School catchment area for Tyrrell and surrounding roads

[Rosie H]

Hello

We've seen a couple of nice properties on Tyrrell Road and Hindmans Road, and would very much like to buy in this area. However, we wondered what everyone's experiences have been with school catchment areas for these roads - has anyone living on these roads managed to get their children in to either Heber or Goodrich? Or will Goose Green be the only option?

Any advice or news of your experiences would be very helpful.

Many thanks!

[mrs.lotte]

It rather depends when you would be applying. Certainly in the last round you would not have been allocated Goodrich (pre bulge class) maybe Heber, not St.John's unless faith and only Goose Green if you applied for it as one of your 4 choices. If Goose Green continues its improvement you may find in a year or two that you are outside its catchment. It seems to me that Tyrell Road is a bit too far from everywhere at the moment. However things change and it's hard to predict what will be the most popular schools even a couple of years from now. There aren't many safe bets as far as catchment is concerned; if you love the house go for it! Wouldn't it be awful to buy a house that you weren't that keen on but thought was in a catchment only find that the particular school was no longer a "good" one or just didnt suit you?

By the way I'm a Goose Green mum and think it is a super little school; my son is getting a great education and is very proud to be a goose greener. It really wouldnt be the end of the world if that was your option!

[Rosie H]

Thanks very much mrs lotte. That sounds like very sound advice indeed. I didn't mean to sound negative about Goose Green, and I'm very glad to hear that it's improving so much.

From what you have heard, do some children in east dulwich who fall between catchment areas end up having to go to less popular schools a few miles away?

[mrs.lotte]

Rosie I'm no expert and stress that whatever the position is this year, it may not be the same next. Bearing that in mind it is my understanding (as a local parent not in education or work for an lea) that last year if everyone in ED had put down a local school including the less popular Goose Green, Rye Oak and Bessemer Grange then everyone would have got a local place. Lots of people - me included - only applied to the most popular schools and - suprise - didnt get any of them, was allocated a distant school but (not without many sleepless nights) was eventually allocated Goose Green, which as I stated above I am very happy with. I havent heard of anyone who was allocated a faraway school that did not get something local on the waitlist. However there was a bulge at Goodrich and a extra half class at Lyndhurst in Camberwell although in saying that I believe that this has left Bessemer Grange half empty. Therefore as long as you put down ONE local school that you have a chance of getting into then you would be highly unlikely to get a school that is less popular AND miles away!

Like I say I'm not an expert I'm sure there is someone with charts and graphs and statistics who could give you a more precise answer.

Good luck.

[KatsuQueen]

Hi Rosie, I asked about primary schools and catchment a while ago. Here's the thread. I hope it helps.

http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?29,307025,307553#msg-307553

[toast]

Last year was 0.31 miles for Heber and 0.5 miles for Goodrich (including bulge). Tyrrell is on the edge but these distances were for the first day of term, lots of places came in the first few weeks of term as some students didnt turn up! So who knows. Seems like the council are really onto it now so you would get in somewhere within walking distance, you just might not know where to send them for nursery and the place might just be a bit last min. Oh and it might be a wee bit stressful!

Good luck