Northside/Shaftesbury - where do your kids go to school? Post Reply

[lalectrice]

The Belleville/Honeywell catchments are expensive and one can get more sizeable properties for less on the Northside and the roads leading down to the Shaftesbury estate. But Wix and Shaftesbury Park are Ofted-ed at Level 2 and have issues with high levels of SEN etc. The bilingual stream at Wix (and soon Shaftesbury) sound great, but virtually impossible to get into.

As someone looking to buy in the area, I'd be really interested to know what parents do. Do you bite the bullet and opt for Wix/Shaftesbury Park? Are some of the less encouraging Ofsted comments unwarranted? Or do you all go private?

We're really torn over whether to buy somewhere nicer/bigger or try and max out the budget for a small house in the desirable catchment area. A loathsomely middle-class dilemma, I know, but I'd be really interested to hear about your experiences if you are out of or borderline catchment for Belleville and Honeywell.

[delhaiser]

If you are in the catchment area for Wix school then you should have no concerns. Both the English and Bilingual streams offer excellent teaching and the school has a wonderfully happy atmosphere. Go and visit and judge for yourselves. I know parents who have started in the English stream this term and cannot believe how good it is, cannot understand why people still think Belleville/Honeywell are the only state school alternatives inthis area. Ask the head or deputy head to show you recent year group or SATS results and you'll see that the excellent teaching is evidenced in superior results. It's a terrific school and everyone benefits from the French culture - not just the bilingual stream.

[littlebalckbear]

Thanks for these posts. I live on the Northside and although years away from my daughter starting school she will most likely go to the Wix English class (would be great to go bilingual but don't think we'd get a place based on the distances for this year).

I only know a handful of children in this area and the majority of them are privately educated (some are doing so until a place at Honeywell or Belleville comes up). There are a few children who go to local state primaries such as Macaulay (CoE).

From what I have read about Wix it has improved dramatically and is on its way up. The current Head is very impressive and as the previous post says, the bilingual aspect has a very positive influence right across the school. However, judging by places given this year (all children living up to 1778m away), it does seem that despite good reports, parents are holding back from sending their children to Wix. Perhaps they are waiting for more official indicators of quality (such as Ofsted)? Wix is now feeder for the new (and controversial) Bolingbroke Academy - I wonder if that will have an impact on admissions?

I am very encouraged by what you have written delhaiser, and wait with interest to hear from others on the subject!

[Sazzlelondon]

Hi! I'm a Wix mum and I, and my husband, truly believe we've hit the jackpot at this unique school. I'll declare right now that our children are in the bilingual stream, but I am so impressed with the school that we rejected a Belleville place and would have put our children in Wix's classic stream before Belleville or Honeywell even though we live Between the Commons.

My husband and I are both journalists so thoroughly investigated the schools and our options before choosing. For us though, what stood out is the way the children are treated as individuals. We're all for a first-class education and that's the primary focus, but I wanted my children to have an enjoyable time at school and really believe that they could achieve their goals/dreams if they work hard and I think Wix gives this to them. My son became a free reader in Year One and it is definitely true that this happened because he was treated as a unique child and encouraged to become an advanced reader rather than being kept back with the rest of the class.

We would like to move out of London, but we can't bear to leave the school. The teachers are excellent; committed, compassionate and disciplined. The size of Wix is just right, big enough to give the children an idea of the world, small enough to make them feel secure and as if it's a second home. I particularly like the way that teachers from much higher up the years say hello by name to my children and there is a real sense of community. The last Ofsted report focussed on Marc Wolstencroft, the Head, and the mangement team because they are on a mission to continue their rapid upward trajectory and I will be amazed if the latest SATs scores don't help them achieve an Outstanding rating on next inspection.

I could talk about it all day! I get frustrated that people just turn to the usual alternatives which is largely down to historical perspective rather than the current reality.

All the best in your search though - I hope you find the right place for you/your children!

[zandj]

We too live on the Northside. We suspect like many parents, we came to dread the whole school decision - whether to go state/private and how the local primary schools compared.

Our daughter has just started at Wix (Bilingual) and we have friends whose children have started at Wix Classic. As professional parents, we can honestly say that we are so pleased we chose Wix - it is definitely the best option. Wix is a fantastic, vibrant school. When you walk into the playground it is buzzing, the children are so happy and the French cultural influence permeates the whole school (the children all mix at times throughout the day, French is taught to all pupils and additionally there is a French After School Club available). We are confident that not only will our children get a great education but that they will be nurtured as individuals as well. Our daughter has settled in really well (thanks to the lovely teachers) and is thriving.

