Moving to Belfast -advice on schools?

mrsg26

Thanks for the advice so far, I suppose religion will have a bearing on what schools will be recommended. Religion isn't something I've personally had to worry about here as my daughter attends a non-denominational school and its never been an issue. However over in Belfast my DH wants her to attend a Protestant school therefore if anyone can recommend good ones it would be appreciated. I don't know much of Belfast I've only been a handful of times over the last year I wouldn't know where the south east divides etc are so just looking for some generals advice to narrow it down to where the good schools are. I have seen Strandtown recommended a few times but it puts me off because it only begins from p4 so she would need a school for the next 2 years and then would move again. That seems a lot to me. Can anyone advise why they have schools from p1-3 and then p4-7? Thanks.

IrishRose12

saverbuyer wrote: »

What's the traffic like on the Ormeau now at school time?

Well the teacher I work with has to come down the very same road from where she lives every morning and she's always complaining about the traffic lol. Whether she is making it up is another issue, but for the past 7 years working with her she complains about it most mornings. And last time I was heading up that way in the morning on a bus the traffic was bad.

As many others have said on here o you OP, unless you can tell us what kind of school/area you are looking at we can't really help much in ways of schools. From you saying that you are wanting to possibly move to the East, forgive me if I'm wrong - I'm thinking we're going to be talking about State/Protestant schools. As I said forgive me if I'm wrong. I myself work in a Catholic Primary school but know many people who work in Protestant schools. My neighbour is Chinese and sent her daughter to a Protestant school, then was up at an event in the school I work in, and was so impressed with it she sent her daughters there the following year after looking more into it

IrishRose12

mrsg26 wrote: »

Thanks for the advice so far, I suppose religion will have a bearing on what schools will be recommended. Religion isn't something I've personally had to worry about here as my daughter attends a non-denominational school and its never been an issue. However over in Belfast my DH wants her to attend a Protestant school therefore if anyone can recommend good ones it would be appreciated. I don't know much of Belfast I've only been a handful of times over the last year I wouldn't know where the south east divides etc are so just looking for some generals advice to narrow it down to where the good schools are. I have seen Strandtown recommended a few times but it puts me off because it only begins from p4 so she would need a school for the next 2 years and then would move again. That seems a lot to me. Can anyone advise why they have schools from p1-3 and then p4-7? Thanks.

The MAJORITY of schools here in N.Ireland all go from Primary 1 right through to Primary 7, so there's no changing schools etc until they move on to Secondary school. I've never heard of Strandtown myself so can't comment.

IrishRose12

Another thing I'd suggest is to do some research on the BELB site, and check out the schools you are thinking of, as there are a lot of schools being closed or Amalgamated ATM and in the short future.

RTNI

This is correct - my Mrs works in education and says that Glen(something) is the feeder school for Strandtown Primary.

Seems that the Strandtown website confirms this by listing teachers for P4- P7.

leftieM

Strandtown is big but is probably the safe East Belfast bet. Husband is from that neck of the woods and I've just asked him what are the good protestant primaries and he named Strandtown as well. Your child would go to one of the feeder schools - Dundela is one that I know of - and they all move on to Strandtown from there.

rach13

mrsg26 wrote: »

Thanks for the advice so far, I suppose religion will have a bearing on what schools will be recommended. Religion isn't something I've personally had to worry about here as my daughter attends a non-denominational school and its never been an issue. However over in Belfast my DH wants her to attend a Protestant school therefore if anyone can recommend good ones it would be appreciated. I don't know much of Belfast I've only been a handful of times over the last year I wouldn't know where the south east divides etc are so just looking for some generals advice to narrow it down to where the good schools are. I have seen Strandtown recommended a few times but it puts me off because it only begins from p4 so she would need a school for the next 2 years and then would move again. That seems a lot to me. Can anyone advise why they have schools from p1-3 and then p4-7? Thanks.

I think it is because it is such a large school. Most schools run from p1-p7 however Strandtown has 2 feeder schools pretty much round the corner from the school so all the children feed into the school at the same time with same friendship groups etc. So in that regard your daughter won't necessarily feel like she is moving schools IYKWIM Because it is the only school that runs from p4-p7 then only a few children that didn't go to the feeder schools join - because they are just staying where they went! Hope that makes sense

leftieM

I wonder if it has a much older reason. The National School system was brought in in the 1830s which allowed for a limited number of years of education. When this expanded a lot of the original National Schools remained and new follow-on schools were built, so children transferred to a second primary school. Strandtown may have retained that system as it worked for the area.
There was something similar in my home town in the south, which is why I suggest it has quite an old background (pre-partition).

Old_Git

warmhands.coldheart wrote: »

As a Protestant married to someone from the "Dark Side" living in South-East Belfast (Tara !!) I personally think you will find the Catholic Schools do "perform" better than the state/controlled schools. I know quite a few teachers in both sectors and in general all support this argument...... I'm afraid the "Protestant Work Ethic" is exactly that, a work ethic, when it comes to Education I'm afraid the Catholics beat us hands down!! 9 of the top 10 schools, based on academic achievement, in Northern Ireland are Catholic Schools...

Hence I concluded when I moved to Belfast, that a Catholic School was the best way forward for my Kids !!

Is it true Catholics learn to count on their rosary beads and protestants think there are 12 fortnights in July .Ask any protestant when they get there holidays and the answer is the twelfth fortnight .:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::T

starnight_2

You could always consider an integrated primary such as forge off the ormeau road.

saver buyer - traffic on the ormeau road at home time can be quite bad but I take the bus and try to avoid buses between 3 and 5