Dunraven School (Streatham)

[Iamaworrywart]

Hi All,

Are there any parents out there with children at Dunraven. If so what is your honest opinion about the school. It is down as our second preference on our CAF form so it's a real possibility we may get offered a place as we live around the corner. Open Session was very busy though and a little chaotic at times,so I'm not sure we got a real sense of the school. Hearing from actual parents would be brilliant.

There is a MN-er with a child at Dunraven, so keep this bumped

Several children near us go and their parents are v pleased with it.

What's your first choice? (if you don't mind me asking)

Kingsdale is our first choice but due to lottery system of admission no guarantee of getting in. What are your friend's children like if you don't mind me asking. My son has mild dyslexia and pastoral care is very important for us as well as being able to contact teachers easily etc to resolve any concerns etc.

The ones I know are either v high achieving kids, doing well, or laid back, slightly hippyish kids - doing well and being happy there. The kids behave well in the local shops and playground, and a friend (no connection to the school, no kids at the school) who had an isolated incident with some bad behaviour in the street reported it to the school and they clamped down on it very heavily - invited her in to a meeting to look at photo of likely suspects, kept in touch letting her know how the investigation was going etc!

I have heard no direct reports of pastoral care issues, so simply don't know.

There's a MN-er with DCs at Kingsdale, too

My neighbour's grandson has just gone to a Russell Group university to do a heavily oversubscribed subject from Dunraven. He was apparently very happy there and did well.

Have you looked at Elmgreen? Their system of keeping a form tutor throughout a child's school career, in mixed age tutor groups or college groups, I forget what they call them, would suggest good pastoral care. Also I know one parent whose child goes to ElmGreen, and she was commenting on the speed and efficiency with which the Head called her back having asked him something casually in the foyer!

What you say about retaining form tutors sounds interesting, but Elmgreen wasn't one of our preferences.

You could put a link to this on the local 'Lambeth' MN board, and then Lambeth MN-ers will get it stickied at the top of their 'active convo' list, and be more likely to see it.

Thanks Blu that sounds like a brilliant idea, I'm going to try and do that.