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Original poster

Without any other information, which would you choose?

51 replies

LunaLoveLemon · 04/10/2022 11:25

Choice of three schools for Reception entry next year:

School A is 5 minute drive away, walkable in about 30 mins in decent weather (off road and muddy). Less than 200 pupils. Good Ofsted. It’s a village primary which has recently become an academy. Academy Trust is run by a local, well regarded private school and appears to offer gifted and talented activities, sporting opportunities etc. that perhaps you might not get elsewhere. Also a possibility of academic scholarship into said school for secondary school.

School B is 7 minute drive away, semi-walkable (country lanes, no pavement) in approx an hour, very cycleable. Has less than 80 pupils. Good Ofsted but overdue an inspection. Appears to have an outdoorsy, nurturing ethos. Young, enthusiastic headteacher. Children appear to come from a wide catchment due to the school being undersubscribed. Likely to be a maximum of 10-15 pupils in the year group.

School C is 9 minute drive away. About a 45 minute, very safe walk. 400 pupils. Ofsted Good. Closest large village to us. Friends children go/will be going there. Close to soft play, cafes, shops, parks etc. Probably a bit more of a mix of different children, cultures etc. (Benefit potentially IMO). My gut says larger school is likely to have better SEND support?

I’ve got open mornings/tours booked over the next couple of weeks and will obviously base our application on these but wondered what would be the feelings of others, and what questions you would want to ask based on the individual schools as they all seem so very different!

OP posts:
LuciaPopp · 04/10/2022 13:24

A or C. B is too small and sounds on the way down. I like the sound of A in particular, especially the option of walking to school. Go and see them both, ask A about their SEN provision.

KylieCharlene · 04/10/2022 13:27

A. Without question.
It's closer and seems to provide more opportunities for my child.

MadeForThis · 04/10/2022 13:29

A then C
Not B

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Vegetablesupreme · 04/10/2022 13:36

School A. School b too small...risk of possible closure. School c too large and a lot longer to walk to if circumstances meant you had to.

catsonahottinroof · 04/10/2022 13:44

Without any other information, I'd go for school A as distance to home is more important to me, and ability to get there on foot if no transport for whatever reason. It sounds like a good school too but they all do.
Pros for school C, your friends children are going there (only if your children are also friends with each other).
Thing with school B, it might suit some SEN children, but it's a difficult thing to know for sure until your child is there. The same is true of all schools really.

VenusClapTrap · 04/10/2022 13:58

Fascinating that so many people are opposed to B. There’s a C near to us, and I know several people who moved their dc from there to the school my dc attended when it was small like B, because their dc found the bigger school overwhelming and noisy, and they then settled much better into a small, cosy school where everyone knew each other.

it all depends so much on the child.

Original poster
LunaLoveLemon · 04/10/2022 14:55

berksandbeyond · 04/10/2022 13:19

Also do you actually have a good chance of getting into these schools? C in particular may be over subscribed? The furthest distance place offered at my DDs school (village school) was just 0.7 miles away.

Yes, all are under-subscribed. Lots of villages with small schools.

OP posts:
mindutopia · 04/10/2022 14:56

Me personally, I would go with B as that's closest to what we did choose and I'm very happy with that choice. But if you are looking for SEND provision and more nearby facilities, then yes, I can see why you'd choose C.

HardLanding · 04/10/2022 14:57

A or C, depending on which of my children it was for !

DD 1 - A
DD2 - B
DD3 - C

HardLanding · 04/10/2022 14:58

DD2 is Autistic and whilst she was alright at a school like C, she’d have much preferred a school like B.

TallulahBetty · 04/10/2022 14:59

C. B could close if so underscubscribed!

Pumpkinpatchlookinggood · 04/10/2022 15:01

Ime A. Being able to walk

Pumpkinpatchlookinggood · 04/10/2022 15:02

Being able to walk the school run is mind blowing. Car journeys twice a day are hideous.

Orangello · 04/10/2022 15:06

I would certainly go for A just based on your description.
If that wasn't an option, DC1 would go to B but DC2 to C.

Bramshott · 04/10/2022 15:11

A

whenwillthemadnessend · 04/10/2022 15:15

C then A

Choopi · 04/10/2022 15:20

My ds has asd and we swerved all big schools(primary and secondary) and it has worked out great. He wouldn't cope being surrounded by so much noise and is a quiet kid so would be lost. With that in mind straight away when I read your post I discounted C. From your list it would be A.

WWRGD · 04/10/2022 15:22

They also sound like nice schools. For me, I would want a school that my child and I could walk to so that would be C then A. See how you feel when you go to the open days. We thought we liked one school but the enthusiasm of the headteacher and atmosphere at another school changed our minds. The leadership team is critical to a good school environment.

That said, if you child starts and doesn't enjoy it at the school you pick you can always move them to a different school.

GreenLeavesRustling · 04/10/2022 15:37

A

Original poster
LunaLoveLemon · 04/10/2022 16:08

User57713 · 04/10/2022 13:03

What about the practicalitles? Do any have school transport? Walking bus even part of the way? Breakfast or after school club? Others going in the same direction who might share lifts? Do you then have to drive on to work in a particular direction? Car parking or a safe place to stop and unload?

Lots can change over the primary school years, school performance can go up or down, friendship groups can change, your child's needs can change. But the school run never changes. Twice a day, every day. Unless there's a global pandemic obviously.

No school transport for any of the three. C may have a walking bus for children living in the village but not one that is useful to us as we live rurally. Walk to C is easy and safe (pretty much a straight line with one footpath that becomes a quiet lane) but 45 minutes each way isn’t going to be realistic with a tired 5yo so it’s probably not that relevant. Parking likely to be a bit of a pig there but we’re happy to park a little while away and walk. B probably a pig to park as it’s a tiny village, it’s also the least safe walking wise but the easiest to cycle. A the most realistically walkable (shortest and all footpaths) but can be very muddy! Parking not necessarily great but doable.

OP posts:
Expatting · 04/10/2022 18:39

I would pick A because my DC go to a school that matches this exact description. The link with the private school trust has given the students great opportunities for swimming, other sports, use of their theatre, they send 6th formers to come and help listen read, they send their minibuses for school trips. It's a real positive in my opinion. The 1 form entry has been great for my DC they've had lots of opportunity for leadership etc

VariationsonaTheme · 04/10/2022 18:43

A or B. We live in a county that has mainly one form entry primaries and lots of small schools too. A primary school of 400 is just too big in my experience. We only have two in the whole local authority that big and they feel completely different to the village primaries.

Mistymountain · 04/10/2022 18:44

C first, A second, wouldn't bother with B

midgeycatsmum · 04/10/2022 20:10

C - we had a similarish choice (although not rural, and distances much, much shorter). The tiny village school was adorable, but it was just too small, I didn't get good vibes from the medium sized place - so we went with the 400-ish pupil school with the brilliant headmaster, and it was definitely the right choice for us!

Original poster
LunaLoveLemon · 05/10/2022 12:08

@Expatting Think this has to be the same school?! You have described it down to a tee. Went to an open morning and I’m very impressed.

OP posts: