Primary schools in Clapham

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mumofone07
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Primary schools in Clapham

Postby mumofone07 » Fri Nov 18, 2016 10:15 am

Hi - I live off Clapham common north site and it looks my nearest primary schools is Wix School and Macaulay School. Also, I've heard a good things about Heathbrook school which is bit further away. I did open days in all this schools and they're all so different! I can't make my mind... Does anyone have any experience of either school they could share? My son goes to Honeywell nursery now but we're out of the catchment area. Belleville is closer but I doubt we will get a place as still bit too far away I guess as I think the catchment area is so small for both of these. Wix doesn't have a great Ofsted report which is worring me. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.
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Mothertothree
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Re: Primary schools in Clapham

Postby Mothertothree » Fri Nov 18, 2016 2:15 pm

Hi, my son has just started at Macaulay, and he is so happy. It is a lovely small school with a very happy atmosphere. The reception teacher is absolutely brilliant. I'd really recommend it. The headmistress is also great and always around to talk to etc. And there is a very active PTA which sets a good tone for the school. Hope all goes well with the applications!
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mummymasala
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Re: Primary schools in Clapham

Postby mummymasala » Mon Nov 21, 2016 8:48 am

Hi there

I'd really recommend you have a look around Heathbrook. It has massive outdoor space, an on site wildlife garden with its own pizza oven and a curriculum that focuses majorly on art, sport, music and outdoor learning, while keeping teaching standards high. In fact, if you look at their year on year results, they have done better than both other schools on your list for a few years running AND it has a recent Ofsted that validates what it's like at the current moment rather than a historic one.

I have two children there and have run the PTA in the past so I may be a bit biased :D, but I can tell you that both my bundles LOVE going to school and are thriving. And they're not the only ones. The teachers and head are lovely and very engaged. It's a real community school that prides itself on being welcoming for all, and some families travel from quite far to send their children there because they love the ethos so much. Hope this helps and good luck with your search - I remember that feeling well!!
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Piccalilli
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Re: Primary schools in Clapham

Postby Piccalilli » Tue Nov 22, 2016 8:55 pm

I'd also be interested in other parents views on these schools particularly Wix which has just received another disappointing Ofsted of inadequate. However, there's now hopefully a chance of it becoming part of Belleville, the early years provision was rated good and I've never heard any bad feedback on the school from a parent with a child there.

Macaulay is a Church of England school with 9 non church places and 21 foundation places offered each year.

For me, while Heathbrook is a great concept and clearly performing well, I feel like the travel there from the Northside of the common each day would be too much for a 4 year old. I'd rather risk a Wix turnaround under the new Belleville head and be able to walk to school and make more friends in our immediate area.
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mumofone07
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Re: Primary schools in Clapham

Postby mumofone07 » Wed Nov 23, 2016 6:05 pm

Hi ladies, your comments are greatly appreciated!

Mummymasala, I do really like Heathbrook school, you're right about outside space, it's amazing and indoors facilities are fab too. The school has been recognised as one of the Top 100 Performing and Improving Primary Schools 2016 in the whole country which is very impressive. But as mentioned the distance might be an issue with 4 year old... but on the other hand it would be worth if know that my child would be happy there which I think he would.

Piccalilli, this is exactly what my husband is saying about Wix! There is a big potential under new executive headteacher but whether we want to take the risk...the question is how long it will take to make changes and improve it. Recent Ofsted report is really worrying...it would be nice to be within walking distance from school and make friends, organize play dates with class mates.
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mummymasala
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Re: Primary schools in Clapham

Postby mummymasala » Wed Nov 30, 2016 4:33 pm

@mumofone07 I can totally see your predicament! We live really close to Heathbrook so travel has never been an issue. Saying that, it does have an odd and extra wide catchment area, which means a lot of families live further away. We hang out in the little park opposite the school and also playdates don't seem to be a problem as everyone has cars. They were too knackered initially anyway, then there were after school activities and now those playdates need to be organised irrespective of logistical nightmares :roll:

I am also a big fan of giving poorly performing schools a chance. It all depends on the new head. But it is a gamble.

Hope this helps and that some other parents can weigh in with their advice and opinions. All my best
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mummymasala
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Re: Primary schools in Clapham

Postby mummymasala » Wed Nov 30, 2016 4:33 pm

@mumofone07 I can totally see your predicament! We live really close to Heathbrook so travel has never been an issue. Saying that, it does have an odd and extra wide catchment area, because they are on the edge of Lambeth, which means a lot of families live further away. We hang out in the little park opposite the school and also playdates don't seem to be a problem as everyone has cars. They were too knackered initially anyway, then there were after school activities and now those playdates need to be organised irrespective of logistical nightmares :roll:

I am also a big fan of giving poorly performing schools a chance. It all depends on the new head. But it is a gamble.

