Schools in London - Help!

amother

Lawngreen

Wed, Nov 11 2015, 5:49 am

We are looking to move to London. Originally, the move was scheduled to happen in December but this now looks unlikely.

We have a 3yo who will need a reception place for September.

We understand that there is a shortage of places and that the deadline for applications is in January, after which places will be allocated in whichever schools are undersubscribed, likely the not so good ones! In any case, even if we do manage to move in December, we will not be able to fulfil the criteria for a place in a Jewish public school.

Is it true that we have no chance at all of getting a place for our child in a public Jewish school or a good state school?

What is the situation with schools in Edgware and Borehamwood?

Does anyone have info about Rimon Primary in Golders Green?

amother

Blue

Wed, Nov 11 2015, 6:58 am

I don't know about schools in golders green area but I do know that my friend moved to Stamford hill and her daughter 4 was home for 6 months and then she got a "no" from 3 schools for no reason. She ended up putting her in to a school she didn't want

School crisis all over...

Good luck

Raisin

Wed, Nov 11 2015, 7:56 am

I know its tough but I don't know particulars.

You don't say what type of school you want - I assume M.O?

There are some private Jewish schools which might be easier to get into, (I don't know) but these are usually more right wing I believe.

Can you call the local rabbi of the area where you want to live? He might have some advice and presumably knowledge of local schools.

amother

Lawngreen

Wed, Nov 11 2015, 8:16 am

Yes, MO schools. We won't consider private schools. We will consider non-Jewish state schools. We are looking for a school with high academic standards.

We have not decided which area we will settle in. The decision will be influenced by the school situation but GG will probably be out of budget. We need to find out more about Edgware and Borehamwood as we understand these areas are a little more affordable.

We know about Menorah Foundation school but it's hard to get a place and almost certainly not possible for us.

We don't know anything about schools in Borehamwood.

chavs

Wed, Nov 11 2015, 8:28 am

If you are looking in Edgware you might want to look at beit shvidler, as you said there is also menorah foundation. Noam has a good reputation (not sure where exactly it is, but ppl in Edgware send there).
I live in Edgware, really like it, my kids are homeschooled though so I'm not talking from personal experience. I've heard that noam is good and have heard mixed reviews about the other schools. Beit shvidler is in Edgware however and is more modern. It might be worth giving them a call.http://www.beitshvidler.org.uk

Raisin

Wed, Nov 11 2015, 9:43 am

You have to realize that many (most) UK Jewish schools are orthodox run but have a lot of traditional but not religious kids attending. But if you are ok with a non Jewish school I guess you are ok with that.

if you search here this topic has come up more then once.

amother

Lime

Wed, Nov 11 2015, 9:52 am

Borehamwood

Hertsmere Jewish Primary School MO ethos, most kids not frum but very high level academics and beautiful campus http://www.hjps.herts.sch.uk

Yavneh Primary School New MO school expected to open in September. Will share facilities with Yavneh College High School http://www.yavnehcollege.org/y.....chool

Edgware

Menorah Foundation difficult to get into, considered to the right of Beit Shvidler. Noam in Wembley is similar to Menorah foundation.

Beit Shvidler , families range from not covering hair to black hat. Great education, has quite a few borehamwood families.

Rosh Pinah, MO ethos, most kids not frum. Has had lots of difficulties and lots of kids are leaving.

Other which may have places

Nancy Reuben in Hendon private but doesn't have high fees.
Immanuel prep (MO ethos), private
Eitz Chaim and Mathilda Marks (MO ethos, not so many frum kids)
Sacks Morasha Finchley (MO)
North West London JDS (MO) easier to get in to
Independent JDS
Hasmonean Primary School

Don't know about Rimon.

nylon

Wed, Nov 11 2015, 2:18 pm

Hertsmere JPS is heavily oversubscribed. Friend in Borehamwood is sending hers to Sinai in Kenton and I understand she's not the only one in her area. Yavneh Primary has been sorely needed.

Shame about Rosh Pinah--the demand is strong enough that that school may see a turnaround though.

Rimon in GG is a "free school" - only 50% of places allocated by faith. No idea about the makeup of other 50%.

Mathilda Marks-Kennedy is a good school but has always been known for low proportion of time on kodesh and relatively few frum students. Sacks Morasha is MO but their stated goal is for all families to be Shomer Shabbat.

Mrs Bissli

Wed, Nov 25 2015, 8:24 pm

Sacks Morasha and IJDS are both oversubscribed by local residents (Finchley and Hendon respectively). They are both great school with solid LK and chol. There are a few families that send to Morasha from Borehamwood but they're in older years when they were not fully subscribed (Morasha just graduated Year 6 this past summer). Several families from Edgware send to IJDS but all whom I know started in Hendon then subsequently moved.

Sinai is the easiest to get into because it's the only school that has 3 forms. (HJPS is 2 forms but almost all places filled with siblings). As much as 1/3 come from Borehamwood, and there are school buses.
Wolfson Hillel in Southgate also has several families from Borehamwood.
There is another free school in Mill Hill but I believed you need to be Mill Hill to get in.

Northwest is near Willesden Green, not an easy commute from Borehamwood or Edgware, esp in the morning.

There's much debate on whether Yavne Primary will open for Sept 16. They're definitely aiming for Sept 17. Since there's less advantage to get the kids in Nursery (some schools stopped preferential treatment for Nursery children for Reception), one option is to send to local shul nurseries and apply for a Reception place at 4yr old. Yavne Primary would be free school, so 50% of intake would be based on proximity (though suspect vast majority would be Jewish knowing the local landscape).

I'm actually in one of neighbourhoods you mentioned, have/had children in some of the schools, so please do feel free to PM me.

Mrs Bissli

Wed, Nov 25 2015, 8:31 pm

I totally agree you need to check the content of LK. Some schools are shockingly light--25 to 30% which might even include arts/music. Ivrit is now treated as a modern foreign language. Good place to check is Pikuach school inspection reports on Board of Deputies website. Redflag if there's a reference to students finishing the school struggling to read Hebrew. Most schools teach Israeli pronunciation (as in shalom and emet) but Beit Shvidler teaches in Ashkenazi pronunciation (as in sholom and emes). Menora and Beit Shvidler ask families to keep chalav yisrael (or at least have one available in case of playdate). IJDS does LK in Hebrew emersion. NW/IJDS/Morasha do send some graduates to more academic secondary schools (Citi Boys, Habs, QE Boys) but most graduates of Menora/Beit Shvidler go to Hasmo. Noam teaches LK separately for boys/girls, at least for KS2, if not earlier.