Primary schools in Southend

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Biscuit lover · #1 Unread post by **Biscuit lover** » Tue Aug 23, 2011 1:01 pm

We're looking into which school to try to get the kids into in Southend. They did have places at Temple Sutton, but due to unforeseen circumstances they will be continuing at their school in London until Xmas.

Our catchement school is Bournemouth Park but they have never had places and it is rated a 3 by OFSTED. Temple Sutton is rated a 1 but it is over a mile away and my main worry is that it is huuuuge!! Four classes of 30 per year!! I attend church at St Marys so I was thinking they could go to the St Marys school? Does anyone have any experience of that school? Or of any others in the area?

Thanks

Jenn · #2 Unread post by **Jenn** » Tue Aug 23, 2011 4:01 pm

Big school years are not always a bad thing. William's school is 4 classes in each year. And it is really good in the infants!

I don't really know your area tho - hope someone can help!

#3 Unread post by **weezypops** » Tue Aug 23, 2011 4:26 pm

Yeah, Felix's is four too but the classes are only of 28 and he has two teachers and a teaching assistant. I was surprised but Kester finds it really weird as he went to a school with fewer children in total than in one year at Chalkwell Hall!

rachel jane · #4 Unread post by **rachel jane** » Thu Aug 25, 2011 2:31 pm

My catchment is Bournemouth park aswell as i live on that road and mine don't go there because its not very good. I looked round there and didn't get a good feel. Temple Sutton is good and has been for a while, my friend works there and a lady i know little girls go there and shes happy. Mine go to a school with 4 classes per year and i have never found it a problem.
I know of 2 children at St Marys and they are happy enough with it.
I don't think theres any other schools near you. Theres Porters Grange near me which again is awful.
What road are you?
Have you enquired about St Marys because it might be quite difficult to get into?

Biscuit lover · #5 Unread post by **Biscuit lover** » Thu Aug 25, 2011 8:36 pm

I'm on St Marys Road! Literally opposite the church!! I get along well with Father Shaun the vicar at St Marys and so I will have a chat with him about trying to get the kids places there.

It's funny that the schools have such big intakes here, even in London most of the schools are 2 or 3 form entry.

Louise- like your husband I too went to a very small primary - only 40 in the whole school and only 4 in my year!! Very different indeed!!

Clairebear · #6 Unread post by **Clairebear** » Wed Sep 21, 2011 8:08 am

My friend's daughter went to St Mary's and she was really happy with it. I don't know how easy it is to get in now but a few years ago it was really hard to get a place, but if you regularly attend the church, that would definitely help

If you are opposite the church, Westborough primary is fairly near you and that is a really good school too.

#7 Unread post by **Schmushe** » Wed Sep 21, 2011 9:18 am

My friends children go to Temple Sutton and they have had a few blips with one specific teacher (but you get that in every place). She is happy with it apart from that though and all 3 kids seem to be doing well. (1 in nursery, 1 in reception and 1 in yr 5).

#8 Unread post by **Gina73** » Wed Sep 21, 2011 10:42 am

Temple Sutton is a good school and know alot of people try to get their children in there. To be honest most the schools round here have large size classes, Mia goes to Westborough and they had 3 classes of about 30 for her year. I know St Marys is a good school and have heard they are not an easy school to get a place for.

I am happy with Mia being at Westborough which is probably under your catchment area, they do start at 8am and finish at 1.30pm with afterschool clubs running til 3.10pm.

Jenn · #9 Unread post by **Jenn** » Wed Sep 21, 2011 11:28 am

Gina - do you need to pay for the afterschool clubs - just wondering as Hamstel have started doing childcare till 5:30 for £7 a day.

Sorry to thread steal!

rachel jane · #10 Unread post by **rachel jane** » Wed Sep 21, 2011 11:56 am

I think you have to pay at most schools for afterschool clubs Jenn.

#11 Unread post by **XxJack~AcexX** » Wed Sep 21, 2011 1:02 pm

At Blenheim there are few types of after school clubs.
One is that all the teachers have been asked to cover an after school club over the week which the kiddies can attend which is free. These include drama, art, gardening, survival club etc which are on for about an hour or so till 4.30.
There is also after school clubs like football, gymnastics and street dance etc and many more that people from companys come in and teach which you need to pay for and of course there is the childcare after school clubs that parents can pay and pick there children up later on that evening if the have to work late.

So technically Jack coul go to an after school club each day for free and I could pick him up about 4.30... quite amazed me actually.
Not that he wants to go to any

Pest

Clairebear · #12 Unread post by **Clairebear** » Wed Sep 21, 2011 1:16 pm

I am really annoyed with Sophie's school at the moment. They don't run any out of hours clubs for reception and all they have for year 1 are football and multisports. Football is on a Friday morning from 8-9, which Sophie couldn't do even if she liked football as she has beavers on a Thursday evening and goes to bed about half an hour later than normal so would be shattered all day Friday if she had to go to school an hour earlier. Multisports is on a Tuesday after school, so we applied for that but, obviously as they are only limited to two clubs, so did a lot of others in her class, along with the rest of the school so she didn't get a place. She was really gutted

#13 Unread post by **Schmushe** » Wed Sep 21, 2011 2:20 pm

We have a breakfast club for parents who work which you pay for, there is also a after school club which again is for working parents so they dont have to pay expensive childcare.
We have clubs in a morning like karate and mini movers (dancing), lunchtime clubs (recorder, board games) and after school clubs - some are teacher led and some have outside agencies come in which you have to pay for.
Josh starts spanish tomorrow and will finish at 4. Alexa did get the option to join a club but I would prefer her to wait until year 1 and more settled.

As for class sizes, ours average about 26-29 with 1 teacher and 1-2 TA's, this year we have 2 reception classes, and some years have 4 classes to keep them smaller and more intimate. I think there are 3 yr4 classes this year, where previously there'd only been 2. Just shows, join a school from a infant + junior to a primary and theres more money in the pot for more equipment, teachers, support staff etc..

#14 Unread post by **Gina73** » Wed Sep 21, 2011 3:56 pm

We dont have to pay for the afterschool clubs til 3.10pm but maybe that is just because they start at 8am. The only day you have to pay is on a Friday if you want them to stay after 1.30pm but think it is only a couple of pound.

rachel jane · #15 Unread post by **rachel jane** » Wed Sep 21, 2011 4:13 pm

Cor thats good i thought all schools you had to pay. They don't start clubs until halfway through year 1 at greenways and they only have them after school never in the mornings apart from breakfast clubs.

Primary schools in Southend

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