I’m absolutely devastated about our school placement

Glad you’re feeling better but there’s something wrong with your stats here?

@Itsallaboutme2021 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Honestly, people are so rude!!! I got exactly the same type of responses when I posted how upset I was to not get our first choice (we got 3rd)
As you can see from my earlier post, it worked out in the end via the waitlist but I posted on here hoping to get positive stories and not to be told to ‘calm down’ and I needed to get a grip!!
Try not to worry, I’m sure you will get a place at your preferred school 😊

I work in an amazing school…. A wee side note - our library lights are motion activated - the library would be dark if no-one had been in for 5 minutes….

We moved to get into our top choice primary school. I genuinely tought it was the best state primary school in the country. So happy when we got allocated it as our first choice.

Two years later I'd moved my children to another school I'd never heard of before because the apparently 'amazing' school was, in fact, awful!! And turns out the average, never heard of it before school was bloody brilliant and my children thrived there! Oldest has long since left and youngest is finishing year 6 this summer. Both had incredible experiences, have done well academically and made fantastic friends.

You really can't tell what a school will be like until the children start there. You might well be pleasantly surprised with the one you've been allocated. 'Amazing' schools are often not that amazing under the surface 💛

I was going to say the same thing. I think the cons could be pros!

I’m a teacher and I moved my dd after half a term from an outstanding school because as soon as she started I could tell that it was awful. Regimented and like a cooperate machine.

I didn’t want my DD to be in an environment where the teacher was worrying about the font size on her maths board rather than being with and teaching the children.

Try not to worry too much if your child is keen to learn they will do ok.
Mine did at a so called bad school in the area but are now doing very well due to their hard work and teachers encouragement.
I'd like to think me and DH also helped.
There's so much pressure to attend the so called best school it gets a bit barmy and even worse when Uni comes around.

Also, walking to school is better for children than driving. It's healthier (whatever the weather), they arrive alert and ready to learn, they can gradually learn more independence and it's a great opportunity to chat and laugh and meet up with friends on the way.

I know you're feeling a bit flat but try to be excited for your child starting school. As others have said school green spaces are often muddy and unusable, messy classrooms are busy and creative, religious schools often have a better ethos and behaviour.

My DC didn't even get third choice, nor 4th or 5th, we got one that wasn't even on our list,

We were devastated as the school was crap.

We stayed on waiting lists, but trued to make it work, as there was no movement, ever.

The school went into special measures whilst DC was there, became an academy, and - six years later - still requires improvement.

DC managed to pass their 11+ however, and is now at an outstanding grammar school. So even a less than ideal school can work, if the child has potential. DC was not tutored before tutoring is used as a reason they passed, they were bright enough (luckily as they didn't learn much at primary, dye to the attention being given to the trouble makers),

Op it sounds like you are feeling more positive now.

One thing that stood out to me is that schools have limited budgets and it sounds like this school uses its budget on its staff more than the surroundings. That to me is fantastic.

Also bear in mind that all schools have negatives. There is no such thing as a perfect school. Im sure that the school you listed as 1 and 2 also had negatives.

We sent out DC to a nearby beautiful village primary that was very sought after. It was awful. Super competitive materialistic gym bunny Mum's rolling up in their Range Rovers and (seriously) taking their girls to New York for the weekend to go shopping.
No one valued education in the slightest. We took them out and sent them to a big scruffy happy school instead and they just thrived.
Give it a chance OP.

Your list of pros would outweigh the cons for me.

We ended up sending our children to the school within walking distance. The facilities aren't quite as nice as those at other schools, but the community here is amazing. We've made so many local friends, and I really value that our school runs are so relaxed. No sitting in traffic or on public transport; just a lovely stroll and often a chat with other families in the area. It's also amazing if you have a busy morning or are sick as there's usually someone who can walk your kids to school or walk them home if you're caught up.

