School preferences

[Ropeynigel]

Can I ask for opinions here please, we are doing our school application for next year for ds. We have 2 schools we are thinking about and we've been to see both.

One is our closest school and known locally as the 'better' school but no wraparound care.

The other has not such a good reputation locally, people have been a bit snobby about it but has a breakfast club (and after school club but we won't need that) which we would be very useful as then we don't need to worry about childminder etc.

Both seem nice, similar small size, similar Ofsted, similar results, friendly staff, children seemed well behaved and happy at both.

So can I choose a school mainly because of the childcare?

[Charmatt]

You can make your preferences (Not a choice unless all your preferences are undersubscribed) based on whatever reasons you like. You will be ranked against their criteria without preference taken into account and then an algorithm applied to offer you your highest preference according to your ranking at each.

[Charmatt]

Sorry, short answer is yes!

[Ropeynigel]

Sorry yes I put preferences in the title. I suppose I should have phrased the question 'should I?' Rather than 'Can I?'

[Starlight456]

It’s worth looking what provision is available. In the area . Childminders , nurseries thar collect. It wouldn’t be my reason but you can do whatever is right for you

[RedSkyLastNight]

If the 2 schools are "equal" in other aspects and the childcare at one is better than the other, then picking that school seems like a reasonable choice :) Might be worth finding out what parents at the closer school do for childcare though- there might be some great local provision that you could also use.

[SpaSushi]

You might want yo check if the school care is actually likely to be available or is over subscribed. You might get into school and find there are no places for breakfast club.

Certainly at our school new families don't always get places in before/after school care because its already full with existing children in older classes

[Charmatt]

The school might signpost you to local childminders too. Ultimately I would prefer the one that works best for us as a family

[1Regret]

First check that you'd actually get a place at the breakfast club. Ask the school, but also ask parents of children at that school (you might find the answers slightly differ!).

Snobby is pointless if you can't find somewhere happy and safe for your child before school.

[Ropeynigel]

Thanks everyone, the breakfast club is just turn up and pay and never turns anyone away. I'm sure there are childminders in the local area but whether they will have spaces is another matter.

[GenericHamster]

If both schools seem nice in person then I would go for what works for you as a family. Breakfast club (depending on the child) can be easier for them then going to external childcare.

But if the other school was significantly better, I would lean more towards that. Bit sitting on the fence, sorry.

[Pigletin]

I would go with the better school (i.e. the one you feel is better for your child) regardless of childcare.