Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Primary School Places/N Harringay School
I read with some dismay the recent news stories regarding the shortfall of primary school places in London, and the numbers of pupils who do not get their first preference for places. My son will start school in September 2012, and I would love to hear first hand from parents who have applied this year. Questions that I have running around my head include:
Has anyone not got a place at all?
How many parents got their first choice of schools?
What criteria did parents use to make their selection eg, location/Ofsted reports etc.
Of the three primary schools within a mile of me, North Harringay seems to rate highest on their Ofsted report, but is the furthest away. South Harringay is closest, but scores much lower. I don't think Ofsted reports alone can tell the whole story - so what would parents recommend?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by JulieB on
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Personally I wouldn't rely on a waiting list for an oversubscribed school. My son is in year 2 at Chestnuts and there were only about 2 new children during reception, none in year 1 and one new child in this year so far (I'm not sure about movement in the other class in his year). I also have a friend who is just outside of the St Aiden's catchment and started at position 5 or 6 on the waiting list and in 3 years has got to position 4 and still isn't in.
But this is just my experience of schools and I would be very happy to be proved wrong.
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Permalink Reply by sparkle on
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As a parent at Sth H infants I would say you based on my experience you have at least a reasonable chance of gaining a place during the reception year if you are prepared to hang on and wait until after term starts. The pupil population can be quite mobile and in my son's reception year last year there were 2 or 3 children leaving and arriving. The same has happened again this year in yr 1. If you can hang on you are likely to get a place given how close you are. One of my daughter's friends from nursery did not get a place at a school the parents were willing/able to accept and he stayed on at nursery for an additional 6 months. -apparently that is possible, and can help to avoid lots of chopping and changing if you start somewhere you don't intend to stay. Then they reluctantly went to st peters which they were subsequently happy with, despite misgivings over 'godliness' .
Last year, another nursery friend got a place at Sth H with my son, but the parents preferred a Crouch End school and when Rokesley offered me a place in October (and I turned it down)- they took it.
So the upshot is, there is a fair bit of movement in the schools. Particularly so in those of the ladder as they still have a high proportion of children in temporary housing, or children moving around for other reasons.
best wishes... and gird yourself- I have just done the secondary entrance round with my eldest. (!!)
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Permalink Reply by Germana on
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Hi all, what I was really hoping for is for someone already living in Tottenham to tell me more about schools in N15 as it looks like I have no choice but to look into them if we don't get a place neither in Chestnuts, NH or SH. I see there are also 2 schools on Hermitage Road although one is religious. We are also close to some of the schools in the north part of Hackney. Does anyone know any they think/hear are worth considering?
I am a strong believer in mixing children from different social backgrounds and I think we should not panic over the prospect of having to go East in the borough....(With all due respect to Louise whose predicament I do understand - particularly 2 miles really is too far for the school run - I would prefer and actually have no choice but to investigate schools in Tottenham as homeschooling/private/free school etc are not an option and I live east of Green Lanes anyway).
So, to summarise, it would be great to hear of any experiences of parents whose children are already (or have been offered a place, which they plan to take) in a school east of the borough. If not, it looks like I'll have to do my own research...
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Permalink Reply by Eona Bell on
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Dear Germana,
My son is at St Ann's Church of England Primary School in Avenue Road. It's an excellent school with high standards and a great community feel. Obviously there is a Christian ethos (i.e. a big emphasis on learning to care for each other and for the world we live in, as well as regular Christian worship). I understand that if it is over-subscribed, then church-goers have priority for 90% of places, 10% for families of "other world faiths" and after that the remaining places are open to anyone . It's a very mixed group of pupils. I'm not sure if it's oversubscribed or not, but if so it's partly because it only has one class per year group (and we really like it because it's small) unlike other primaries in N15.
