September 2011 primary admissions

[SteamedPudding]

Thanks Vik - have done both those things!

[Steph]

We were offered Hollydale...It wasnt on our list at all but we would consider it as we may move to Nunhead.

Can anyone tell me their opinion of it please?

Thanks

Steph

[Renata Hamvas]

Good school, parents happy, children happy! That is the perception I have from parents whose children go there.

I suggest Steph that you post and look at previous postings on the Nunhead Forum,

nunheadforum.co.uk

[Moi23]

sglanzer Wrote:

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From the streets at the bottom

> of Lordship Lane to Horniman School is only 5-10

> mins walk.

Do you mean down by Goose Green?!? We live quite close at the top of lordship lane and even then it's a pretty steep hill, definitely more than 5-10 minutes...

[Vik]

Renata Hamvas Wrote:

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> Vik,

> I have e-mailed you too!

> Renata

Thank you Renata.

[JDR]

Just to say to anyone about getting spaces, we were in this position 2 years ago. One very upset 4 year old seperated from her two best friends... two years on they are still her best friends but she is very happy with her school - Bellenden - and her and her younger sister can't wait until they're together in Sept!

Most schools in the area now get good reviews from parents. A lot of the perceptions are partly estate agents talking up schools. Go with the ones you like the feel of, you know your children the best.

Keeping fingers crossed for you all the the shake down gives you what you want x

[Otto]

And...we still have not received a letter by post. However, I did contact the school we were hoping for, and, they kindly advised me we had a spot. Registration complete. Whew.

[westof]

SteamedPudding Wrote:

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> Hi, I'm new to this forum and just following the

> thread. We live in Southwark but right on the

> boarder with Lambeth and have been offered a place

> at Jessop - it was our 6th choice. Does anyone

> know anything about it? Or know people who have

> been? Thanks!

Hi - my daughter went to Jessop from reception through to Year 6 (left last year), a few years ago the school was seen as a bit unpopular but I'd say it was doing really well now. Everyone is really on the ball there.

It's federated with Stockwell Primary, which has worked really well for it, there are new buildings, a lovely playground, AFAIK it's now moved from 1 form entry to 2 form entry and there are a lot of really good things going on. It's also linked in with London Music Masters / Bridge Project & has a great music teacher.

[westof]

btw - Jessop School is also next door to the Tippett Centre where Lambeth Music Services runs a Saturday school.

I'm not sure whether you actually need to live in Lambeth or just be attending a Lambeth school to enrol, well worth finding out if its the latter.

[SteamedPudding]

Thanks Westof - that's really helpful. We are also high up on the waiting list for Bessemer - does anyone know people who have been there recently?

[cff9]

Hi, I"m new to this forum but grateful to see so much schools info here.

We didn't get any of the schools on our list of preferences but have been offered Peckham Park School which is quite a way away and not a school we would have considered for a number of reasons (actually hadn't heard of it until it was offered us). Yesterday I found out we were 31st on the waiting list for a place at Lyndhurst, our first choice and one of our closest schools. I'm guessing that 31st means we don't stand a chance even after a year or two.

I'd be keen to know if anyone else is in this situation near us and what they plan to do - we live over the road from the Villa School/Nursery in Peckham. Lyndhurst and the Villa have said that there are a large number of families in this area that have missed out as we are fairly near to lots of schools but not actually close enough to any to get in on distance.

At the moment it feels like we have 2 options - one would be to move out of London but we are really desperate to stay if we can.

The other would be to homeschool while waiting for a place at a community school that we like, or at an independent temporarily. Long-term independent is not an option for us financially. My son can stay at the Villa nursery until Xmas when he turns 5, which buys us a little bit of time, but is obviously not ideal.

Such a horrible situation, I wish I'd realised that this could have happened, feel like we were too complacent presuming we'd get into one of the close community schools.

[Coach Beth]

Steamed Pudding - I know two families who are extremely happy with Bessemmer Grange school - their children are in year 1 now.

cff9 - you might take a look at Bellenden Road school, that is fairly near to you and I've heard some good things about this school too.

