Local non selective outstanding school no longer has brightest & best attending. Dc is very academic, what to do?

[Muchofamuchnesss]

One of our local secondaries was once amazing, fantastic results & very difficult to get into. It had a reputation of being popular & doing great work with academic students. However I have now heard that the brightest & best students no longer wish to go there & the standard has dropped considerably.
My dc is very academic is this something we need to take into consideration? We have other options..

Find out why parents aren't applying there would be my first thought.

Seriously if you can get your kid into a school where he’s not being beaten up in the toilets you’re onto a winner

I have been asking around but parents currently in the school aren't too forthcoming with information. Teacher absenteeism seems to be a big problem.

I agree with you there for sure!

When are you applying? We went through this last year with a very academic child. Visited all the options and made notes inc noting each of our 'gut feeling' about the school. Compared the statistics esp progress of more able students (something like 'progress 8 of students with higher previous attainment'). Made a decision, highly influenced by what DS thought, by combining all of the above

@Hoomoos what did you choose in the end? Dc will be starting next Sept.

We went with the school with the best statistical results for high achieving students. That wasn't the ONLY thing that attracted us to the school, but we were torn between two schools and frankly that was the decider. I would not send an academic child to a school that won't cater for them if I had another realistic choice.

Visit several schools, look at the admission criteria for them all, look at travel arrangements, then put the ones you prefer on the form.

You are expressing preferences, not really making choices.

Have you looked at recent results?

Where are the other dc going instead?

@Happyinarcon "Seriously if you can get your kid into a school where he’s not being beaten up in the toilets you’re onto a winner"

Respectfully- don't talk scaremongering crap

What were the actual results?

"Seriously if you can get your kid into a school where he’s not being beaten up in the toilets you’re onto a winner"

🙄

You have to be realistic as to wear you will be able to secure a place. Some areas you will have more choice, others you may literally only get an offer to your catchment school as all other schools are over subscribed.

So do consider this when putting down your options on the form, as if you don't include a school your willing to send your child to that you stand a chance of getting a place in you could end up with any school.

Honestly, I've found being a big fish in a small pond much better. DD and a few other children are given every opportunity, focused on, pushed more etc as they are more academic than some other students so she's had a great experience. They also are a lot more creative with their teaching by running competitions, science fairs etc. I wouldn't worry about their results, your child will be noticed if they shine through.

@Muchofamuchnesss Bear in mind-(I notice you say that it's hard to get into)-that you will need to be in catchment. Always put at least one school on your list that you are guaranteed a place at. If you make unrealistic choices you may end up in a school a long way away.

Any way to find out where the other parents are applying?

You can only work with the options that are available to you so it's worth finding out what these are. It might turn out there are much better schools or unfortunately that this is still your best option.