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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to ask for your h

48 replies

hibbledibble · 28/04/2015 09:49

I'm gutted that I didn't get the school I wanted. I'm now looking at other schools, something I didn't out much thought in before as I thought we would get a place in our first choice. I've viewed 3 options and have to make a decision quickly before the deadline (30 April!). Dd is awaiting assessment regarding SEN.

School A is local, around a 10 minute walk. It has has had a rather difficult history but I believe it is improving. It has a very deprived intake, with lots of temporary accommodation nearby. Very high FSM and EFL. The facilities are quite shabby, but should be redeveloped this summer. Very big classrooms and playground. Good SEN provision. I like that with a local school dd would have local friends etc. The school had a warm feel. Good value added.

School B is very big and felt rather impersonal on viewing it. It has a huge site but is 2/3 form entry, which I feel is a bit big for a primary school. However it has excellent facilities and value added scores, as well as excellent SEN provision. It is around 1 mile away. High EFL and FSM but not as high as school A.

School C is around a 30 minute drive. I loved the feel of the school. It is single form entry with a good community. Good facilities in some aspects, but poor in others. The school site is quite small but it has a good reception playground. The achievement is extremely high, but this is partially a reflection of the intake, with comparatively low FSM and EFL. I think their SEN provision is likely to be the least strong of the 3 schools however.

All 3 schools had excellent behaved pupils, and I think all are good schools. I'm really struggling to decide which one.

OP posts:

Original poster

hibbledibble · 28/04/2015 09:50

Sorry title should say "to ask for your help with choosing a school"

OP posts:

finnbarrcar · 28/04/2015 09:51

The first one.

ImNameyChangey · 28/04/2015 09:54

What sort of SEN are suspected? It's kind of important in a way....though I know that it's hard to tell what difficulties may be faced. From what you've said, I would personally be tempted to go for B because of the SEN provision. Large doesn't matter because children have their own class and their own teacher....so they're within a community within a community.

The smaller school could be good if the SEN are just academic but not if there is an ASD suspected.

ghostyslovesheep · 28/04/2015 09:56

saoirse31 · 28/04/2015 09:57

Definitely the first. Re the third one, sometimes schools that r too small r not better re both friends, atmosphere, sen provision, cliques etc.

A close school is I think great. Just makes life easier. I also think that in terms of success at school , parental support is possibly the most important thing. You'll clearly be giving her that support.

ChazzerChaser · 28/04/2015 09:59

A or b

WorraLiberty · 28/04/2015 09:59

The first one

As an aside, do you see a high amount of FSM and EFL pupils as a negative thing?

They bring more funding to the school that everyone can benefit from.

LaurieFairyCake · 28/04/2015 09:59

They're all great

I prefer the child going as locally as possible as they then become part of the community and its incredibly easy for play dates and walking there.

LaurieFairyCake · 28/04/2015 10:01

Definitely not C, that's 2 hours driving a day!
That's at least 35 quid a week petrol and how damaging to the environment is that for 5/6 years.

Stopandlook · 28/04/2015 10:01

What Laurie said

addictedtosugar · 28/04/2015 10:04

A or B, assuming they have spaces??

addictedtosugar · 28/04/2015 10:04

Oh, and waiting list for first choice, A and B if you don't want current school.

Original poster

hibbledibble · 28/04/2015 10:08

namely she has speech and language delay.

addicted all 3 have places. We will be definetly be going for the waiting list for our first choice, but realistically she probably won't get a place.

OP posts:

ElviraCondomine · 28/04/2015 10:10

My DD2 goes to a school which is sort of a hybrid of A and B: mixed intake (some areas of high deprivation) 3 form entry, good facilities for a town school (big site, lots of extras) and good SEN provision. It's a 15 minute walk away.

She previously went to a school like C. It was in the next village, 10 minutes drive, much more middle class intake (going there meant she shared childcare with her cousins- it was the practical answer from that POV)

For various reasons we moved her in Y3 to the A/B hybrid. We have never regretted it. She has friends knocking on the door for her to go and play, the school has responded well to her late SEN diagnosis and in fact flagged it up quite quickly whereas the 'nice' school wasn't interested because she was academically able and they didn't see the need.

