St. Anthony’s

[Sphynx]

Hello! Do any parents here have children at St Anthony’s? I have my eldest starting school next year and I just wanted to get the opinion of any current parents? The school when I Visited seemed great and performs very well. The only thing I’m concerned about is if the early years are quite formal teaching and they’re expected to sit still by year 1! I have a summer born who is almost a year younger than his peers when he starts so he’s not quite at the stage of being very compliant! And I’d like to make sure he keeps his spirit. Any input is most appreciated

Edited December 11, 2023 by Sphynx

[airellemarie]

I’d also be keen to hear some insider knowledge about this School. Very similar scenario to you, Sphynx. 

[Sphynx]

Ahh good luck with the school search. Have you visited many others? 

[airellemarie]

Yes, visited: Heber, Goodrich, Harris and Dulwich Village CofE. 

Heber also seems excellent, and actually Goodrich is also quite nurturing and friendly. But we may just decide on proximity in the end, to make things easier. 

What about you?

[Sphynx]

We are slightly more on the Peckham side of life so we’ve looked at John Donne, Edmund Waller, st Anthony’s, St John and st clements and even some out of London incase we had plans to move nearer to family. We actually really like St John and St Clements too so it’s a toss up between the two. SJSC seems a bit more relaxed in its learning style. A catholic school has a broader catchment hence our interest in SA. We really liked St Anthony’s and it has a nursery too which would be good for our younger child but the wraparound care is off site and not sure if it’s adhoc. So many things to consider!

[pigglemarex]

We’ve got 2 kids at St Anthony’s, one of whom is a summer baby and doing absolutely fine with the transition to more formal learning. The school is great both in terms of academics and the atmosphere - happy to answer any specific questions if you want to DM me.

[Pugwash]

The after school care for St A is based in Christ Church Barry Road. The staff collect the children from the school which is less than 100 metres away. This pre and after school club has been running for a number of years and has a good reputation. Also their opening hours are longer than most other after school clubs making it easier for working parents to collect.

[EDmummy101]

Thought I'd add a comment as sadly there are now too many primary schools for the number of children in this area...

St Anthony's is a wonderful school and my 2 sons were extremely happy throughout the time they were there.

They have some open days for reception and  nursery in Nov I believe and welcome children and families of all faiths and backgrounds. It has lovely staff and I cannot recommend it more highly!