London mums primary school help!

amother

Wed, Jun 30 2010, 1:44 am

We've entered the dreaded stage of applying for primary schools and I am truely terrified. As a non londoner I do not really understand the concept of having little control over where my child goes to school- and as we can not afford to send privately we are looking only at state aided options. We do not live in Hendon or GG, and I dont know if we have ANY chance getting a place in any schools in NW london so really do not know what my choices are- I would appreciate your suggestions.

Also does anyone have any personal expeirences with the following schools (yes I know some of VA)

Menorah Foundation
Edgeware Jewish Primary
Noam
Hertsmere ???- We are closest to this school and have a high chance of getting a place if we applied- but is it at all frum???

Thanks.

amother

Wed, Jun 30 2010, 2:11 am

HJPS - Hertsmere is a school with a frum teaching staff for Limudei Kodesh but the majority of the children do not come from frum homes and in addition it is extremely hard to get accepted to the school as like most other school - they have a sibling first policy.

Menorah Foundation - I've heard good things about this school. Mixed crowd, as far as I know, most if not all the children are from frum families. All types of frum children - MO to Modern Chareidi.

Noam - I've heard from parents of children - they are really happy with the school. I think frum wise they are what are called in the US Modern Orthodox Machmir.

I don't know about the other school.

Disclaimer: I only know the info I was told by parents and what I've heard from people around.

amother

Wed, Jun 30 2010, 2:11 am

From all the schools you mentioned they are all very very good as far as education.
The least "frum" is hertsmere but educationally it is very good.
Make an application to all schools the way it works is you put your first second and third choice down and hope for the best, is your child in a nursery attached to any of the schools you mentioned? if so it will be an easier process.

amother

Wed, Jun 30 2010, 3:24 am

What has been said about the schools already is basically spot on. The only thing I thought I would point out is that Noam and edgware Jewish primary are both private, Noam is about £1400 a term.
HJPS accepted only 4 non siblings this past September.
Perhaps you should consider applying to another state aided school just to cover yourself.

Excuse my ignorance but how old does your child have to be when they enter the Nursery of a school: is 3yrs old about to turn 4 or 4yrs old about to turn 5?

amother

Wed, Jun 30 2010, 3:30 am

Oy, I feel your pain, OP. Primary school places in NW London is such a scarcity. It's probably good you're not in Hendon/GG 'cuz that's where people I know who don't have places for their children live.

Noam: my friend's children go there, they seem very happy with the education as well as
the religious aspects but they're in infants so can't speak for juniors. They're also shtark MO (sheitel, tznius, father wears a black hat for shabbat but solid colour shirts on sundays). Not sure you can get a place unless you live in Edgware. It's single-form so a bit smallish.

Hertsmere: US school, as the other poster said, majority of mums don't cover hair (but some do), mums in trousers quite common. I think most grads go to co-ed Yavneh (almost a feeder school) but some go to single gender Hasmo. Academically very good. I know some parents didn't like the headmistress but heard she's gone. It's also bigger school with two-form entry.

EJP: I thought they give preference to Adas Isroel members.

I think you get prospectus from the school, but you actually need to apply via local authority. You'll also need the new Certificate of Religious Practice post JFS ruling. Siblings get priority in any case--you might want to check how many non-sib places they're going to have at Hertsmere.

Mrs Bissli

Wed, Jun 30 2010, 3:44 am

As correctedly pointed out, Noam is independent (ie private). Edgware Jewish Primary is currently independent but I heard they're trying to apply for voluntary-aided status.

Nursery is for 3yr old going on 4, reception is for 4yr old going on 5.
It's probably more prudent to apply at nursery stage, as most reception classes give priority to children already in nursery.

amother

Wed, Jun 30 2010, 4:03 am

amother wrote:

Noam: my friend's children go there, they seem very happy with the education as well as
the religious aspects but they're in infants so can't speak for juniors. They're also shtark MO (sheitel, tznius, father wears a black hat for shabbat but solid colour shirts on sundays). Not sure you can get a place unless you live in Edgware. It's single-form so a bit smallish.

Noam has no connection to Edgware that I know of, they are in fact based in Wembley at the moment and accept people from wherever as long as you fit school ethos and criteria. I never heard the edgware thing before in relation to Noam. But yes I do think EJP do give priority to Adas members...

whats so frustrating is that you dont really get to CHOOSE. You have to wait with baited breath to see if you get CHOSEN!

amother

Wed, Jun 30 2010, 11:23 am

OP again-

I am seriously having sleepless nights over this schooling issue. Depending on how many spaces hertsmere are offering we are quite high on the list as they have just changed their criteria and have already done that dreaded crp form. the question is do I want me kids there, and I have not answered that one yet...

amother

Mon, Aug 16 2010, 5:09 am

EJPS - limmudei chol, kodesh and ivrit is of a very good standard, you probably have more chance of getting in there than anywhere else. I know a few families from the hertsmere area who have just taken their kids out of hjps and put them in there. I believe places come up on the waiting list, however it is private. Although they have applied for voluntery aid they have been rejected on numerous occasions.

HJPS - very non frum crowd although the ethos of the school is MO. Very few shomer shabbat in the school and very difficult to get into.

Menorah Foundation - also quite a few there from the hertsmere area.

Noam - possibly more zionist in outlook than menorah foundation.

Another two to look at are possibly Independant and North West which is apparently relatively easy to get into at the moment but is becoming much less frum.

amother

Mon, Aug 16 2010, 5:13 am

The Independant is a modern orthodox zionist day school with very high standards in both limmudei kodesh and chol. It is the only jewish day school in london to have sherut leumi girls come to teach ivrit and so the standard of ivrit is very high. It became voluntary aided around 20 years ago.

chavs

Mon, Aug 16 2010, 6:53 am

I homeschool but I saw an email sent on EK saying that EJPS have spaces still, this wasnt more then a few weeks ago I thik, so its worth trying.
I dont know much about the schools so this is the extent of what I can tell you.