Marmora, Therapia & Mundania Road children - which primary schools?

[Browncoffee]

Curious about catchment area for those living on our road (Marmora) and nearby. Have heard that the most likely school is St Francesca's on Forest Hill Road as there aren't many others nearby. Is this true? My husband and I have discussed moving but really don't want to....yet/anytime soon.

If your child goes to St Francesca's, I would really appreciate some feedback as don't hear much about it.

Thanks,

BC

[bjm]

Hi we are on Therapia

We got into Horniman in a bulge year and we love the school.

We were told by Fairlawn we had virtually no chance getting a place there and this was two years ago unless we waited on the list and maybe got a place after the year had started.

It's such an anxiety provoking time- good luck!

[LondonMix]

I suggest using two great resources for parents that can help you understand what's likely. In Southwark's brochure "Starting Primary school in Southwark" at this link http://www.southwark.gov.uk/downloads/download/2483/primary_school_admissions you can find the furthest place offered on distance (ie excluding care and sibling offers) for the previous year. Academies and faith schools don't provide that detail but I have found that if you email the schools directly, they can provide you with that stat within a couple of hours as they get the request so often! The brochure highlights if there was a bulge at a school as this will distort things and under those circumstances, I would again suggest you ring or email the school in question and find out what the distance was in the last year where there was no bulge.

Once you have that you can enter your postcode and the postcode of your closest 6 schools at the link below to see exactly how far away you are as the crow flies, which is almost always the distance measurement used for primary admissions. http://www.freemaptools.com/distance-between-uk-postcodes.htm. The schools postcodes and email addresses are in the brochure at the first link.

Good luck (it's so stressful). And remember, there are plans for permanent expansion of some of the local primary schools in the western part of ED / Dulwich Village etc. While you won't likely get into those schools, it might ease demand and therefore increase the catchment of some of the popular schools nearer you like Goodrich. Not sure what your timing is but Renata is usually really helpful and providing information about what's happening in primary education locally including where bulges are likely to occur next.

[kristymac1]

We're on dovedale and have neighbours at Fairlawn (slightly older children) and Goodrich. Neighbours applying for this sept are looking at ivydale too. We're at Heber but only just recently moved to.dovedale from Jennings rd. Good luck!

[simonethebeaver]

Kids on Marmora Road used to get into Fairlawn but not any more.

We are in a similar position off Underhill Road, and also hoping that new/expanding schools at the other side of ED free up some of the possibles.

[Renata Hamvas]

Thanks Londonmix, I've already pmed the poster! I think they are correct that the most likely school they will get a place at is St Francesca Cabrini (from 2012 entry).

stfrancescacabrini.co.uk

Ivydale is bulging, but this is to accommodate almost 2 forms worth of siblings and therefore I would suggest that it probably won't have as large a last place distance as 2012 (also a bulge, but not so many siblings so last place distance was larger). Note, this is my personal opinion and I have no idea eg of what impact the Haberdashers Aske's Free school will have on Ivydale admissions as the school is only taking it's first intake in 2013. In 2011, the east side of Peckham Rye Park was too far for Ivydale. Turnham may be another one to look at too, Hollydale in Nunhead and Goodrich (3 forms of entry makes its last place distance larger).

IMO all the local schools in this area are good.

Renata

(edited to remove too many signatures!)

[johnie]

We are on Scutari. Our son went to Goodrich but he is now at secondary at ED Harris Boys, so we missed the sibling lark. We were given St Francesca Cabrini this intake for our daughter, but appealed as we're neither religious nor Catholic. We eventually got into Ivydale, which was weird as the rest of the intake are siblings. I think we just made a lot of noise.

We did look round St Francesca Cabrini and it is very nice, with lots of open space and the kids seemed well behaved and learning well, but it isn't a community school in the way may others round here are.

But I would second Renata, I think all the local schools are pretty good.

Johnie

[Browncoffee]

Thank you all so much for your responses. It really is a stressful thought and there is clearly no certainty about options until we get to it! I don't mind St Francesca Cabrini but I really would prefer a non-religious/Catholic school, even though I was raised a Catholic. I would prefer that my children have a fair view of everything (including religion).

Renata - thanks for your lovely pm. It is very reassuring that St Francesca Cabrini is a good option, in case we end up there....although I'm still hopong for a shot at some other schools.

My daughter will be 3 in September this year (and my second daughter will be 1 in August so will only be a year behind - another dilemna) so I guess we still have a little bit of time. I will take some time to look at the proposed Harris primary school as it could potentially be an option (depending on where it ends up).

Wish it wasn't so complicated! Off to play the lottery as it might just make all the difference;-)

[scotlass]

Have pm'd you Browncoffee x

[jonbateson]

We are on therapia and I was wondering the same. My son has just turned 3. We are not at all religious so I would be uncomfortable with a religious school, but I guess we need to go look before we say no to it, I did part of my teacher training in a catholic school and apart from prayers in the morning, you wouldn't know...

[jonbateson]

Just been looking at some of the places suggested, it seems there are few choices, even with all the ifs of other schools opening/ bulge classes etc. this is worrying.

[sunbob]

Just a note that Francesca Cabrini is a girls school.

[kingy68]

sunbob Wrote:

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

> Just a note that Francesca Cabrini is a girls

> school.

No it is a mixed primary school situated at the top of Forest hill Road .

[sunbob]

Sorry. My mistake.