Can't decide between two schools

[Sofia2011]

My little one is at a primary nursery in a really good area the school has over seven hundred pupils and is rated as outstanding by ofstead. We were living by the school until July when we had to move due to the landlord wanting to sell the property we were living in. The area we have moved to is not a bad area but I don't love it either, but for the time being it will do as we get real good value for money with regards to the property we are renting. So here's my dilemma please help as its driving me mad! do I continue to keep my daughter in this school and commute thirty minutes each way for the next seven years plus. I have a highly stressful job so every morning will be a rush or put her in the local primary that is small with only 190 pupils but is warm and nurturing. The school has had mixed reviews and I have been told that it takes a lot of kids that were expelled from other schools. However I loved it when i visited and it has a good rating and being told to improve by ofstead in 2012. The school is by a estate that is quiet rough which is a little bit off putting. My question is do you think I should go with the local or further a field primary. And would the commute be excessive do you think and tiring and is it worth it? Would she lose out by going to a smaller school? Also we will move and buy a house when we can afford to but the area where we were living before is too expensive so it's likely to be an area near by where we are now.

[clary]

Is that 30 mins at 8.30am? Or at 7.30pm? The traffic on a school day at 8-9am can add a lot of time to a journey so make sure you have done a dummy-run at the right time.

Also remember that you will be going there and back every day so it's an hour at each end of the day maybe?

Will she get a place there? - 30-min drive suggests 10-12 miles so you may well be too far out of catchment.

Also bear in mind that you might want to go to school events, assemblies, plays etc and the distance might be a pain. Ditto going back and forth for school discos etc.

Also she will never be able to get herself to primary school (a big step to independence in my view - almost all DS2's yr 6 mates walked to and from school on their own.

I would very seriously consider the local school - 190 is not tiny - I assume a class in each year - and you say you loved it which counts for loads.

[NotCitrus]

I'd trust your gut over Ofsted, though Ofsted reports are worth reading to suggest questions to ask the school. Warm and nurturing sounds very good for young children, and working and getting kids to school is a right pain, so I'd go for the close school unless you really thought there was a strong reason not to. Rumours tend to be a good 5-10 years out of date!

[Sofia2011]

Thanks for your good advice I think the main thing that has put me off the local school was the dire housing. We r not snobs by any stretch of the imagination just normal working people who want the best for our daughter.but I think it's putting a lot of pressure on myself travelling 30 mins a day when I work so hard already ;( I think the local school is the way we will go. We r viewing both schools it's just my hubby is concerned that she may mix with rough kids but I think I would rather have my daughter around rougher kids than snobby ones :/