schools in ED and nearby

[jerher]

We are considering moving to ED from the north of england and are wondering about local schools. The primary schools seem good(we don't really know) but what about secondaries? Should we move to ED without particularly strong secondaries? We have a boy 7 and girl 5 and we are interested in what you the experts think about the issue. By the way, we don't have enough cash or a strong inclination for private education.

[debs]

We have 2 daughters 13 & 16. Both go to Sydenham girlswhich is a 15 min bus ride away in Lewisham. A lot of the local girls go there and the boys go to forest hill boys. Both are community schools and allthe families we know are happy with them. Of course they dont have the money for trips abroad so we do our best to give them that experience

We tried for Southwark schools but we have no special needs so not much chance there!

Its easy to get to victoria too so theres Pimlico which is mixed and has a brill music dept and theresGrey coat hospital for girls.185 bus straight there.If you're supportive parents your kids will do well wherever they go.

[Debi]

The last I heard about Pimlico was not good news, I'm afraid. My 13 year old goes to Kingsdale and we thoroughly recommend it. My youngest is currently in Year 6 at Goodrich and will definitely be going to Kingsdale too.

But Debs is right re the supportive parents bit ... (All people called Debs are right. Always.);-)

[jerher]

thanks for the info. where's kingsdale?

out of the local primaries what do you think?

[victor]

Loads of choice in primaries - Heber, Goodrich, St John's and St Clements, St Anthonys, Ivydale, Dog Kennel all very popular amongst MC parents whose children don't go private

[sillywoman]

Hi,

We're in East Dulwich, on the west side of Lordship lane and have been lucky to have really good school experiences. We have 4 kids who are going through/have gone through Dulwich Village infants (admittedly the youngest only for the last 4 days), Dulwich Hamlet juniors and 2 now at The Charter comprehensive. As with all state schools there's probably a bit more need for parental input than there may be in the private system but they've been overwhelmingly good experiences for us.

I feel that that these schools have pushed our quite academic eldest, responded with loads of extra help for our absolutely non academic 2nd and some help for our struggling to read 3rd. The teachers have been friendly and approachable and all 3 scored above average (in some cases well above) in their yr2 and yr6 SATS. They all have strong local friendship groups and feel very secure in their 'territory' of Dulwich/East Dulwich and surrounds. Obviously I'm biased as I send my kids there so need & want to support it but I would definitely describe the Charter as a 'very strong' secondary. It's in the good schools guide if you want to check it out. Loads of my childrens friends come from East Dulwich from schools such as Dog kennel hill & Heber both of which I would consider on a par with the Dulwich village schools from what I've heard.

Of course it's all personal opinion but I think ED is really well served with primaries and you can't really go wrong wherever you send them. But if you're coming down here from far away & you might be wanting state education at secondary level then don't dismiss the Charter as being too far away from ED. Depending on where you choose to live it just isn't so.

[Emilia]

My children have also been very happy at Dulwich Village Infants School and Dulwich Hamlet. The Hamlet has a relatively new Head (the jury is still out!) OFSTED are inspecting the Hamlet next week. Both DVIS and Dulwich Hamlet benefit from incredibly supportive parents. I am glad you feel positive about The Charter, Sillywoman. I would be interested to hear the views of others with children there.

[Pugwash]

Some of the primary schools operate a catchment area - we are Barry Road and our eldest daughter went to Goodrich. When the youngest was born we found that Goodrich had changed their catchment area and we were now the wrong side of Barry Road. Our youngest went to St. Anthony's RC Primary but I believe they have tightened up entry 'qualifications'. Only one of us was Catholic and not a regular attender at Church, although the priests were aware of our names. I believe now that both parents have to be regular attenders and you need a supporting letter from priest. We had applied for Dulwich Village Infants for eldest but were told out of catchment area - hence the Goodrich entry.

[macroban]

Which SE22 residences are in the catchment areas for the two Dulwich Village schools?

[mightyroar]

Most operate a catchment area but it shifts depending on applications each year so there are some roads that you cant be sure of. Also, if a school becomes more popular like Heber has done recently, then a road that was a safe bet two years ago may not be anymore.

but for Dulwich Village maybe Glengarry rd, maybe Playfield crescent. Townley road...?

[EDOldie]

The infants in DV is a CoE school and it used to be only open to children within the Parish of St Barnabas and it helped if you were a regular St Barnabas attendee. The parish was roughly bounded by the railway lines sort of west (I think) along East Dulwich Grove to Herne Hill and then south (again with railway line as the boundary)to the south circular and then east till about the Roseberry (?) Gate on Dulwich common and an imaginary line across Dulwich Park up Eynella Road Down Lordship Lane to Mr Luis and along Melbourne Grove back to East Dulwich Grove. (Phew)

Anyway this threw up some anomalies such as one side of Melbourne, and one side of Eynella, was in and one out. Also if you were the wrong side of the tracks (so to speak) in Burbage for instance. This led to lots of appeals, wailing, gnashing of teeth etc, etc. The last I heard was that it all depended on how close you were to the school itself and attendance at St B's, so even if you were in the Parish you might not get in. I also think they dropped the sibling policy.

Similar, although not a Church school, with DHJS It's all a question of how close you are to the school, the catchment varies from year to year although I believe there is an appeals procedure and I think there might be social mix issues too which might make a difference to an application, but I don't know that for sure.

[She'llsurvive]

the criteria are very simple for most schools at 5 year old entry, and are given in http://www.southwark.gov.uk/Uploads/File_29036.pdf.

but if you are planning to enter at another time then it seems to be pot luck whether there is a space at the time. most of the primary schools are popular and good but the odd one out is goose green which is currently in special measures but still supported by its parents here

[Fuschia]

She'llsurvive Wrote:

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

> the criteria are very simple for most schools at 5

> year old entry, and are given in

> http://www.southwark.gov.uk/Uploads/File_29036.pdf

except for the voluntary aided schools, such as dulwich village...

[She'llsurvive]

absolutely. the rules for dv are "unless you live in/very near the village or are a st barnabas church regular, don't even bother applying".

[Debi]

jerher - sorry to take so long to respond to your question.

Kingsdale is in Alleyn Park Their website is here.

Sillywoman said re Charter: As with all state schools there's probably a bit more need for parental input than there may be in the private system but they've been overwhelmingly good experiences for us.

Personally, I consider a parent-friendly attitude to be a major plus!

Good luck with the move.

[Lizziedjango]

Pugwash, for entry to St Anthony's, it is OK if just one parent attends Mass -as long as the children have been baptised and attend Mass too. My husband isn't a Catholic, but I have been regularly going to Mass since day dot and the priests happily wrote references for my children.

As to local schools, most of the state primaries are good, if not excellent. If you are Catholic, St Anthony's and St Francesca Cabrini are v. good. Fairlawn is an excellent primary, and most parents are happy with Goodrich and Heber. I have heard good things about the Church of England school, St John's in Goose Green too.

As to secondary schools, if you're Catholic, Coloma in Croydon is excellent and several girls travel from East Dulwich to that school. It is outstanding.

Unfortunately, I would not say that there is an 'excellent' state secondary school round here though. There might be if more middle class parents opted out of the private sector. But it is a hard choice when your children are involved.

If I am still living in East Dulwich. I would like my sons to go to The Oratory in Fulham, although that will involve quite a lot of travel.

[bawdy-nan]

DV do have a siblings policy

They have 50% chirch and 50% non church places

Places are allocated in distance from the school (after siblings and olooked after children, special medical requirements etc)

There's more to the church places than I've described ... I think you can find the info on their website.

[EDOldie]

OK Bawdy-nan I stand corrected on the sibling policy, I thought they had dropped that because of pressure on places from people who had moved out of the immediate area but kept a child in the school and then wanted to put another child in, or who had 'moved' into the area to get the first child in and used that to get another in.

[James]

Haberdashers' Aske's Hatcham College in New Cross is reputed to be one of the best state schools in the country. It's sadly also one of the most over-subscribed... If your kids are gifted at music it might help to get them in.

[lizzie]

My son is in year 11 at Charter and I've been really pleased with it. I also know parents of kids who are at Kingsdale who are also very pleased. It's really improved over the past few years. But bear in mind that the catchment areas for most of the primary schools and Charter are very small. Plus I live at the top of Lordship Lane near the library and we didn't get a place at Forest Hill as we were 500m outside the catchment area and I know we're just on the edge of the Charter School catchment area. Children who live more in the centre of East Dulwich but towards the Rye didn't get in.

[James]

Schools are much better further out in Bromley (there are several really strong comprehensives as well as top grammars). But Bromley is a dull, Footballers' Wives-type place. East Dulwich is much nicer IMO and I think the schools around here are getting better.

[sillywoman]

She'll survive said re DV Infant school: the rules for dv are "unless you live in/very near the village or are a st barnabas church regular, don't even bother applying". I'm not so sure. As I said initially we live in between LL & DV (opposite ED hospital), quite a way out of the village proper. Every year the kids on our street get in to DVI without having to be church goers, or (my experience this year) having siblings. We get in on the 1st round of places too.

We are the same with the Hamlet which is purely distance based. There was one exceptional year, back in 05 or 06 I think when we didn't get into The Hamlet Juniors (age 7-11)on the first round but everyone got a place in the end and every year before or since we've all got in there too without problem.

Also would have to disagree with Lizziedjango too - the Charter is excellent (witness: my 11 yr old son who hates school came through the door today beaming and when asked said he'd had a "brilliant" day. you could have knocked me down with a feather!)

[James]

I've heard a wide range of opinions about the Charter school. Some say it's a model comprehensive but a teacher friend who went for an interview said he was amazed by the apparent lack of discipline and litter strewn about on the grounds. There is quite an extreme mix of backgrounds and abilities.

It may well be a great school but - as with any propsective school - make sure you visit on an open day to get a real feel for the place. What's great for someone else's child may not be right for yours and vice versa.

[shoshntosh]

i agree that there is a huge choice of very good primary schools in the area, but most important is what james said: finding the right school for your child. as for secondaries... this sometimes involves a bus ride.

[MrsP]

I have grown up in East Dulwich and have personal experience of the lack of state secondary schools. My parents sent me to Pimlico School. Whilst I did well academically, it was probably more because of the support I was given at home, Pimlico when I attended did not do particularly well at challenging students and whilst it has the reputation of being arty and musical it was only for a select few. The most difficult aspect of attending Pimlico was the distance I had to travel everyday, sure there is the 185 bus, but I felt I spent my teenage years sitting on the bus in traffic. The journey could sometimes take an hour plus each way, this meant I usually had to leave home very early in the morning and got home often quite late, it was hard to take part in after school activities (not that there were many) because it would mean getting home 6- 7pm ish. Furthermore, because the school attracted pupils from all over London I did not have a local group of friends. In retrospect, I would not choose to send my children to a school so far away unless I was confident they would gain above and beyond the everyday difficulties.