Primary schools

[uzma]

Hello!

can someone kindly help me collate a list of the primary schools which are good in and around dulwich?

I've done a Google search and have come up with

1. Goodrich

2. Heber

3. Fairlawn

4. Elliot Bank

5. Goose green

6. Horniman ( but their starting age is 5 years?)

7. Harris ED ( is this a manual application ?)

8. Ivydale

I did not grow up in this area - and I only know of schools through reading or driving past them!!!

I am trying to visit as many schools as I can because who knows what we will be allocated!

[bawdy-nan]

This is a useful thing - you can put on your location and it shows you schools nearby ...

http://schoolsfinder.direct.gov.uk/schoolsfinder

[Mellors]

All schools start in the September term after your child's 4th birthday.

Bessemer Grange?

It is likely you will be allocated the one which is closest to your house as catchment areas are so small in this area, so I wouldn't bother visiting ones miles away.

[Renata Hamvas]

Hi Uzma,

below is the message I posted to you around a year ago. From your posting then you live near St Anthony's. You would certainly live too far from Ivydale or Goose Green. You need to look at Southwark's Starting Primary School and Lewisham's equivalent too; these show the last place distances for most primaries. Check your distance in metres to your closest schools. You need to work out your realistic options and put 6 on your form as you risk being allocated an undersubscribed school some way from your home. Be aware that last place distances may move up or down from year to year. If you email me or pm your address details, I would be happy to advise you which are possible options for you.

Renata

Hi Uzma,

if you are living in the area near the bottom of Lordship Lane, I would suggest Goodrich, Harris East Dulwich (which will be in the common application system next year), Horniman's bulge for this year was cancelled but may happen next year, St Francesca Cabrini (does take non-Catholics), Dulwich Wood and Heber. You may think of others depending on where exactly you live. Put your 6 schools in your true order of preference, if you put a long shot first, if you don't get this or your other top choices it won't reduce your chance to get offered a place at your lower placed school if you fulfill the criteria for this school.

Renata

[LondonMix]

With a few exceptions, you generally need to live very close to these schools below to have a realistic chance of getting in?500m or less in many cases.

EAST DULWICH SCHOOLS

Heber

Goodrich

Goose Green

St Anthony?s

Harris East Dulwich

DULWICH VILLAGE SCHOOLS

Dulwich Hamlet (7+)

Dulwich Infants (50% religious intake)

PECKHAM RYE / CAMBERWELL SCHOOLS NEAR SE22

St John?s

Bessemer Grange

Bellenden Primary School

Rye Oak

FOREST HILL SCHOOLS NEAR SE22

Horniman

[uzma]

Hi Renata,

I have your response printed out! I'm just anxious Incase we get offered something out of what we expect. It's good to get a feel for all the schools that are possible. I know a lot of parents get upset and disappointed but I don't want to be one of those parents I would rather be proactive and visit and see more than a few!

[Mellors]

Renata is right - if you're in that area you have no chance of getting into anything other than the really local ones, so no point visiting e.g. Eliot Bank, Fairlawn, Horniman (just bulged this year), Ivydale, Goose Green etc.

[landsberger]

"Good" is such a subjective measure - can I suggest you

a) go the DfE performance tables website (google it)

b) Download all the schools within 1 mile of your postcode

c) Have regard to the above in respect of admissions UNLESS you are religious, have a specific medical or social need and/or have a sibling of the child in one of the schools

d) from this shortlist, VISIT the schools you might like your child to go to. You will be surprised how many parents choose schools solely based on gossip and/or performance at KS2, rather than a visit to the school.

e) Read the Ofsted report(s) for the school

This should allow you to choose, in order, which schools to apply for. Please don't be hoodwinked into thinking if you only make 1 choice, the Council has to give you that choice. You will be amazed how many parents think that is true as well.

[cactus]

Go to the OFSTED website, input your postcode, select primary schools, and you'll see them listed, starting with your closest.

As others have already stated, you will probably only have a realistic chance of gaining a place at your nearest school. None have fixed catchments, this changes year on year, depending upon the number of applicants. For the most popular schools, furthest distance offered can be 500 - 1000 metres.

[Pickle]

Agree with what's been said already, but would also add that instead of going on an arranged visit/open day, visit the schools at times like summer/winter fetes - that way you get a real feel for the school.

We are very lucky to have great state schools in East Dulwich and surrounds. At the end of the day, it's what you make of it, no matter where your child ends up. Get involved, support both your child and the teacher, it's often the support of families that make schools successful, as well as the work of the staff within.

