Mucky72

Hello all, So our move got delayed due to too many reasons. Now looks like we can move just after Easter. We spent the weekend in Bromley yesterday and narrowed down to Bickley and Bromley, (close to Bromley and Bickley stations)preferably Bickley, but could stretch it to Shortlands and Ravensbourne. Our first choice is Bickley Primary which may well be over subscribed atm. However there are a few other schools around which we are likely to find rented accommodation. These are: Raglan Downderry Valley Primary Clare House Any feedback on the above schools would be much appreciated and also if there are any other schools in these vicinity please which are good and may have slipped through my net. X

SE2mum, This is what baffles me how I always seem to get different responses from diff schools and boroughs! Doesn't help the situation does it! There seems to be no clarity or uniformity between and among councils and schools. Having said that I got a kind response from Bromley council today basically saying the same thing that I need to move into an area first.

Hi Edanna/Olive Tree Thanks for yr msgs. Yes going by a school and then picking an area to live might not be the best bet right now. We are still keen on Heber but will take a call once we go visit the areas shortly. I was very disappointed to learn that we can only name one school in their year application form. At least that's what Southwark council told us. Not so sure about Lambeth/ Lewisham?? Olive Tree- Are you a medic too @ Kings? We have some friends who used to live in Dulwich village but have moved to herne hill now and they really like it! V encouraging words you say about Bessemer Grange. May have to give it another thought and visit the school since this name keeps coming up.

Hiya Johnie Will probably drive down for a visit soon and kip over with family/friends but thanks for the hotel info. Londons like second home to us so this will just be one more visit! Will be easier to short list and take a call once we have a gander.

Canela- Glad it paid off for you! Have been hearing good things about Heber Primary and having checked out other reports and reviews and looking at the school's website, I was quite pleased overall. I have rung the school twice now and had a chat. There are two places available right now in Yr 2 and none in reception, although nobody in the waiting list for Reception has a sibling in school which means if my DS were to get a place in Yr 2, DD would certainly be on top of the waiting list due to sibling. All good so far and we might even be willing to take a risk on that. However, here's the catch- DC and I can't actually move in to the area until end of March because of personal circumstances here in Cardiff one of which is we are committed to pay the full terms fees (until Easter) in DS's current private school in Cardiff since this relocation was all very sudden and we had to give a terms notice to the school. So align he only started a week ago, we couldn't pull out as we had to pay for the term! Same goes for our current house in terms of rent. Can't really afford to throw away term fees and rent AND rent a new place in London at the moment!! I explained this to Heber and Southwark Council and they said if they were to offer us a Yr 2 place then DS would have to start there immediately. Well Heber said they could wait upto 2 wks but that's it. They can't allocate a place to us now and hold it until March. So basically I can apply a few weeks before march and hope the places are still available or apply now if we want the place but then he would have to start no later than 2 weeks after accepting the place (unless the head teacher uses his or her discretion to extend it beyond 2 wks, acc to the council). Also just found out that for in year applications I can only name one school in the application form. Isn't that a bit harsh? So basically we have no choice and in case our choice isn't available the council can allocate us whichever school they want. That seems one hell of a gamble! Our kids are currently going to two wonderful schools in Cardiff and I would expect similar if not identical standard of schools to be honest. Is this the case with Lewisham/Lambeth/Bromley too?? Although DS is going to the best private school here at the moment, I am not keen to split the kids when we move to London as it will be a new place for them anyway and I don't want them to have the additional distress of being apart (and it would not be feasible to have them both in private school in London where the fees seem to be almost quadruple!!) So I am now trying to weigh the pros and cons of whether to bide my time and apply to Heber now or later. Fortunately Southwark council seem to be ok with us applying using our current address and not providing proof of address right now but am I right in thinking its not the same with Lewisham or Lambeth? Also as a back up (and since I was told one can also apply to lewisham borough separately) would it be wise for us to consider an area with good primary schools closely even though none of them have spaces currently. The schools which come to mind are Stillness, Dalmain, Horniman, Kilmorie- is there an area which roughly covers these schools so that as a mid year transfer they might consider a place for us in one or two of theses schools even in the worse case scenario of the DC being apart but close enough for me to do the school runs and be in a good area overall, if that makes sense. Apologies for rambling on....I have even started to imagine primary schools in my bowl of Weetabix every morning! ;-) Whoever thought admissions could be such a nightmare!

Hi ZGaze - Is your DC going to Reception at Dulwich Wood Primary? Canela- Your words are encouraging. I just hope we don't get into a situation whereby we move to the area we like and then be stuck with sending kids to a mediocre / dodgy school allocated far away by the council due to over subscription in the nearby good schools! Will be truly stuffed then :) Vez- Thanks. Might have to make a trip down before making a decision. I am wondering how far a commute it would be from Langbourne/ Dulwich Wood to DV (by car).

In which case I am wondering if it makes any sense to displace the kids at the moment when they are both going to two very good schools here. Might just be an option to wait until July and apply for Sep placements. That way they finish their whole year here. 😁Confused.com!!

