Catholic primary school experiences

[Peanutbutteryday]

Hi all! I hope this is ok to ask. I’ve been viewing local schools and earlier this week viewed a catholic school. State and one of the best in the country academically. What confused me is it was really different to all other schools I’d viewed. The school was, well, silent. All class rooms silent or low key talking in children as they worked. Organised. Obviously they achieve great academic results but what am I missing? The organisation confused me in a way!! The other schools I viewed had a more busy atmosphere, more talk and more play. The other schools are academically strong too ie top 300 in the country. The other schools had more play base for reception and Y1. The catholic school was desk only.

how on earth do they get 4/5 year olds to be so well behaved and is this good for them?

I partially think my dc would thrive in this environment as she seems to keen to learn. But I’m just confused by how different it was to other schools.

it also sounded like the head was discouraging children who needdd extra support, and also saying if you like us do put us as your first choice even if you don’t get in (the synic in me thinks maybe to bolster application numbers to make them look great - it’s really hard to get in like a 0.001 radius unless practising).

OP just to clarify the first choice, the head is right there. You should always list schools in order of genuine, actual preference regardless of likelihood. It doesn’t make your second choice any less likely.

I don’t think that’s replicated across other Catholic primary schools as a default. DS is in Year 3 at one and it’s loud and chaotic and fun. EYFS is definitely play-based and even KS1 is very low key too. It’s consistently outstanding according to Ofsted and gets above average results although is not super-academic. It’s just like any other primary school really.

I’m a Reception teacher (graded Outstanding at our last OFSTED) and I would never work in a school that was desk based in Reception.

Thank you. To be honest I have another tour at another school Friday which will definitly have more play based in reception. I hope to be able to ask them to explain more about the benefits of play based learning so I understand . I’m a mum not a teacher so it’s all new to me 🙈

My DC’s primary school is catholic, top 10 nationally for SATs, Outstanding etc. it’s a wonderful school and behaviour is good and it’s quite a quiet school (for a primary!) but Reception and Y1 are play based and very nurturing. Desk based for 4 year olds sounds nuts!

In a nutshell - children learn through play. It is absolutely the best way for them to learn and the gold standard would be to carry this in through to year 1! Their little brains are wired to learn by doing - moving, exploring, trial and error, discovering and doing things for themselves.

Desk based is common in year one but I’ve never known a setting where children are desk based in Reception. As a teacher of 30+ years (many of those in early years) I’d never consider a school where the children were desk bound in Reception.

Thanks for explaining.

Ps. Sorry to pounce on you as a teacher but I have one more Q, and no probs if you can’t reply.
What confuses me is how has this school got all these 4/5 year olds to sit nicely all day long. And form what you’re saying that’s not actually as conducive for learning as it may have appeared walking round on the tour.
There was no play area other than at break time they share the same wide playground as the whole school

I would say we don’t know if they sit nicely all day long. I could get my class to sit nicely at tables during a parent show around if needed! children of that age don’t have the attention spans to sit all day - what you’ve seen is a snapshot of their day. If you spent a whole day there I imagine you would see children who are disengaged and fidgety.