[Monkey]

This concept of choice when it comes to schools is laughable. You don't have a choice, you get into your nearest school or if you're in a black hole, wherever the council can fit you. The only mitigating factor right now is that you have a few new schools which have just opened like Harris ed, which might have space and might be your best best if you can't get into or don't want st Anthony's.

Like pickle says, the best way to judge a school is by visiting at the time of the school fetes, chat to parents and see what feeling you get.

Ofsted reports and ks1 and 2 results are utterly meaningless in my opinion. I know people who have taught in local schools (All outstanding) where kids were constantly shouted at, behaviour was appalling and "sharp practice" ensured glowing ks2 results etc...but if you read the ofsted reports and look at the stats, you'd think you were in dulwich college...

Don't worry about the results. Primaries are all much of a muchness in terms of what the kids get out. Personally, I think it's what you do at home that makes a huge difference.

Good luck!

[tomskip]

Yes, the concept of choice is laughable. Or it would be if it weren't such a serious matter and didn't involve parents in wasting massive amounts of their valuable time.

[uzma]

That's why I want to see the schools that may be a possibility. I highly doubt we would even get Goodrich and heber. People living on Goodrich road near the lordship land side hardly get a space!

[Monkey]

Now that's probably not what you want to hear right now but, say you don't get in Goodrich in September, places do become available on a regular basis. When my daughter was at reception, a place became available at Christmas. So even if you get a place at a school that's too far for example, you're not stuck there for ever. Not ideal,I know, but something to bear in mind. Also new schools like Harris ed might well have a place for you. Things have markedly improved over the last few years.

Wishing you all the best.

[yeknomyeknom]

Probably a silly question. So, if a religion based school is in my top 6 on location, do I not select them? I am the matching religion but not in attendance at their church. Is it a waste of a pick?

[Pickle]

I would still put it on your list. Not all religious schools locally require attendance at their church (the catholic school at the crest of the hill heading up Forest Hill Rd being an example). If it's a school you would be happy with, put it on the list.

P x

[lightweight]

St Francesca Cabrini accepts non-Catholic students.

St John's and St Clements & Dulwich Village Infants have 50% non-church intake (as far as I recall) but you would need to live within the catchment.

St Anthony's just off Barry Road doesn't accept non-Catholic students.

I think those are the nearest church schools in the SE22 catchment.

[yeknomyeknom]

Thank you. All clear. Another question. Do you always get one of your 6? Is there a chance all 6 say no? Then what happens?

[henryb]

No it is not guaranteed. It happened to us. I am not sure of the exact rules in that situation but seems like you get the closest school with available space. If the previous years was anything to go by (which roughly it is) then that is likely to Cabrini or Harris East Dulwich or Dulwich Wood.

Have you seen this?

http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?29,1510029

[landsberger]

lightweight Wrote:

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

> St Francesca Cabrini accepts non-Catholic

> students.

> St John's and St Clements & Dulwich Village

> Infants have 50% non-church intake (as far as I

> recall) but you would need to live within the

> catchment.

> St Anthony's just off Barry Road doesn't accept

> non-Catholic students.

>

> I think those are the nearest church schools in

> the SE22 catchment.

ALL state-funded primary schools with spaces - religious or not - HAVE to accept students who don't fit the religious criteria. They will tell you otherwise, but that's the law. Some (usually C of E) have a 50:50 or 60:40 split between religious/non-religious. The only reason a school wouldn't take someone would be they were full with students who met their religious criteria

[landsberger]

yeknomyeknom Wrote:

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

> Thank you. All clear. Another question. Do you

> always get one of your 6? Is there a chance all 6

> say no? Then what happens?

Usually - most get one of their top 6. The reason people don't are usually that they put only one or two choices; they put 6 completely unrealistic choices; or they put schools down they aren't qualified to go to, as pointed out elsewhere.

What happens then is that you are offered a place at the nearest school with a place. And then the parents usually go mad and start accusing the Council of discrimination, threatening them with lawyers letters, or involving the local press. It seems compulsory for some newspapers to annually run stories on offer day of children not getting one of their parents' choices. Harris East Dulwich had space last year, as did Dulwich Wood and St Georges C of E.

[henryb]

Well we put the 6 closest community schools and didn't get in any. Neither did we do any of those things you describe. A fairly nasty sneer at local parents landsberger, even for you. You work for the council don't you?

[kamath]

like henryb we put our 6 closest community schools that were not unrealistic choices nor schools that we were not 'qualified' to go to and didn't get any of our 6. I agree henryb that was a very unfair comment from landsberger .