Primary school choices- help!!

[Twobigbabies]

I had my heart set on our local primary school- 8 minute walk from home, on the village high street, 'heart of the community', reputation as a 'nurturing' school from the neighbours and local mums, local friends all sending kids there.........However today was totally blown away by a tour at our second closest school. This one is 12 minutes walk away, outstanding ofsted. Headmaster and general ethos extremely impressive. Hubby is totally sold. Potential negatives: local 'pushy/academic' rep and above average pupil turnover due to lots of international families (DS from ethnically diverse background so possibly more of a positive) . Would have got into both on 2 previous years' distance criteria.

School tour at first school was pretty disappointing- led by a robotic deputy head who answered questions defensively and seemed obsessed with Sats results...

SORRY I appreciate I am very lucky to be in this position and sound like a complete spoilt brat but would be very grateful for any input from people who have been there or making this decision soon! Thank you!!

[Ttbb]

2 hands down.

[soapboxqueen]

You'd be better off asking local parents why they chose one over the other. What have they heard about x or y school. Local knowledge can be very helpful.

In all honesty the best way is to find a supply teacher who's done work in both and doesn't mind being brutally honest. You see all the cracks and skeletons that way.

[Twobigbabies]

Thank you soapbox... Re asking local parents, this sounds awful but the local school seems to have a much more 'white/English as a first language' demographic and reading between the lines I think this has been a major factor influencing their decision. I'm from a mixed background, went to an ethnically diverse school and have always had friends from a variety of backgrounds so I see diversity as a positive. I haven't met many mums from the second school but those I have appear to be very happy with it.

[Dixiechickonhols]

I’d revisit both especially informally eg walk by at end of school day. Look out for carol concert in local church or Christmas Fayre.
Ask for Destinations of yr 6 May give a clue to how pushy academically.

[Dixiechickonhols]

It could explain why some view School 2 as pushy/academic as some backgrounds do tutor/kumon more openly and more tendency to try for selective secondary.

[AllPizzasGreatAndSmall]

The vast majority of people in this country do not live in areas with selective schools, so the destination of year 6s bears no relation to their primary education whatsoever.

[soapboxqueen]

TwoBig parents choose schools for all sorts of reasons and not always because it's a better school. Sometimes it's because they are snobs. Parents break their necks to get into a school near me because it's in a sought after postcode. I wouldn't touch it with a barge pole. I also know of parents rejecting schools because they are too "urban" (too many brown children), too "changable" (occasional gypsy/traveller children) "not academic" (had extra funding for a specific class for children with mild SEN so naturally the whole school was 'for thick children'). Anyway, you need to pay as much note to who is giving an opinion as what their opinion is.