Is this a bad school?

[Howmanysleepsnow]

DS is y6. We’ve submitted his secondary choices. First choice school is one I’d viewed previously for eldest DC (Y12 now) and very nearly didn’t view again. Back then, it was failing terribly: poor ofsted, bad reputation, very bad behaviour from pupils. At the last minute I was convinced by some other parents to look round: it was taken over by an academy trust 18 months ago and they’d heard brilliant things from other parents with DC there. I was really impressed by it, loved the ethos, the attitude of pupils I met, the teaching methods, the fair culture, the standards they set, how individualised everything was. We put it as first choice. Around half the staff are new, including the SLT. Other schools in the group are ofsted outstanding (it hasn’t been inspected yet).
Since then, everyone I speak to tells me how terrible it is. Last night a parent showed me the Facebook page of the parent group: there were zero positive or neutral posts, just lots of angry parents…. it’s making me second guess our choice.
But, all the complaints are similar:
”Xxx has been suspended and they have no proof he did yyy”
”I’ve not sent xxxx to school since late 2020 and no one has contacted me since early 2022, they don’t care about our kids “
”xxx has been in isolation 4 times since Xmas an it’s not is falt, my lad is a gud boy an he sez it wosnt im “
”xxx has detention agen jus coz he forgot his books an pens, what about his education?”
”they’ve suspended xxx for a 3rd time an carnt even show me cctv”

Should I be worried that parents hate the school? Or take it as a sign things are changing for the better? My head says the latter, but I’m actually a bit scared we’ve chosen poorly…

Trust me. Coming from a post student of that cursed fucking school. I’d say letting your kid applying for it is a massive mistake. The school lets the students just do whatever: smoking, swearing, braking property of both the school’s and other students, fighting, Ect and so on. I would know because it was a daily occurrence that used to happen. In the total few years [‘3-4’ give or take] that I was there for I’ve gotten into 4 fights [in which they started].

bullying, and the thing that got me to forcibly bot come back too that school. Getting my head repeatedly stomped upon. Which resulted in me getting slightly cracking in my skull aswell as damaging my left eye too the point that even now it’s not functioning properly.

and dispite calling the police and making it visibly clear that I wanted charges too be pressed. Nothing has happened.

so I’d urge you to get your kid out of there based on what I know about it.

also the entire time I was there no progress in my education was made. Causing it to basically fuck over all of my education is just a merely few years.

@JackAkumu I didn’t say which school it is?

General update: it seems my fears were completely unfounded. He’s been there 3 months and it’s absolutely brilliant. No trouble, no bullying and he’s really happy.