Judith Kerr Primary School - Feedback and Random allocation

[Susan]

Looking for information on JKPS. I have phoned the school numerous times and not been able to get feedback on the Q below. I know I have left it late but we are well outside the catchment area and didnt know they have a 50% random allocation so had ruled it out.

1. Random allocation - I believe 50% of places are allocated randomly via your southwark application. Does anyone know how this works? can it just be one of your 6 choices or does it have to be your No.1 choice to be entered into the draw?

2. Open days - does anyone know if they have any coming up?

3. General feedback from parents with children there - on the teaching (I believe there have been changes at the top already?), school premises, are your kids happy and learning? etc

Feedback very much appreciated

Susan

[Renata Hamvas]

Hi Susan, I can answer no 1, it would be any of your 6 choices and is basically a lottery and I can confirm that there has been a change of Head at the school.

Renata

[Susan]

Thanks Renata,

Can I just ask If you do get a place in the lottery with JKPS do you also get offered your highest school based on catchment area?

Many Thanks

Susan

[Renata Hamvas]

No, you would only be offered one school. If you are picked for a place in the JKFS lottery, you would only be offered that place if you weren't within the last place distance of higher placed schools. The only situation this year in the East Dulwich area where you could be offered two schools is if you are offered a place at the new Belham school and one via CAF. This year Belham as a new school has an entry system separate to the common one, next year it will be integrated.

Renata

[sofia_s_i]

Hi we were wondering if there are any parents out there willing to give their opinion on the school.

I couldn't get hold of them many times. When I finally did they had no more open days.

I spoke to a man who had gone to an open day, he was not v impressed.

I am keen on the bilingual aspect and wish I could find a school less driven by tests.

Any feedback would be great.

Regards

S

[zamboo]

I have a child at Judith Kerr Primary School... we still have concerns about the facilities. There is still no permanent playground, no cafeteria. Lovely parents, but this is disappointing. Also, the school is NOT bilingual.

[enjoy]

Zamboo, what do you mean , the school is not bilingual?

I always had an eye on the school ans l thought it would be a great option

to incorporate the two languages.

But l could never figure out how that was done in reality.

I always like the 'old' head mistress, how s the new one?

The staff seemed very young but lovely, have some of them left?

I wish the school well, they are still on my list as an option.

[zamboo]

I mean it is and English-curriculum school with German extra-curricular activities. There are some German-speaking staff but all the lessons are in English except one class a week and an extra morning German class once a week. They said at the end of last year it would be years before it was really bilingual and everyone had been naive to think a true bilingual school could happen so easily. Yes, most of the old staff have left. Only one teacher is the same from 2013-2014. Lots of new staff have also left since the start of this year.

[Matsikula]

I am a Reception parent and I just thought I'd add my perspective. No, the school is not fully bilingual, but in every class either the teacher or the teaching assistant is a native German speaker, and there is a lot of German spoken informally; at registration, in the playground etc. I speak decent German but am not a native German speaker, and I'm quite pleased with my son's progress - in a few months he's gone from speaking 5 words of German to understanding quite a bit of basic stuff, and even attempting the odd sentence. It's not immersion, but I'd say it is streets ahead of the language teaching in practically every state or private primary school in the country with a couple of exceptions like the Lycee and Ecole de Wix. I also know that some parents whose children are bilingual are really pleased because the extra contact with German speaking adults is encouraging them to speak German at home.

In terms of academics, my son joined knowing all the basic phonic letter sounds, but we couldn't teach him the concept of blending. They got him over that in about a week and although we aren't rushing him, it's amazing to see his progress.

I don't think it's correct that only one teacher is left from last year, and it's certainly not the case with the teaching assistants (who you can see from the website are often also pretty highly qualified).

There is no permanent playground (more of a yard and a very muddy field), partly because they are still in the middle of the build and need vehicle access etc. Next year they will have a lot more space, and some of the facilities that are lacking at the moment. They've also just won some extra funding from the council to make the outside space more usable.

I think part of the reason for some parents' disappointment is that the Government had us believe that it was possible to get a school up and running in a year, in any old building, and on a shoestring. This was just nonsense - I imagine it is extremely difficult and highly stressful, especially when you consider the additional scrutiny that free schools have been put under after a couple of the first batch turned out so disastrously. I think with JKPS you have to be prepared to take the rough with the smooth in this early stage of the school's life; and that's obviously easier if your child is only in Reception. There is a critical mass of parents, staff and govenors who are determined to make the school work and I guess you should choose the school if you want to be part of that project: not a perfect school today; but a very good school in the near future.

[zamboo]

It is absolutely correct that there is only one teacher left from last year's staff. Last year's year 2, 1, and one of the two reception teachers have gone, as have the Head and Interim Head Teachers from last year. No-one mentioned teaching assistants.

[goosemum]

Bravo, Matsikula! What our schools need is positive community support such as this, which starts with the parents of course. It's amazing what this can achieve.

[Fayed]

Thank you Matsikula, a rounded view is what we need. I am a parent at JKPS with a child in year 3. My daughter is extremely happy and making great progress. The staff are very hard working and committed, there have been staff changes as happens everywhere. The building works are planened and should be completed by the end of this year. We are very happy with the teaching, learning and overall ethos of the school and feel it is moving forward in a positive direction.