I'd suggest, if you liked the head teacher, go for A. If not, consider B.

ChopOrNot · 28/04/2015 10:15

A. You said it felt warm.

And totally, totally not C. I did a 30 minute commute to school for a year after we moved as there were no local places. It was exhausting - as PP said - 2 hours a day in the car for me and and hour for the DCs. And though we could chat it was just horrible by the end of the year. And playdates? Forget it (thought that was largely as I had 2 so there and back, there and back for school run then tacking on a further after-play-date pick up - no thank you.

Mopmay · 28/04/2015 10:17

A sounds great for her. I like big schools too tho so B would be ok. Local wins for me every time. The aspects re intake will mean very supportive teachers who are used to those types of needs. Love the ability to walk to school and to play with friends. Very important to us

lionheart · 28/04/2015 10:17

posted on your other thread.

ImNameyChangey · 28/04/2015 10:19

Chop I travel that distance and have done for four years. It absolutely doesn't impact playdates at all! Why would it? I don't even have a car. We manage with public transport and in the summer we cycle. It's fine.

Sootgremlin · 28/04/2015 10:26

I thought high efl would mean resources/staff time would be more stretched, so worth considering if your child might need more time and attention than average themselves.

Ofsted makes a point of stating those two things, though not sure what the pertinence is of the fsm.

My first is starting this year, so I don't have the benefit of experience, but will tell you what I think I would do in your situation in the hope that it helps you make your decision.

It's tough. I think I would reluctantly discount the 3rd. It's nice to have a good feeling for a place, but don't underestimate how stressful a long commute will be, for you and your dd. A school that is closer will make life easier all round when you need to attend for meetings etc.

Agree also a small community is great if you're part of it but may be hard to integrate fully into if you are at a distance, and might present problems re: friendships etc. My ds will be going to his local school, but I am pleased it is a two-form entry, as I feel it makes things less claustrophobic, more opportunities to meet different people in small area.

So school A or B. I think the difference in distance is neglible if B is only a mile away, I also think that a nice environment and good facilities are important, so might be swayed toward B. It sounds like they both have good provision for SEN. It's gut feeling time, I guess, but it sounds as if neither would be a 'bad' choice. Discounting 'stats', which do you feel would best 'fit' your dd and be most pleasant for her to spend the day in, and have the most opportunities for potential friendships?

ElviraCondomine · 28/04/2015 10:31

FSM means significant extra funding. It really helps.

If there are a lot of children with EAL, you tend to find the staff are generally more clued up about language development generally, so children with speech and language delay also benefit hugely. It depends on the environment and resources.

Mamus · 28/04/2015 10:33

School A, without a doubt. By temporary accommodation do you mean rented? Or are you talking short stay hostels or something similar?

ChopOrNot · 28/04/2015 10:35

InName you are clearly a better mother than me then. It certainly impacted on us. An extra hour to find, trying to juggle after school clubs and picking up the other DC from the playdate, the knowledge/guilt that if you ask someone else over to yours for a playdate that their parents would then have an hour long journey to pick up, not really fancying driving out in 6 inch snow any more than necessary - where as a walk in the snow would not have been an issue.

We did playdates with the commute - but do a hell of a lot more now we are local.

MovingOnUpMovingOnOut · 28/04/2015 10:35

A. Local and has good SEN provision and feels warm.

No way to driving two hour a day! Ridiculous and terrible for making friends.

ImNameyChangey · 28/04/2015 10:53

Chop I work from home...maybe that's why it's easier for me? Also my DC don't do any after school clubs. They go to brownies locally and also dancing on a Saturday. I deliberately avoided clubs at school because of travel issue....but if they're REALLY interested in something then I let them take part.

Sootgremlin · 28/04/2015 10:54

Thanks, elvira, that's interesting, I've never known what to draw from it. It's low to average for both at our school, but thought levels are usually largely dictated by the location and breadth of intake etc.

Is temporary accommodation indicative of a travelling community?

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