05/2010 19:08

New Malden.

cyb · 28/05/2010 19:10

ah. I'm in Kingston

deaddei · 28/05/2010 19:11

I am often to be seen there

cyb · 28/05/2010 19:24

ooh! I wonder if I've seen you before......how exciting

letsblowthistacostand · 28/05/2010 20:10

I'm in North Kingston too. If you're religious there's St Agatha's (catholic) or St Luke's (c of e). I believe St Agatha's actually had some spaces this year as they had a bulge class and it is a fabulous school. Alexandra is adding an extra class permanently and I think Latchmere is too. Just beware of dead zones--check how far away the furthest place was and check on map my run.com how far away any house you're looking at is.

Kingston is a great place to live, lots of stuff for kids to do, great parks, great shopping.

deaddei · 28/05/2010 21:02

You may have marvelled at my beauty in John Lewis, or admired my effortless style in Moka

cyb · 28/05/2010 22:04

whats moka?

deaddei · 29/05/2010 11:56

The coffee shop at the top of the Bentalls Centre- not a new boutique cyb

cyb · 29/05/2010 11:57

OH THANK GOD

deaddei · 29/05/2010 11:58

You are funny cyb.

aznerak · 29/05/2010 13:09

Oooh, I love that coffee shop deaddei

deaddei · 29/05/2010 13:11

Oh another Kingston MN!!!
I go there because I am served, and do not have to stand in a queue while someone decides which frappolattecombo they want.
Maybe we should all meet there
Though I would be intimidated by cyb's style.

cyb · 29/05/2010 18:15

ooh...I sense a meet up

I'm really not all that .....just full of my own self importance

aznerak · 29/05/2010 19:43

which schools are your kids at then ladies?

cyb · 29/05/2010 19:45

Alex

deaddei · 29/05/2010 21:50

Coombe

aznerak · 29/05/2010 22:29

isn't it a small world