[mrs.lotte]

Ccf9 I feel for you, we were in a similar situation 2 years ago and yes, I'm afraid it is not a safe presumption that one will get in to a popular community school however close you live. I presume that you are also on waiting lists at other school? I'm sure you know that you can add your child's name to waiting lists of schools which were not on your original application. Have you asked the villa if there is any scope for him going into their school? (I seem to recall that they have scope to educate up to end of key stage 1). Could you afford/get to any of the private schools; they are businesses and may find space. If you could get to those schools perhaps you could also consider schools that are a little further away from you than you would like but may, in due course at least, have some space eg Goose Green or Bessemer Grange.

2 years ago my son was No15 on the wait list at DKH and we were offered a place in the first term but by then he was happy in his new school and we didn't take it.

Get your name down for as many schools as you can and hold your nerve, there WILL be movement there always is.

Good luck

[Fuschia]

cff9, at this point the 31 names above you on the waiting list are fanilies who love closer than you who had it as a prefrred option above any offer they have been made. Many of thes efamilies WILL take up the 2nd, 3rd choice that they have been offered. A new waiting list is drdawn up after 1st sept for those children that haven't started elsewhere or have started and don't want to move. You can find out how close the admitted pupils live this year and last, to give you an idea of your eventual chances

[cff9]

thanks for all your suggestions. I rang round all the independents that are close enough to travel to and can look round after easter. We'll be too late for this year I think, but I can go on waiting lists. He's on the Villa waiting list but it's a long list.

But - there were so many reasons we chose state schools, and the cost was only one of them. We love this area and I wanted my son to be educated in the local community - I've lived here since I was a Goldsmiths student 20 years ago and I didn't ever imagine I might have to move.

Someone today said that Bessemer Park is really good and getting better all the time - it's another one I didn't even know of, obviously I didn't exactly research this at the application stage. So I'm looking round there after Easter. apparently they are full now, but often end up with space in the first term or year. Sounds promising.

What I'm confused about is if we accept a place at one school can we still appeal/beg to be considered for a nearer/better school after he's started. Or - if we turn down Peckham Park School (which we will) will Southwark still consider us for the others or have they fulfilled their commitment and can wash their hands of us, esp if we homeschool for a bit. Maybe after term starts it shifts to the schools to organise all that?

There is a drop-in centre next week in Cator St so I will go along to that, see what they say.

[chantelle]

i thought children in the Villa nursery got automatic admission to the pre-prep? outside offers have been almost non-existent, they say.

[charlottep]

cff9 PM a lady on here called Cora (I think). She has a child or children at Bessemer and speaks of the school very highly. She will be a good source of info on Bessemer and is well informed.

[clux]

cff9

When we applied for primary 2 years ago the information we were given was that if we turned down an offer of a school then Southwark were not actually then obliged to help us find somewhere else. We were strongly advised to accept the offer of the school (which was not one of our 4 choices) and then put ourselves on the waiting list for all our other choices. We did get our first choice eventually - two weeks after term started.

[candj]

We have friends who have their child at Bessemer and they absolutely love it. Their daughter is really thriving and no doubt their second child has also gained entry this time and will be going in September. PM me if you want me to put you in touch with the parents (both forum users, as well!). Hope that helps a bit.

[mumra]

Cff9 - go and have a look round Bellenden school if you haven't had the chance - thats quite near to you. Small school, so may be full but new head this year who is driving things forward.

[JDR]

Cff9 - my two younger children go to the villa and my eldest at Bellenden. Very happy, wasn't our first choice but unlikley to move. Our middle child starting there in Sept.

If you want to chat about Bellenden as another option I'll happily speak to you either via pm or meet up.

Other schools, don't know people at them but 2nd/3rd hand have heard positive things.

Most of all good luck

[Vik]

I emailed Southwark today to get an update on our waiting list position as yesterday was the closing date for accepting places... we have gone down 2 places on the list!

[ClaireClaire]

Hi,

just thought I would post the conclusion to our story for anyone who is interested re. this or next year.

We were originally (4 April) offered Goodrich, our 2nd choice.

We started off at 1st place on the waiting list for Heber, moved down to third, and in the last few days have been offered and accepted a place there (thereby freeing up a place at Goodrich).

I hope others also get their desired school place before September....

Claire

[snowboarder]

Claire - do you know how far away you live from Heber? Apologies if this is in a previous post...

[citizenED]

100

ClaireClaire; whilst not wanting to pinpoint where you live exactly, I would be interested to know how far you are from Heber, and from Goodrich. I felt it was generally assumed that you couldn't be in the "catchment" of both.