It seems to us that a lot of views are formed about Wix that are simply not based on first hand knowledge/experience. We can only really endorse what a previous contributor has said and say - go and see it for yourself!

[collombe]

Me and my husband made an excellent choice choosing to live in this area - And Wix school is one of these tangibly good reasons.
One of our sons started with the English nursery school, before joining the Billingual section. Lots of positives I could write on the paper, which actually are nicely summarized by other posts. Great curriculum, very nice surrounding, excellent teachers (French and English teachers), impressive management of the school by the 2 headteachers, who work hand in hand for the Billingual section. Wix is definitively a school you should consider as one of (if not) the best option for your kids. Last - all the classes and teaching have benefited from the French education standard and culture - not just the bilingual stream.

[smiley116]

The only school for choice is Wix, whether it is Bilingual or Classic Stream, you'll be happy with both. The parent network is great, the teachers are outstanding and each year the results are getting better and better.

I always see happy, smiling children that arrive at the school who are ecstatic to be at Wix. The other day I heard a child say: 'I like holidays, but I prefer getting back to Wix so that I can learn and see my friends!'

[supergirl]

How exactly can you get into the bilingual stream at Wix? My children are bilingual french and english and we would love if they could carry on their bilingualism throughout their education so they can be bi-cultural as well...

Would really love to know how really difficult it is to get into the bilingual stream...

Sx

[littlebalckbear]

Supergirl

The best information I have found is from the council. They produce a brochure "Choose a Wandsworth Primary School 2012" which details admission arrangements for Wix (both streams).

You can download it from here:

http://www.wandsworth.gov.uk/downloads/ ... chool_2012

Hope this helps.

[dancing_queen59]

Wow, some really, amazing and positive reviews about Wix. Just out of interest, the billingual part of the school, are you French speakers or are you English?

[lalectrice]

This is incredibly helpful and has really helped allay my anxieties about the school. Thanks very much, everyone, for your feedback. As a half-French person, I would love to get my child into the bilingual stream, but the strong impression I get is that the 14 state places are largely taken up by siblings and those living virtually on top of the school! I'm guessing that, with so few places available, that sitting on the waiting list wouldn't really avail one either?

[cocoella]

We have two children at Wix (in the bilingual stream) and I can wholly support what other Wix parents have said. It's a great school and we decided to keep the children there although we'd originally planned to move them to private schools at 8 - it just didn't seem like they would be able to do much better or be any happier than they are!

dancing_queen59, we are both English and speak a bit of French but by no means fluently. If you don't speak any French, you might need to have help with the homework - lots of parents use au-pairs for this or there is a homework club at school too - but rest assured, there are plenty of non French speaking parents!

[patersr]

I can clarify a couple of questions people have about how you access the bilingual stream at Wix. There are two routes; one via Wandsworth council. Someone else has rightly suggested looking at their primary school brochure for application details for the school - they are the standard priorities ie special needs, siblings, geog distance.
The second route is via the Lycee run Ecole de Wix. Siblings also have priority here and I think after that French nationality of the parent/s is a criteria.
The reality is that in bilingual reception, many of the places on both sides go to siblings, but not all. On the Wandsworth side there were quite a reasonable amount of non sibling places in 2011 (Wandsworth could confirm exact figure) but yes, they were taken by families living pretty close to the school.
However, bear in mind also that as places become free in later years (through people moving etc) they can be more difficult to fill as children need a certain level of both French and English to cope in the class. So, if your child is bilingual its worth checking with the school in later years to see if places come up.
Please don't ignore the fact that children in the Classic stream have French from reception and benefit hugely from the French atmosphere around the school.

[mishymum]

We have two children in Wix (Classic Stream) and are totally satisfied with
the teachers' competence, professionalism and level of care; there is a lot
of mutual support between parents and the cosmopolitan atmosphere is
certainly an serious advantage to the children. We are extremely happy to
be involved with Wix Primary.

[dancing_queen59]

We live on Gowrie Road, just wondered what the chances a of getting into Wix. Only 2 streets away. Is anyone a further distance? What's the nursery like?