How to get your child a place at London’s best primary schools.
When it comes to London’s primary schools, some are much more popular than others. Houses in catchment for the best schools change hands for significantly more than out-of-catchment equivalents and a few metres can make all the difference when distance rules are applied in the fraught application process. So here’s the lowdown on how to get a place at five of London’s best non-denominational primaries.
Fox Primary, Kensington W8
Fox is the ultimate Notting Hill primary school, and one of the hardest to get into. The catchment area is tight, the waiting list is long, and property prices are at a premium. Even within the catchment area boundary you need to be living as nearby as possible. But this house in Campden Hill Road W8 is so close that you could almost guarantee a place. It has three bedrooms in an unusual upside-down layout, and is for sale with Winkworth Kensington 020 7727 1500 at £2.25m.
Bousfield Primary, Earl’s Court SW5
Not only is this school heavily oversubscribed, but its 1950s modernist building is also Grade II listed. Highly coveted places go to those living nearest to the school, and properties nearby command a premium. This maisonette in Rosary Gardens SW7 is just 0.17 miles away, making it a likely bet. The apartment has three bedrooms, two en-suite bathrooms and a courtyard garden – it’s on the books at Winkworth South Kensington 020 7373 5052 for £2.55m.
Belmont Primary, Chiswick W4
Last year’s cut-off point for admissions was 0.3 miles at Belmont, which has for a long time been the Chiswick primary of choice for local parents, loved for its forest school element, its kitchen garden and its wide range of clubs. Family houses in the area don’t come onto the market very often, however. There are several new build blocks around, though, and this two bedroom apartment in Colonial Drive W4 is exactly 0.3 miles away from the school gates. It has a large kitchen/reception room with a balcony and is on the market at £657,000 with Winkworth Chiswick 020 8994 7096.
Barnes Primary, Barnes SW13
Clubs at Barnes Primary include Lego Construction, Mindfulness, Chess, Coding and Music Composition among countless others, so it’s easy to see why the school is so popular among the parents of SW13. This six bedroom house in Ferry Road SW13 is well-located and has ample space for a large family to take advantage of the school’s sibling policy. It has lots of living space and a good-sized garden and is for sale at £3.75m with Winkworth Barnes 020 8255 0088.
Primrose Hill School, NW1
This is another listed building, dating back to 1885 and retaining many of its much-loved original features. Today the school reports excellent academic results and is very oversubscribed with a predictably tight catchment policy. This two bedroom apartment in Prince of Wales Road NW5 is in with a good chance, even if there are no guarantees – it has two bedrooms and lots of period features as well as high ceilings and lots of natural light. Priced at £795,000, it’s listed with Winkworth Kentish Town 020 7485 9210.