Hello Bluesuperted I tried Kilmorie and they are full :(

Well looks like all good schools are full up and I can't really afford to take up a place in one school with the hope that sibling will ultimately get a place. It really is a chicken and egg situation for us and unfortunately neither schools not councils can understand our situation that we are far away in Cardiff and can't really provide an address because we don't even know which school will have two vacancies. As far as I can see there shouldn't be application deadlines for mid year transfers so essentially we can try and get a place around a school which will have two spaces for our DC. But every school and council wants us to apply with proof of address. What I cannot understand is if there are vacancies in a school can't I provide a temporary London address and then once I get a space (which shouldn't be difficult for school or council if there are spaces) then I can look for a house and provide proof of address. Am I missing something here? Also, since many of the councils overlap in case of particular schools (Southwark and Lambeth for example) can I apply for diff schools in diff councils either under same form Or a separate form? It's all getting a bit confusing. If I am already applying as a mid year transfer right now, do I need to fill in an application form for Sept again in order to meet the Jan deadline? Our biggest dilemma seems to be not finding a decent school and therefore not being able to rent a place. We are completely undecided on area because of all the good schools being full. And councils will joy accept application forms without providing proof of address! None of the councils other than Bromley are being very helpful. Southwark is impossible to get through within the 2-5 pm window. I got a list of 5 school names with two spaces from Wandsworth council and I think the less said about these schools the better :)

Hi EDMummy DH would be taking public transport to Kings. Heber seems like a good school, will give it a shot too. I did visit Dulwich many years ago when a friend of mine lived there, seemed nice enough at that time. Tried Wandsworth council today and basically they sent only 5 schools in the clapham area which had vacancies in both yr 2 and Rec. Needless to say I wouldn't consider any of those on their list! DC are both going to two great schools in Cardiff and in case we don't find the school of our choice DC and I might stay on until we find a decent school in London, esp since we have already paid until Easter for the Independent school here (St Johns College). Also called Judith Kerr (no spaces in Rec, 1 in Yr 2), Beecroft and Scott's Park neither of whom had vacancies. Ah well the search continues...

Snowboarder- Just read a review/ Report of Langbourne Primary. OMG! I can see why it is not oversubscribed :)

Hi Snowboarder, Is Langbourne the same as Dulwich Wood Primary? If so I spoke to the school and they seem to have spaces for both DC! However I know a nothing about this school or area. So any feedback would be highly appreciated. Particularly since Dulwich was my first preference as an area rather than Bromley which is pretty but far but then I may not have a choice and I would choose a good school far away than a not so great school closeby but then that's just me. Elfy- No luck with Rosendale :( Expected I suppose from a good school. Townleygreen- I spoke to Balgowan. They are full in Rec and I was told one family in Yr 2 is moving end of the month but I am not sure if there is a waiting list or not already. I will have to doublecheck this with Bromley Council. The other school which has 2 spaces is Oaklands Primary in Biggin Hill. Does anyone know anything about this school or area please? Thanks!!!

Hi Scareyt There aren't any places in Bessemer Grange. Am seriously considering Bickley and Petts Wood now. Lot of good schools around there I find. Bickley Primary and Crofton have been reccommended by a friend.

Hi DVNewbie, Gubodge, lillyanginger and others Spent the whole of yesterday and today speaking to all the different schools and councils and it's not looking good :( Basically southwark council adm team is all through a call centre who can't provide any information on school vacancies so I have been given an email to contact council in year admission directly, which I did and got an automated response! This is the situation so far: spoke to the lewisham council and got the info below Eliot Bank- Full Fairlawn- full Dalmain- full Stillness- full Horniman- full St Savior- full Dog kennel- Full Lyndhurst- Full Kilmorie - has a place in reception but none for yr 2 (we would be no 4 on waiting list with the top one being a sibling one) Jessops has a place in reception but none in year 2 (no waiting list currently on yr 2 however if no one leaves in yr 2 I still won't get a place even if I am top of the list!) St johns & st Clements - no places in reception The only school which has vacancies in both year 2 (1) and reception (8- slightly worrying?!) is St Michaels. Does anyone know anything about this school? Had a quick gander about this school but not sure if I fancied the neighbourhood at all! Sydenham can have some very dodgy sides!! And the OFsted report didn't seem all that promising. Still waiting to hear from a few others like Goodrich, Goose Green. DV infant school - Reception waiting list is currently at 78! So even if DS is offered a place in yr 2, DD may not even get a place due to the sibling criteria because by July unlikely she will get a place and after that DS will have to change schools and go to Hamlet Junior so not sure if DV is an option anymore. So looking like we may have no option but to explore places further away like beckenham, chiselhurst, bromley, bickley? Any feedback on good schools in these areas- I know of Highfield, Clare House, Raglands Primary, Hayes, Bickley Primary, Scott's Park, St Nicholas but only by name and suggestions. Tubbendale seems to be very popular amongst some although OFsted score was only 2/5 a few years ago. This is turning out to be tougher than I thought! :(

Hi sillywoman- I see what you are saying about taking a punt on the younger sibling. But to be honest I would rather they both go to the same school when we are in a new area. Currently both kids are going to two diff schools as DS didn't get a place in DD's school (which was my first choice) and hence had to move him to an independent school here in Cardiff (St Johns College) as I wasn't too keen on the school allocated to him by the council. So school runs are a nightmare for me everyday. It would certainly be easier for me if they are both in the same school even if it's for a year. Belle- I rang Goodrich today but was told they aren't allowed to give out info on vacancies and I needed to go via the council, so that's what I have to do unless a kind and helpful mum like yourself can be a star and find out for me if they have vacancies currently in Reception and Yr 2 (sometimes staff are more forthcoming to parents than outsiders!) I shall check out St Johns and St Clements too. Lochie- Yes we definitely haven't ruled out Beckenham/ Bromley- hearing good things about those areas although tbh I wanted to stay a bit closer to Southwark/Lambeth regions - just gives me more of a living in London feel (am I being daft I wonder ;-) Will check out the schools you suggested. Thank you all for the suggestions/ low down on schools and areas. It's not looking that daunting anymore! :) one question - what are connections to central London like from all these areas?