Hi

I am hoping to get advice from any parents who live in Watford, what would be your experiences of primary schools there, I am currently in London and we are relocating to Hertfordshire - would be grateful if you can advise of good schools and if catchments for primary age my daughter is 5 next month

Thanks
Saima

mods can you move this to the herts section pls where there will be members who can help. thanks dg

Not in your area, but can advise that as you are looking for a mid year admission governed by Infant Class Size legislation, it may be more a question of Which schools have a place available in Reception?, rather than being able to pick and choose.

_________________
Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.Groucho Marx

We moved from London to a couple of miles from Watford with kids in Reception, Year 3 and year 5 a few years ago. Reception was the most difficult year group to find space in. We didn't get any of the schools we applied to initially and schools offered were up to 8 miles away. If you want to PM me with where you are moving to I may be able to give you more advice. I went to appeal which didn't help. We did however end up with a workable solution that we were happy with.

This is the Herts primary school vacancy list which is regularly updated:

https://www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/servic ... ear-6.aspx

Appeals for years R / 1 / 2 are very rarely successful. 'Having been placed in a school by an Independent Appeal Panel' is indeed one of the limited number of circumstances in which a child can get a place which means that there will be more than 30 children in a class with a single qualified teacher (either in the year currently, or when moving forward: e.g.with an intake of 45, there are usually two Reception classes of 22 and 23, but that doesn't mean, Whoopee, fewer than 30, they've got spaces!, because years 1 and 2 will consist of 90 pupils divided into 3 classes of 30) but there are enormous constraints on how a panel may legally make that decision.

_________________
Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.Groucho Marx

Are you definitely set on Watford? Looking at the current vacancy list, you might have more luck with Croxley or Rickmansworth?

Many thanks everyone your advice is much appreciated
Would I have to apply to multiple schools once I have actually moved into the area? (Need a local address)?

Does this also apply to private schooling ? Ie if I move into a new town and admit into private school I guess there would still be a waiting list ?
Thanks