Finchley is a great location for families, and this is partly due to the excellent local schools. If you’re thinking of moving to the area, here’s a run-through of the top-performing primary schools, and some details about their respective catchment areas.
The top primary schools in Finchley
The following six schools are highly regarded by residents, and are often over-subscribed. All achieved an ‘outstanding’ rating in their most recent Ofsted reports, and are regarded as being among the best educational establishments in the area.
- Moss Hall Infant School
General information:
Moss Hall Infant School is a mixed gender school for 5 – 7-year-olds. It’s located on Moss Hall Grove, and its admissions policy is handled by the Local Education Authority (LEA). It takes on 120 pupils for each school year group and prioritises those who live in the surrounding area.
Catchment area:
To be in the catchment area for this school, it’s a good idea to base your property search in the surrounding roads, such as Nether Street, Ballards Lane or Hillcourt Avenue. There’s a wide range of properties close to Moss Hall; from large 1920s semi-detached homes (around £800,000 to £1m), to generously proportioned detached houses, priced at £1.5m+. Cheaper terraced houses can be found in locations like Coleridge Road.
- St Mary’s CofE Primary School
General information:
Located on Dollis Park, St Mary’s CofE is a voluntary aided school, which accepts students aged 3 to 11. It’s a Church of England school and as such, reserves 35 places for those whose parents or carers are regular worshipers at an Anglian or Christian Church. They also give priority for those that come from church-attending families. However, catchment area is also taken into consideration for their admissions.
Catchment area:
The school is close to Finchley Central station, which is especially appealing for commuters. To ensure you’re in the catchment area for St Mary’s CofE, look for properties in the local area, such as the stylish three-bedroomed apartments on Dollis Park itself, which are priced at around £1.2-1.3m. Locations like Church Crescent are excellent for those seeking spacious family houses, both semi-detached and terraced. These are around the £1m mark.
- Our Lady of Lourdes RC School
General information:
Our Lady of Lourdes RC School is another voluntary aided establishment, for students aged 3 to 11. It’s situated on Bow Lane. Although it’s a Roman Catholic faith school, it welcomes applications from students who come from non-Catholic families.
Catchment area:
The school is close to Victoria Park, which provides a lovely green space for weekend walks. To ensure you’re in the catchment area, look for homes on streets like Bow Lane itself (where you’ll find some great semi-detached family homes for around £800,000). There are attractive Victorian terraces on nearby Woodlands Avenue, priced at £800,000 to £900,000, or some larger 1920s properties in locations like Park Crescent.
- Manorside Primary School
General information:
Manorside is a community school for 3 to 11-year-olds. It’s on Squires Lane, and is an LEA establishment, which means that admissions are dealt with by the Local Education Authority. Priority is given to those who live in the catchment area.
Catchment area:
Like St Mary’s Cof E, the catchment area for Manorside is conveniently close to Finchley Central station. Also, Victoria Park is only a short stroll from the school. There are plenty of excellent family homes in this area, such as the Victorian terraced properties on Etchingham Park Road (around £900,000), or the budget-friendly apartments in places like Long Lane (some can even be found for under £500,000).
- Brookland Infant and Nursery School / Brookland Junior School
General information:
Both Brookland Infant and Brookland Junior School are situated near one another on Hilltop, which is convenient for those who have children of different ages (with one attending the infant school, and the other attending the junior). Most Brookland Infant students move on to the junior school. They’re both mixed community establishments, and all admissions are handled by the LEA.
Catchment area:
Both schools are located within Hampstead Garden Suburb and there are lots of cottage-style houses in roads such as Brookland Rise (usually priced around the £1m mark) as well as larger detached homes for £2m+.