Which school

[99problemsandthecatis1]

Both schools academically good. Nice feel and good reputations.

School 1:
Close to home (walking distance)
70 to a year
Off site before and after school club at £17.50 per day, booked termly (we'd require full time), no ad-hoc use.
Off site holiday club. Over subscribed, £30 per day.
No childminders available
Can share drop off pick up
DC2s nursery fees would increase by 15%
2 completely separate drop offs and pick up (drive between school and nursery)

School 2:
Near my work (15 minute drive)
Year group of 20
Onsite before you after school club £13 per day, ad-hoc use. Guaranteed spaces.
Holiday club £25 per day, guaranteed availability.
Reliant on me doing all drop offs and pick up unless very well planned in advance (or I'm very sick).
Changing jobs would be harder
DC2s nursery fees are cheaper
1ish pick up (2 separate building very near each other)

Which would you choose?

Let's pretend you are guaranteed entry in to either. Both have same number of school holidays. We feel DC1 would do well in either.

I'd go for school 1 because of the proximity to your home. I imagine your younger dc will start school too over the next few years, so the nursery fees aren't forever.

Are the 70 kids split over 3 classes? If so, that class size is not much different to the smaller school.

No, split over 2 classes. Both schools have 1 teacher and 1 TA per class.

The cost difference of 15% will remain until they are both out of childcare due to school 2 providing a sibling discount on wrap around care which school 1 don't have.

I'm leaning towards school 1 as well as we can share pick up and drop off. Though I'd either have to do all pick up collection for DC2 or we'd have to move nursery (3 years of nursery left).

Actually, a class size of 35 would put me off school 1. I think that's too many.

But your dc will want friends local to their house.

It's a tricky one.

A class of 35 vs a class of 20? School two!

I think a class size of 35 is too many, but a whole year group of 20 is too small!
I would probably choose school 1, as I think it is nice to go to school in your local area. Will probably make play dates, weekend parties etc much easier in the future.

You say the second school is near your work, but is it over subscribed? As it is not year your home address would you have a realistic chance of securing a place for your DC?

Are you in England and if so do you mean two classes of 35 children in key stage 1 as infant class size legislation is as follows:
The law states that there must not be more than 30 children in an infant class (that is, classes containing reception, year 1 and year 2 children). This applies even if other adults are always present, and/or some children are absent.

*near not year

Definitely school 2. There is no downsides. You save money, it's easier to arrange childcare during school holidays, you loose less time between drop off and actually getting to work. It doesn't matter if you do all the drop offs as long as your partner helps get the children ready in the first place. A 15 mins drive is almost nothing.

Hmm, interesting after a few more replies.

SunburstsOrMarbleHalls we're in an over subscribed area locally so whilst the school takes 70 kids and has a 2.5 form entry in reception the head said that by year 2 every class is 35 and sometimes more in juniors. I'm was the same when my husband was a teacher. There's the law on class sizes, and then there's the law on all kids must have a school place and most local authorities choose the second one to adhere to!

And yes, realistic chance of securing a place in school 2.

I guess my only issues with school 2 are that I'm committing to 10 years of drop off and pick up. Though a lot can change in that time. And what if I need to move job?

With regards to friends, DC is already at (private) nursery at school 2 (along with DC2) and is already attending birthday parties and play dates with the kids there. He already knows almost all the kids who will be attending. Because of its location very few of the kids live near to the school.

School 1. Being near work is too risky. What if you change job or your work moves? My office is moving to another town 25 miles away. That wasn't on the cards even 3 years ago. If I was tied into a school near my work I'd be stuffed.

I don't think that it matters about staying at the same work place with school 2. A 15 mins drive compared to walking (which will likely take longer due to kids dawdling) will still take up the same amount of time, especially as you would still need to walk back from school 1 to get the car to drive to work.

Well that's good Kpo58 as yesterday I interviewed for and was successful in getting a promotion. It's Local authority, same one I'm with currently but a different location. Thankfully nursery/ school isn't a massive detour but you're right, unless it's literally the opposite direction, a change of location isn't that big of a deal.

Local school always for me. Fast forward to the last year of primary and they will walk to school and to meet friends - you will be tied into many more years of driving if the school is a 15 min drive.