Schools in Peckham

[tinkerbell]

Hi we have just moved to the area and I am looking for some (hopefully!!) reassurance that schools in Peckham are gettting better. Our little girl is only 1 but we haven't massively done our research and I wondered if there were other families living in Peckham who had stories to tell about good/ bad schools in the area. We are Peckham Rye end.

[hpsaucey]

Which bit of Peckham Rye?

We looked around Bellenden/Rye Oak/ST John's and St Clements etc as we weren't sure where we were going to be living.

I thought all were fine as post primaries around here are. Bellenden - small, caring and very friendly; Rye Oak - has had problems in the past but on the up with a lovely Children's Centre and a strong headmistress; St John's - gets good results but just didn't do it for us.

We're at Ivydale - further up the east side of the Rye and love it. Really friendly lovely school where theres a good mix of people and they give them a rounded education.

TBH its usually more a case of getting into your nearest school as you're unlikely to get into one too far away. Also a lot can happen in a school in the three plus years before your daughter starts.

H

[Saila]

does anyone know what the catchment area is for bellenden primary school? we live on the tip of bellenden road, but not actually 'on' it i.e. at the east dulwich end... are we being realistic by wanting a place there? it sounds really good. Goose Green is much closer to us but i really like the sound of Bellenden in terms of size/loving environment (and i can't deny it ... the ofsted reports) etc.

edit to ask: also are there many male teachers at bellenden primary? one thing i really liked about Goose Green was how many male teachers there are. With a son i think that's quite important in terms of role models.

[mumra]

Am sure it's not that over subscribed yet for you to be out of catchment - classes appear quite small. And do know there's at least one male teacher there. Can think of one in Year 1, and the new head is a man.

[snss75]

My son goes to Bellenden and it is a lovely school. As mumra said there is at least one male teacher and the new head teacher is a man. They only have one reception class and I think the catchment area may actually be quite small (according to the stats from 2010 distance of last child offered a place was 521m). My son went to nursery there as well and quite a few of the kids in the nursery didn't get into reception tis year even though they wanted to. For us it is our closest school, we're on Lyndhurst Way and it seems that many of the families with kids in reception this year live quite close to the school or are siblings. I think you are within a chance and if you like it I'd definitely apply for a place there. Good luck!