Being ahead of the national average is also a great thing, as is charity work and multiculturalism. I understand the hesitancy about religion, but as long as they're not fundamental about it, then it's not necessarily a bad thing. I went to a Catholic primary school and a lot of the religion classes were about the values of the religion, not just the stories about Jesus etc. You are the biggest influence on your child, so as long as you talk to them about what they hear in religion and explain your beliefs, then it's unlikely to be a big drawback.

As a PP said, messy and chaotic may mean they're more concerned with giving the kids in the class a good experience than looking perfect for visitors. I like the suggestion to visit again.

I would give the school a chance. If it doesn't end up being right for your DC, then you can explore other avenues.

Majority of appeals fail, you can try and get an education advocate to help you appeal, it may increase your chances. You could also delay starting and wait on waiting list of summer born, homeschool whilst on waiting list or fight hard with the appeal process. At the end of the day, the best school may end up being a nightmare and the school that u didn't think would be good can be a blessing. All uk schools are horrific in their own way. Not having a green space is bad but I'm assuming they have a playground at least? Perhaps ask them to turn the lights on in the library if that's a concern.

There's an awful lot about you in your post and absolutely nothing about your child. Are you choosing a school for you or for them?

"devastated" FFS. Get a grip.

Personally, the things you listed as pros - above average attainment, multi cultural and walking distance - would make me put this school as my no 1 choice not number 3, but I understand your priorities may be different hence the disappointment.

You really don’t know how your dc will feel there. It is mostly dependent on the rest of the children in his year there.
Fingers crossed he’ll be happy there. If not just keep him on the list for the school you’d prefer.

When my eldest started, my children's school had an awful library and there were no music facilities, so the parents group decided to work on both, both with fundraising and physical work.
The library was painted white so now bright, lighting improved thanks to local electrical and companies, there was new books and colourful cushions etc bought and new nooks for reading and it's lovely.
A former storage room was cleared out and shelving went in. Gradually basic musical instruments were gathered and a tradition of music was started.

If the atmosphere is nice, kids happy, don't worry about green space and dark libraries, you can help improve those things.

Op being close to school is a Huge pro! Especially as they get older and want to do play dates with friends and meet at the park after school etc., walk home with friends when in year 5 and 6 etc

The school doing work for charity is great.

The classrooms being messy and chaotic is also a sign that they are having fun there

For what it's worth OP the thing that will most likely make or break their feelings on the school- their classmates and friends- isn't something you'll be able to see yet. The difference in good and outstanding schools is largely on paper I think.

First world problems. Won’t matter too much either way.

yabu. Calm down and get a grip.

people’s children are dying in Gaza or Africa. It could be worse.

best of luck.

The pros for the school you guys got sound wonderful. I know it's hard when you don't get your first choice - we were allocated the 4th choice for my DC2's primary school, and I was upset at first - however for DC2, it turned out to be the perfect school for her.

She thoroughly enjoyed her time there, the teachers were amazing. It wasn't as swish (facility-wise) as the primary school that DC1 was in (my 1st choice for DC2, though we'd moved between the times DC1 and DC2 started primary and were slightly out of catchment, despite the sibling link), but it was right for her. Sure, it was a PITA for the first year as DC1 was in Yr 6 and DC2 was in Yr R (but different primary schools!) but things evened out once DC1 started secondary. A place came up a year or so later in the first choice primary school (she was on the waiting list), but I didn't move her as she was so settled and the school was a great fit for her.

I talked to people I knew about the school, and reframed my mindset, which really helped. There was a "new starter" day thing in the summer before DC2 started and I got a good feel for the place then, and started thinking that perhaps it wouldn't be so bad. When DC2 started, she was really well supported. The teachers/staff there saw her through school from when she was a tiny little Yr R pupil (who had only just turned 4 about a week before she started school) to the end of Yr 6. I have a lovely photo of her, with her Yr R teacher and her Yr 6 teacher, on her last day of Yr 6.

She's in secondary school now (a wonderful CofE school, just a 15min walk away from our place), but today we had a fab day out with one of her best mates from primary (someone she's known since Yr R).