Charter, Kingsdale + Others

[inglesa68]

Hi Everyone

Was wondering if could tell me where the catchment areas are for The Charter School and also that i am right that Kingsdale School does not have one?

Also does anyone have any first-hand knowledge of Elm Wood Primary, Elm Green secondary and Rosendale School?

Thanks for now x

[greenkin]

Hi Inglesa,

My son is about to start at Elm Wood Primary in about two weeks time, so I'll let you know about first hand experience, but we've looked around and know other people who send their kids there and it seems lovely. It had a very bad OFSTED inspection a few years ago and since then was made part of a federation with Kingwood School, which has an outstanding Ofsted report and charismatic head, Craig Tunstall. Since then, it's been refurbished and has changed a lot. It got a very good Ofsted last year (Overall 2) and that trend looks set to go on. It's small - one form per year, nice quiet location, bright light buildings. We loved it when we went to see it. But go and see it for yourself.

I also have friends who send their kids to Rosendale who are very happy with it. It's a big school, four forms per year, but has had a great reputation - outstanding ofsted reports every year. Good mixed demographic. But like all schools, you have to be close to be guaranteed entry. We live a mile away and didn't get in.

Kingsdale had a bad reputation for a long time, but seems to be turning itself around rapidly. There's no catchment at the moment. Not sure of entrance policy but if your child is into music or sports that seems to be enough for a scholarship place at least. Charter is catchment, which used to be tiny, but now more kids are going to Kingsdale and Elm Wood things might have freed up. Elm Wood is new, just got a brand new building, was set up by parents a couple of years ago. I know people who send their kids there and are also very happy with it.

I tend to think that West Dulwich area seems a tiny bit less frantic with regards to getting kids into schools at the moment, compared with East Dulwich where primary school admissions have been so traumatic for so many this year. And, if you're going by Ofsted, they are a higher standard, i.e. Kingswood and Rosendale are 1s, Elm Wood Primary a 2. Don't know about the others. Hope that's of some help.

[Emilia]

Hi Inglesa,

According to the Charter school's website, the school does not have a catchment area but is a community school and takes children living closest to the school (after CLA children and siblings). The safest walking distance as designated by Southwark Admissions is measured. Year 7 entry in 2008: the furthest distance that a pupil was offered a place was just over 1700 metres, in 2007 it was just over 1,900 metres. It says they have never had anyone who lives further than 2,000 metres from the school. (Not sure exactly how they measure the distances but I know of a few Charter pupils who live further away than that!)

[inglesa68]

Thanks everyone for your replies, for some reason i didnt receive any notification of replies - still a little new to this!

Think its basically a case starting to visit the schools in each area and see how we get on. Its hard when you have to decide where you are going to live in relation to which school you want, but then first you have to decide which school you want! This forum is very helpful though, and quite happy that i found it.

regards

[alice]

There is no such thing as catchment - its always been a fantasy - though estate agents use the word as a con.

[inglesa68]

When I asked a long standing east dulwich agent the catchment areas for kingsdale and charter they said they didnt know! We spoke to the Charter last week who said they dont have a catchment as such, just the closer to the school, the better.

[Msgee]

Hi Inglesa- think I already posted on another of your threads that Kingsdale definitely don't have a catchment area as they're in the most affluent part of the borough and it wouldn't be fair...they take kids from Lambeth Lewisham and (I think) Bromley, as well as Southwark...do double check with them though, they're very helpful.

[inglesa68]

Msgee Wrote:

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

> Hi Inglesa- think I already posted on another of

> your threads that Kingsdale definitely don't have

> a catchment area as they're in the most affluent

> part of the borough and it wouldn't be fair...they

> take kids from Lambeth Lewisham and (I think)

> Bromley, as well as Southwark...do double check

> with them though, they're very helpful.

Hi sorry - i know they dont, should have said it was when i asked the agent sometime ago.

I know that they dont, I have checked with both Kingsdale and the charter, as I said. I was just replying to someones posting about estate agents making up catchment areas.