Hope this helps and that some other parents can weigh in with their advice and opinions. All my best
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firsttimerSW11
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Re: Primary schools in Clapham

Postby firsttimerSW11 » Wed Nov 30, 2016 9:44 pm

The comments re Heathbrook are interesting. Having looked at the ofsted report, we have elected not to even view the school because "not enough children reach a good level of development from their starting points across the
early learning goals". This concerns me.
Half of all children receive pupil premium funding (vs for example Honeywell which has about 7%) and 42% speak English as a second language. The ofsted report also concludes that some of the most able children are not sufficiently challenged.
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goldsboromum
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Re: Primary schools in Clapham

Postby goldsboromum » Fri Dec 02, 2016 1:53 pm

@firsttimerSW11 I also almost overlooked Heathbrook due to it's ousted profile but I was persuaded my a local parent (who was very happy with the school) to at least have a look. I have to say that once through the door I could see why there was so much local enthusiasm for the school. Of all the schools I visited (and I visited 10 in the local area!) it was by far the most impressive in terms of indoor and outdoor space and the friendliness of the teachers and pupils. The head teacher Ben Roberts made it his personal job to greet the parents and gave the impression on a school which was ambitious for it's future. So many of the schools sent us round with a member of the admin team or children to show us the spaces which really didn't give a rounded impression. Even compared to my experience of the highly rated Clapham Manor I felt Heathbrook stood out.

Once home and looking more closely at the Ousted and results I could see that Heathbrook results were improving year on year at quite a rate, and in fact last years results saw the best results of all schools in the area.

Now my daughter is at the school I can only say good things about it. She settled in immediately, I am extremely impressed with the quality of teaching and the rate at which she is absorbing the varied curriculum (science, maths, reading, drama, ballet, music, sport) is fantastic.

Yes there is a range of backgrounds, cultures and languages at the school but for me that is part of what it means to live in London .... I have met fantastically interesting people through the PTA and am enjoying a new group of friends every bit as much as my daughter is!
@mumofone07 my advice would be to go and visit for one of the open days soon!
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firsttimerSW11
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Re: Primary schools in Clapham

Postby firsttimerSW11 » Fri Dec 02, 2016 10:29 pm

That's very interesting and it reminds me of the advice I have read here on numerous occasions about visiting a school first and not making a judgement call purely on the basis of an OFSTED report.
Thanks for the insight, perhaps I need to revisit that as an option..
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LastMumStanding
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Re: Primary schools in Clapham

Postby LastMumStanding » Sat Dec 03, 2016 6:57 pm

Wix is to become part of Belleville as Belleville has been selected to manage its improvement after Ofsted. Teachers and senior leaders have already begun to work closely with staff at Wix. So, by the time your child starts reception I would say by taking a place at Wix you will effectively be gaining a place at Belleville.
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cynic
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Re: Primary schools in Clapham

Postby cynic » Mon Dec 05, 2016 11:41 pm

There's another thread bout the Wix becoming part of the Belleville M.A.T
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mumofone07
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Re: Primary schools in Clapham

Postby mumofone07 » Tue Dec 06, 2016 9:56 pm

Thank you cynic. It's interesting thread. I'm going to fallow it.

I'm now really torn between Wix and Macaulay... Macaulay stable outstanding school v very unstable Wix with very poor Ofsted review but with the potential...
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Teacher&Mum
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Re: Primary schools in Clapham

Postby Teacher&Mum » Fri Dec 16, 2016 11:33 pm

Please do give Heathbrook a really good consideration. I know you say that it is further away than you might hope your little one can manage, but there are other parents at Heathbrook who are from your area and say that they are very glad that they did it - it has turned out to be well worth the journey!

I ended up with my son at Heathbrook almost by accident because we newly moved to London and had missed the deadline for applications, so I was absolutely petrified. As a teacher, I knew only too well what my expectations were of what makes an excellent school, and I also have high expectations for my son, so it was an absolute nightmare even considering that we would end up with him in a "completely random" school in the centre of London! My stresses were high BUT I could not be more pleased with how things have panned out.

Heathbrook is an INCREDIBLE school. The staff body as a whole are incredibly committed and make a personal investment in EVERY child to ensure that they are stretched and challenged, whatever their starting point. As a teacher this is something that I really appreciate.

Socially, my son has settled in really well and very quickly. The PTA is really proactive and therefore the ethos of parental support from home is also very catching! The children at Heathbrook are supported all round from the very top (an amazing Head with fantastic leadership skills) to the staff, parents and pupils themselves. As a new child in reception, I was over the moon to witness first hand how welcoming the older pupils are to the younger ones. The atmosphere in the playground is very positive indeed, and I am not surprised considering what an amazing outdoor space they have.

Trust me, well worth a visit, and if you are short of time to do much more visiting now before the deadline, please do give it your serious consideration! This school is on the up and it is already an incredible place. A real gem with a nurturing attitude for the individual which I thought couldn't be possible within a big city setting.
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claphamite
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Re: Primary schools in Clapham

Postby claphamite » Wed Dec 21, 2016 8:14 pm

We are going for Heathbrook for reception this year for our daughter.

When we looked around we saw excellent facilities, great teachers and aspirational parents. The head is also brilliant and pushes an all round curriculum of music, sports and art as well as the usual subjects. Heathbrook got a 100% pass rate in maths at the 2016 year six sats, and did very well in other subjects. So it does a great job in the traditional academic priorities but also puts a lot of effort into the arts and sport, which is abundantly clear when walking around.

Pretty much every aspirational parent I talk to in Sw4 / Clapham wants to send their kid to Heathbrook. Having looked around all the other local schools it seems a no brainer choice to me, and I am amazed it didn't get an outstanding ofsted. The school is also due to get a 3G AstroTurf pitch to add to their already excellent facilities.

Macaulay was also excellent, but unless you live 10 yards away for a non church place there is not much point applying.

Embrace your fantastic local school!
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