Late admission into local Epsom primary school for reception year

[Silvs]

Hi ladies
I'm really hoping that someone will have experience of our situation! We currently live in SW16 and we are hoping to move into Epsom during the summer of 2013.
Problem - my 3.5 year old would be due to start school in September 2013. We have a place offered at our local catholic primary school in lambeth but am worried that we will be given a "bad" school! (Are there any??)
Does anybody have any experience of this and which schools to avoid? She will be 4 in June and I think that legally we could defer entry until next September if we had to, but obviously it's not ideal... Are all the Surrey primaries oversubscribed?
Thanks in advance!

[BlingLoving]

I'm not sure about the late entry thing, but the good news is that at reception, most of the local schools are at least okay. Some are, of course, better than others. It depends hugely on where you will be living.

The Epsom/Ewell council/borough info is generally pretty good so I'd give them a call.

[MrsDonaldDraper]

Hi there,

I'm not sure how much help I can be as I'm 37+4 so on have any direct experience of schools, but my next door neighbour got thir 7yr old son into St Martins (CofE) last Septmber with no problems. St Josephs (the Catholic primary) is tricky - you need to be a regular attendee at Mass (90% attendance), though I'm not sure if you old o a transfer from you current catholic primary? Both schools are good, I think (from my research!) plus another neighbours child goes o school on Ewell, hitch is a good one.

Hth

[TerrysNo2]

Most of the schools have full allocation already but you can go on waiting lists. The "best" schools are Wallace Fields, St Martins, Stamford Green and Southfield Park. I think Ewell Grove is good. Epsom Primary has a historically "bad" reputation but it had a new head last year and I really liked her when we visited the school. Its not as wealthy as the others but it had a lot of teachers and a nice feel.

Look at the Surrey CC website, if you're not within the catchment for this year then you will probably struggle to get in (basically you need to go to the top of the waiting list asap).

Good luck!

[superram]

You would be treated as a late applicant. I would be surprised if any good schools will have any places. You will have to move almost on the doorstep of the school you want so you go to the top of the waiting list on the off chance someone doesn't take their place.