primary schools in north belfast

[Hannah Brown]

Hi - just joined. I wonder if any of you live in Belfast? I am moving over come April and need to decide by 23 January which primary school to apply for in North Belfast. My daughter will be starting P1 in Sept 2008. Do any of you know anything about schools in this neck of the woods?

[Girlzmum]

Hi Hanna - I'm in North Belfast and my eldest is in P1. What schools are you considering?

[Lynne4]

Sorry I don't live in belfast but there is a site http://www.findmyschool.co.uk to find schools on. Just not sure if it includes Nothern Ireland :unsure:

[Girlzmum]

Northern Ireland isn't included there Lynne - we never are!

[Hannah Brown]

Hi Colette - We are considering St Therese of Liseux, Hazelwood and Cave Hill.

[Girlzmum]

St Therese is really good but hard to get into - they have a reall small catchment area. I don't really know much about Cavehill Primary. Hazelwood is ok, have heard very mixed reports about it tbh. My dd is in Park Lodge, it's a very good school, my dad taught there for 20 years, both my brothers and several friends went there and we were delighted to get her in. I went to Mercy Primary (wasn't allowed to go to PL because it was all boys then!) another very good school.

You mustn't be very far from me! I'm just off the Antrim Road, near St Gerards.

[Hannah Brown]

Not too far from you - currently with my mum-in-law further down the Antrim Road, which is in the St Therese catchment area. House hunting in the area. Thanks for the info. There seems to be general agreement about St Therese although I was very impressed with Hazelwood when I went and liked the ethos but haven't met anyone whose kids go there and everyone I talk to seems to be rather scathing about it. Coming as an outsider from London (husband is from North Belfast but hasn't lived here for 25 years) it is taking time to figure out the ins and outs of schools here.

[angelcake71]

awwwww I dont know the area.....but good luck!

[Girlzmum]

Not too far from you - currently with my mum-in-law further down the Antrim Road, which is in the St Therese catchment area. House hunting in the area. Thanks for the info. There seems to be general agreement about St Therese although I was very impressed with Hazelwood when I went and liked the ethos but haven't met anyone whose kids go there and everyone I talk to seems to be rather scathing about it. Coming as an outsider from London (husband is from North Belfast but hasn't lived here for 25 years) it is taking time to figure out the ins and outs of schools here.

I have several neighbours whose kids go to Hazelwood and really like it but I have also had really bad reports. TBH I didn't really look at many schools last year because my heart was set on Park Lodge, in fact it was one of the reasons I chose to stay in North Belfast when then df and I were house hunting, years before children came along! I've lived here since I was 3 so I haven't strayed far, we used to live in one of the streets that run between Antrim Rd and Cavehill Rd, with the Waterworks at the top of the street.
How are you finding it here? Have you settled ok?