Opinion on Dulwich hamlet junior school

[Themarkets]

Hi all.

We are considering moving our children from Heber to Dulwich Hamlet junior School...

I would appreciate your opinions/experience of Dulwich Hamlet school to help us make our decision.

Cheers

[albert]

We moved our child from Heber to DHJS. She has never looked back. Misses some of her friends, but her only regret is that she didn't move sooner. Much richer curriculum. Teaching better. More fun. They're more grown up and the children have a much greater sense of community and responsibility. Superb for sport and music. She's just read this post and says. "That's true". Do it. Sorry Heber.

[Dulwich Born And Bred]

No need to be sorry about Heber. There is massive room for improvement with that school . They need to take a leaf out of all the other schools in Dulwich books , OFSTED agreed in that case too .

Back to Dulwich Hamlet, all the children I know that goes there think it's great . Can't get more praise than that .

[bornagain]

"Teaching better. More fun. They're more grown up and the children have a much greater sense of community and responsibility. Superb for sport and music. She's just read this post and says. "That's true". "

Dulwich Hamlet is without a doubt an outstanding school and much of the above is true.

BUT it may not be your cup of tea.

If you like: Dulwich Village. You like culturally, racially, socio-economically and ethnically UNdiverse schools (it is overwhelmingly white, middle-class with a real atmosphere of privilege). If your child is NOT special needs and is relatively academic. If you regret that you don't have money to send to private school. You will love it.

If however you/your child is not the above then your/your child may not feel that at home there.

I dispute that it has a 'richer curriculum'. I agree that some of the curriculum is excellent and challenged the children. However there were elements of it that were incredibly old-fashioned. They are very keen on 'projects' - the type where parents have to slave away in the evening coming up with something amazing for the child to take to school.

Having experience of other local schools, it does not feel like a 'London' school (this may or may not be a good thing for you)

[sanity girl]

My daughter is there and loves it. I have been impressed by the way the school encourages independence in the children and they offer a lot of additional activities - e.g. lots of sports, free clubs and lunchtime etc. I disagree with most of bornagain's comments - particularly "if you regret that you don't have money to send to private school". What nonsense.

[bornagain]

sanity girl, you are clearly of the camp that it is your cup of tea (and nothing wrong with that).

I said and will say again that it is an outstanding school in many ways - but what it is is dictated by the community it serves - Dulwich Village.

[sanity girl]

Fair enough. I don't agree about the atmosphere of privilege comment though - there are plenty of us with children there with modest lifestyles- e.g. single parent families, lower incomes. I grew up in Dulwich before it became so very expensive and also went to Dulwich Hamlet and I'm delighted that my children can go there too. Also I have yet to experience any homework projects where my involvement is expected. The school's expectations re. homework seem very reasonable and my daughter is able to get on with it by herself.

[Sol]

Agree with Sanity girl; I don't feel is that privilege; very normal people to me; some middle class people, some people in lower income; some teachers and part time workers, some stay at home mums. My child goes there and is happy; I do not have anything else to compare it with so it is difficult to give an oppinion. I did go to Heber for a tour and had the feeling it still needs to improve a lot in terms of sports and other activities; children there seem happy though.

[Sol]

However I do know a child who moved there from another local school and it took him a long time to settle; he missed his friends from the other school a lot; school helped him and he made new friends but I don't think it was the same for him; it depends a lot on your children and how adaptable they are; DHJS is very good but the majority of the kids will come from the infant school with friendships already established; go with your children if you can and consider their opinion

[Themarkets]

Hi all, thanks for comments and PM.. I understand Mr Block the headmaster is now leaving at the end of school year..

This makes my decision all the harder... Or does it?

[dulwichDad11]

Another perspective - one of my children moved to DHJS from a school in the west country, in difficult family circumstances, and Sonia Case, the head, was fantastic and the school extremely supportive. She made more friends in DHJS than she had previously in the West country school. Kids don't all respond the same, and school moves are often disruptive of their education, but my experience is that children going through troubled times starting mid-year can thrive at DHJS. But it isn't the most diverse primary in London.

[Sol]

Who is Mr. Block? the Headteacher is Sonia Case

[Dulwich Born And Bred]

He is the head for Heber .

[Sol]

Ahhh; Thank you; got confused

[yeknomyeknom]

Hello,

forgive my ignorance. The website for Dulwich hamlet juniors says pupils start at age 7. So you have to have them in another school then move them over?

[landsberger]

Good luck with that - you do know they are horrendously oversubscribed, and presently full in every year group, I presume? Or have you already been offered a place? (lucky you if this is the case) They are a very good school, and, as you can see, very popular, and yes, a very diverse (though definitely with more of a White-UK middle class base than Heber) school socially and ethnically.

[yeknomyeknom]

Thanks. But what do you do with your child before the age of 7?

[Pickle]

I think the majority of the children attend Dulwich Village Infants prior to moving to Dulwich Hamlet Juniors. Very small catchment area for both schools.

[sanity girl]

They go to Dulwich Infants or another primary for Reception, Y1 and Y2.

yeknomyeknom Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Thanks. But what do you do with your child before

> the age of 7?

[Sqiggles]

Although a lot of the children at Dulwich Infants go onto Dulwich Hamlet, there is a bit of moving about at 7 for a number of reasons. One is that the Infants is a church school, and therefore its admission criteria is different from DH's. People also move house - you have a do the whole catchment area thing again at 7, so you might not get a place if you have moved since reception. Also some children preusmably move into the private sector at 7.

I have always thought that this is a bit tough for the other schools nearby - a risk of losing quite a few children who they have worked hard with at the end of year 2 - but I suppose the answer to that is that parents only want to move children if they are not happy with the current school?