Just after some outside perspectives. We live in a market town with only one comprehensive. School 1. Most kids go here, they all cycle/walk. The only other option is a 30/40 min bus to a very small school in a village. School 2. DD wants school 2! DH and I are worried about the social impact of that decision.
Some details...
School 1 c3yrs ago joined a large MAT, got a new head, and has improved from RI to Good. Unfortunately we had a bad viewing, saw 1 group kids skipping class and got sworn at by another. We know there are a minority of kids who behave badly and concerned they could have a disproportionate impact if you're in contact with them. The kids are taught in form groups and not in sets. But we also know there are a majority of decent kids and actually it should be a fairly academic intake as many locals failed the 11+. 240/yr, 1108 at the school. We have plenty of friends in this situation and they'd all go to school together.
School 2 is very small, 528. 120/yr. No sixth form. Its in a 2 school MAT with an excellent school. Arguably it has better SEND provision although school 1 is improving in this regard. There is more pupil mixing between classes and across the school.
Results and other stats wise they are similar.
DD is dyslexic. She can find friendship groups slightly tricky. She loves school. I think she prefers school 2 because it's smaller, less intimidating looking around aged 10, there aren't the sixth formers who seem big and grown up, we didn't see the behavioural issues of school 1 but not naive to this. DH and I are concerned she might miss out on local friends, all walking to school together, able to go to clubs. If the schools were near each other we'd pick 2.