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Original poster

How important is local in secondary state choice?

58 replies

roses2 · 02/03/2024 09:11

We have been lucky enough to have been given our first choice state school, a really great local school but limited GCSE options (they offer 9 subject and that's it); not great facilities, non existent extra curricular and run down equipment. But it's local where the friendship network will be and we're right in the middle of the catchment area.

DH is having a wobble and wondering if we should call our second choice. This is a similar academic standard but further away and we would be right on the outer border of the catchment. Great extra curricular, modern equipment, wide range of GCSE options.

His primary class are going to all different places - no one place in particular - and he is happy to make friends at whichever new school he starts at.

DS is very sociable. Right now DS loves going to his friends house or they come here after school and week ends.

Are further away schools an issue? Is it better to stay local? Both schools have very similar academic outcomes.

OP posts:
Violettaa · 02/03/2024 09:33

How are you in the middle of a catchment area, in London, but still 40 minutes away?

People do travel long distances in London but this can’t be your local school.

It sounds really limiting in many ways, and it’s not actually local. So doesn’t sound a great choice to me.

Snugglemonkey · 02/03/2024 09:31

I think 9 gcses are too limited. Many do more than 9. What if he really hates a couple? That would make doing them a slog and make for an unhappy time, they would say his mental energy for the others. Or he would end up with fewer grades.

I am surprised any mainstream school offers so few to be honest.

Playdoughcaterpillar · 02/03/2024 09:27

I think for 10mins different travel I'd go for the one with more options for GCSE and extra curricular stuff. That's very important to me and has been highlighted by the stark difference between my son's school and my daughter's.

Octavia64 · 02/03/2024 09:27

9 GCSEs is extremely limited.

Combined with the other stuff you say I would seriously consider the second one.

Wode · 02/03/2024 09:27

What are the 9 subject choices? I think that would help decide it for me.

Spendonsend · 02/03/2024 09:25

I liked my sons school being local. He could walk to and fro, friends were easy to get to and he could do out of school clubs.

In terms of gcse option, by 9 do you mean 9 choices on top of maths, science and english? Which in most schools is 5 of your 8 or 9 gcses. Its does seem quite limited. There are 3 humanities alone, plus a language should be offered.

I wouldnt worry about extra curricular. Lots of kids dont do whats on offer and you can find stuff outside school to fill it.

Original poster
roses2 · 02/03/2024 09:25

First choice - 40 minutes door to door
Second choice - 50 minutes door to door

We live in London and he'll be getting the tube by himself. So not much in it from a commute perspective. Second choice is typically under subscribed whereas first choice is heavily oversubscribed. If we dropped that place we won't get back in. It's based on random allocation within a radius of the school.

OP posts:
Fluffycloudsfloatinginthesky · 02/03/2024 09:16

Excluding academics I think from a social side it can be harder in the younger years.

My DD's are about 3 miles from their school - a bus journey but most people walk as it has very small catchment usually.

It does mean they tend to socialise there, fewer people come here especially when they are in y7 as they may not be used to getting the bus alone.

How long is the journey and by what means? We struggle with buses here as they can be full even though here are plenty of them. Luckily they have a couple of different options.