I would highly recommend you ring up and ask to have a look around. Unless you feel very strongly about it, don't rule it out just because it's a church school :-)
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Thanks Eona, that's really helpful! I don't mind a Christian ethos in general (what I would mind is being forced to suddenly pretend I have rediscovered my Catholic roots.....plus I worry about what my son would be taught e.g. about homosexuality) and that school is quite close to us so I'll look into it. Thanks
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Permalink Reply by Iona on
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We live on Warham Road and my son has just got a place at South Harringay, this was choice number 2 (an ambitious choice number 1 was Chestnuts) and we are really happy with the choice but certainly feel lucky due to some of the stories we have heard of people getting none of their 6 choices - however you do have to put wisely - its not surprising people don't get their choices if e.g. they have put Weston park and the likes when they live half a mile away so the main thing is to remember location is key - the nearest school should be your first choice (although I don't live in Crouchers which seems to be another story altogether)
Apparently end of 2006 was a bit of a baby boom hence the massive increase in applicants buts whose to say this isn't the same next year.
Also like to second OAE - i think someone has got their North H and South H mixed up as South has had better Ofsted reports that NH - however that is one day ...one day, that someone has paid a visit to the school - going to see the school is the best way, to be honest I really liked all 3 schools and all the kids seem v happy so that works for me.
Good luck when it comes to your turn !!
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The other school that has improved loads in the last few years is Downhills, that might be worth a look.
If you have time you can make a big difference to a school by getting involved with it, and asking other parents to help too. Become a parent governor, join/create a PSA, volunteer to help in school by reading books, doing a cookery lesson, helping with crafts etc. I think all these things really help a school to improve.
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I agree with Iona.
I would choose your nearest school, mainly for practical reasons. You may wish to use the Breakfast/After School Service or after school activities for example. Also, as your child starts to make friends and wants to have them over to play, it's just easier if you live near your child's school. and you will also get to know other parents over time.
I don't pay too much attention to Ofsted reports, particularly at primary level, a visit or talking to other parents is the best way of getting a feel for the school.
If for some reason anyone does end up on a waiting list/without a place, don't forget that Reception class does a phased entry (well, at NHP they do) so your child won't necesssarily be missing out.
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Permalink Reply by Birdy_Too on
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Invest in your community and send your kids to local schools. They're all pretty good around here and you'll meet loads of friends for your kids and yourself who actually live in this community and you wont have to drive west everyday.
There is a trend around Harringay to neglect local schools thinking that going west will give your children a better start. Well education begins at home and with the great reputation of our local schools your children will reap the benefits of supporting their local school and community.
Some of our local politicians don't believe in this policy which infuriates me, sorry pet hate of mine educational snobbery.
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Permalink Reply by Louise Nazeraj on
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@Birdy Too I may be being a little dense here but is there another option than going for your local schools?
I'd dearly love to go to my local school but I'm out of the catchment by 0.02 of a mile from all of them! We're talking footsteps.
My whole point is that I want a school in the community where I live. The community I have invested in;I have friends and networks in; where my child plays in the park and meets her friends. I have been offered a school two miles away which in London, let's face it, might as well be 20 miles away.
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Birdy read the thread carefully! We all want to go to the local school - that's pretty much the point - but there aren't enough places and catchment areas are tiny. Apparently a combination of rapid increase in demand for schools (like for Chestnuts), but also a baby boom in 2006 (and I remember 2007 was also a record year) that somehow has not been taken into account in calculation how many school places would be needed in the borough, or at least where they would be needed.
I can't see any other reasons why we have people from Muswell Hill being asked to go to Tottenham (I know someone in this situation, who is appealing, bla bla, and many will opt for private schools/homeschools/free schools whatever for sure, but ultimately some will have no choice and will have to sit on buses, or worse for all of us drive their cars across the borough every day twice a day to do a very absurd school run)...
We are faced specifically with the prospect of not getting a place in any local school and having to travel quite far (although probably not as far as 2 miles). That's why it's important to be able to make realistic choices when applying for places...
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But Birdy's point is (I think!) that if other parents had supported local schools by sending their children to them, rather than the ones 'rated' by Ofsted, then this situation may not have arisen in the first place.
Louise, I'm sorry you are in this situation and hope it works out for you.
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