Primary Schools?

[Belle]

Anyone get their first choice? I got my third choice, so can't complain.

[sydderslass]

Yes!!! Hurrah hurrah, v happy. Thanks i feel to a 'sensible' application, listing LOCAL schools that we had a chance of getting in to...many friends, both local and non were disappointed, yet only applied for one or two, and long shots at that. V few posts about schools on this site - why is that you suppose? (i have a few ideas of my own....)

[Suzee]

A slight change in the topic.... We're in the process of finding a new family home and hope to stay in the Sydenham area. For those of you living on the south side of Sydenham Road (Venner, Tannsfeld, Girton etc): what primary school does your child go to? It seems that there are not many non-faith schools in this area (we probably wouldn't get into a faith school). There is Alexandra School (Bromley borough) on Trewsbury/Cator Rd but that is Junior only, the Infant School is much further away towards Penge/Beckenham.
I would be happy with Kelvin Grove School, but not sure about Adamsrill.... though I think the streets on the south side of Sydenham are outside of the catchment areas anyway!)
Any advice gratefully received!

Sue

[charlieandpip]

We used to live on Cator Road and didn't Alexandra Infants so moved house instead.... though friend just got in from the waiting list for next year. I did like the infant school though, less keen on the juniors.

[caz]

Our kids (and many of our neighbours' on and around Venner Road) go to Eliot Bank. Don't give up if you don't get a place first time round. Waiting lists can be long but people move all the time and very often, those ranked above you won't take up their offer of a place once their child has started elsewhere.

[Suzee]

Wow, Venner Rd would be nowhere near the current catchment area for Eliot Bank. This year and last year it has been less than 500m which is very small. I wouldn't like to rely on the waiting list as there is no guarantee.
Caz - I take it your children got into Eliot Bank a few years ago?
This year Kelvin Grove took an extra class and it looks like even that didn't increase their catchment to include the roads between Sydenham and Penge East.
Does anyone have any experience of Adamsrill School?
Thanks,
Sue

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[caz]

Hi Sue, they got in last year. Clearly, there is no guarantee and you may not get a place at the school of your choice straight away, but everyone we know who tried this route succeeded.

[Suzee]

Hi Caz, still surprised that they got in as in the Lewisham School Admissions brochure for entry in 2011/2012 has the furthest distance a child was admitted the year before to be something like 468m. Did they use the waiting list then? That is also done on distance.
A friend of mine on Longton Grove didn't get into Eliot Bank this year and she is much closer than most of the roads around Venner.

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[caz]

Unfortunately, I don't know how those stats are compiled. And we did not apply for a reception class place either, so maybe that makes a difference. But because you always have the opportunity to change once your child has started at a school, please try not to worry too much. And if your child did not get its first (or second or third) choice, you might be positively suprised by the school you previously discounted?

[Suzee]

These stats are based on which children got into the reception class. Of course if you are a sibling then you take priority so a child living on Venner Rd, for example may have got in 5 years ago pre-baby boom but would not get in today as are out of the now shrunken catchment. However their younger sibling will still probably get in. That is probably why so many children from around that area attend the school at the moment.

So, what about the other Sydenham/Penge primaries... any thoughts? There seems to be a lack of schools in that part of Sydenham but about 4 in 'upper' Sydenham.

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[poppy]

There is a need for a primary school to serve central Sydenham. If you live anywhere between Lawrie Park area and down to Kent House, for example, it really is down to luck it seems.

I wouldn't rule out the faith schools though. They all take a significant number of children from non-faith families. St John's in Penge is also very popular these days.

Maybe we need some new parents to lobby for a non-faith school in this area. It has been a problem for a very long time and one of the reasons Sydenham has not bloomed as it should because too many families move away when the school issue looms. I think this might be changing a bit now though as people can't afford to house-hop like they did.

And Sydenham is such a great place to live, so it is difficult to leave!!

In the meantime I would advise you to look at them all and get a feel for them. Their Ofsteds and results do not tell the whole story and the support you give your kids at home, what experiences you expose them to and how much time you give them can have a huge impact on how well they do - at primary level anyway.

[MiniFox]

This is a problem that is starting to give me a headache as we live on LPR and have a young daughter. I'm fairly convinced we will have to move for schools. Such a shame

[Julsb]

I live in the "central Sydenham" area identified, and my eldest started at Adamsrill last September. Like many, I pined for Eliot Bank before I made my applications.

It's been fine so far. In fact, it's been so un-worrying that I feel slightly embarrassed about my previous middle class angst. So far, my child has made friends, learned to read, comes home singing silly songs (there was one about a bumble bee tonight) and telling me interesting things he's learned about the solar system.

We're content so far.