Veronquie73 - the aim of bilingual stream at Wix is certainly not to ensure that children of French nationality are taught French. The aim, certainly for the 14 state-funded places, is to offer pupils the opportunity to get to a “point of balanced bilingualism” regardless of their nationally.

If your son needs to learn French surely there are a number of options – as a native speaker can you not teach him yourself? He could go to the Wix Classic Stream were all children are taught French or to Shaftesbury Park who are starting a bilingual stream this September.

I am really astounded by your suggestion that French children should have priority to Wix’s state funded bilingual stream.

The bilingual class at Wix was set up in 2005 as an agreement between the French Government and Wandsworth Council. At the time it is probably fair to say Wix was not as popular as Honeywell or indeed Belleville and there was spare classroom capacity. The Ecole de Wix, operates on the same site and is part French funded. There are 28 children in the bilingual class, 14 of which are funded by Wandsworth and 14 by the French. This year not all siblings got a place in the Wandsworth bilingual class half and thus they will enter in September in the "classic class" . You have the right to apply just to the bilingual class or the classic class or both but if you are offered a place in any stream of the school you have no right of appeal against not being offered your preference stream- this is stated in the Wandsworth Council Choosing a primary school brochure. Wix classic class has spaces at older age groups , the bilingual class is full throughout the school. There are primary schools in Wandsworth where there are over 20 mother tongues, to suggest that children should get priority in a state funded French biligual class because their mother/father tongue is French fails to reflect the multiracial mix of London today.

I'm a single French mum with a 3 year old starting school next year and would love my son to go to wix but we live too far unfortunately. The fact that admission is based on the distance rather than the fact that that children are French and NEED to learn their mother tongue is ridiculous. the whole point of having a bilingual school is to cater for the community that needs it but it obviously fails to do so.

Hi, they're having an open morning this Thursday.

Hi rebs3000

My son is also going to the nursery in September. Pm me if you'd be interested in meeting up in the park for a play at any stage. I'd love my son to have a familiar face there when he starts.

Hi. My son has just been accepted for a place here, at the nursery! I was hoping for him to go to Belleville or Honeywell but am unfortunately too far. I looked into other schools and this one was by far, the best one around according to there ofsted reports. However, they didnt have any information on there ofsted about the nursery so does anyone have any experience with their nursery and was there any problems?? thanks

Thank you very much for the last two posts on this topic. Its great to hear some positive and passionate comments about the school. I am hoping to have a look around soon and hope I feel the same way about it.

Just to add, I went on a tour of the school yesterday with the deputy head and I was really impressed. It really is a lovely, small school.
The only downer I found was the state of the building. It is old and a bit shabby - but I doubt very much that this affects the teaching or the learning one bit! And no doubt as more parents move Northside and the school becomes even more popular further funding for the building will arrive.
We are really considering it as an option for our daughter. Everyone is so friendly and kind.

I have two children at Wix, live locally and looked into other options (Belleville, Honeywell, Mcauley) before deciding on Wix . The school has a new prospectus (available at the entrance) with the words "NO SCHOOL IN LONDON LIKE IT" boldy written in red across the front. This sentiment sums up Wix and is why I chose it over the other 3 schools - it's bold, achieves, is improving at an impressive rate, embraces the diversity which makes London such an exciting place to live and has a great soul. There is a caring and nurturing passion behind the school, from both teaching staff and parents. It has a warm glow and I'm chuffed to bits my kids are part of this, blossoming in a way I never could have imagined. They are loving life and their brains never have a dull moment! If you pop over and have a look, you'll know instantly if it's the school for you and your children - and you’ll get to pick up a copy of the most inspiring school prospectus in Clapham too. All the best.

Great, another school that won't be for me: my daughter was born in August !

The French lycee decides by date of birth.
You have some chance if your child is born between Januray and April.
After April it is very unlikely

Hi Emben,
I must admit I had the same concerns as you, so I spent the summer holidays prior to them starting school teaching them "Bonjour, oui, non" and how to ask to go to the toilet!....I was also given a copy of Muzzy by a friend who no longer wanted it, and I persuaded them to watch that a few times.
However my concern was unfounded as there were several other non- French speaking children in the class & the teacher takes it very slowly- a lot of time seemed to be spent singing in French which worked brilliantly in terms of picking up the language.

Hi Northsidemum - thanks again for the information. We are 200m from the school so i'm hoping this would be within the catchment area for the bilingual stream if that's what we decide on. I'm very interested in the bilingual stream. Can I ask - once you made the decision that it sounded really interesting, how did your children cope with it? My concern is, how does a 4 year old who has never really heard a word of French suddenly join a class made up of a lot of French children and be taught in a language that means nothing to them? I know that they pick up languages really quickly at that age, but surely having had very little exposure to that point must make it a very difficult beginning to school? I'd love to hear of your children's experience if you don't mind.
Thanks.

The catchment area for the 14 places via the Wandsworth council is 251m so forget it if you are on the other side of the commons.

As regards the French track, it's mostly taken by siblings and then for the rest, you have to apply via the French lycée and yes, one of the parents have to be French. Then I'm not sure how they decide between all the French people applying.

i am very happy with the school