To wonder why when choosing a school parents go for the easiest option despite it not always being the best choice for their kids.

[Jackpack]

My Ds is due to start high school in September. We put down a catholic school with a great reputation, good feel to it and with excellent ofsted reports and results and for our second choice we put down an equally good community school, both around 2.5 miles away. My Ds does go to Catholic primary so he'll move up with the majority of his friends, most of whom live closer to the school but he'll also have kids in his year that live close by to us as one of our local primaries is a feeder to the secondary, so making friends local shouldn't be a problem.

The reason I chose these two schools is quite simple, the rest in our town are diabolical, in every way imaginable. I wouldn't ever want my child to go there and if we'd have been allocated one of these schools then I'd have quit my job to joke school him. That's how bad they are! So, there are I think seven children in our street in the same year as my Ds so they are going to secondary as well this year. Each of their parents have chosen one of the failing schools to send them to and two of my friends, and a family member have chosen to do the same.

Obviously it is their choice to send their child to whichever school they like but why on earth they have chosen these schools i don't know, but then it dawned on me, because it's easier for them, the parents not the child I mean.

Sending their kids to the nearest school means they won't have to get up early and drive them to school. One of my friends was on Facebook recently raving that she can stay in bed longer come September as she won't have to take her child to school. I mean come on. I realise that a lot of kids do go local and there are certainly advantages to that including walking with friends etc but what's more important, thier kids get to walk to school with friends or that they get a better education. If all the schools in the area are equally as good then o can see why parents would want their kids to go to the local school, but when they're all exceptionally bad why not try for a better school slightly further away. It's just seems like laziness to me.

Did you go to any of the 'diabolical' schools' open days?

Jackpack - you asked why someone would want to send their child to a different school if it wasn't as 'good' as the Catholic school you are sending your child too.

I said, maybe they are against faith schools. That's a perfectly valid answer to your question. Maybe that is what they think. I have no idea. But the fact is, either do you.

A second and less relevant point is: I personally am against faith schools. I have experience of them, I have professional expertise in the area, and I am entitled to this judgement. I personally would not send my child to a faith school. I make this point to demonstrate that it is possible to hold this point of view, and perhaps the people you are talking about hold it too. It isn't rare.

Perhaps your friends are the same, and they're just not telling you. Maybe it is nothing to do with a lie in. You really don't know, do you?

I've got to be honest here, you're not coming across as very bright on this thread.

I am sure they love their children just as much as you do whatever school they send them too - also how do you know the "good" schools were not oversubscribed and perhaps they missed out on places? Or Perhaps they are not Catholics ? or perhaps they do not hold the "good" schools in as high a regard as you do and may have genuine reasons for this.

Back in the day my parents spent lots of effort sending us to catholic grammar schools - those of us who passed the 11plus - some where several miles away and at 11/12 we just had to make our way there by across a major city by bus and they required expensive uniforms and such like at a time my parents were really v poor - but it was important for them to do this - whilst other kids we knew either did not pass 11plus or had parents who chose for whatever reason cost or convenience to send their kids to the local comp. there were good and bad points to this I do think it also has advantages for children to go to local schools and be part of their community

yes we all did far better professionally than those that went to the local schools - but I think there were also other factors at play and it was a different world then when education opened more doors for you and when there was a far bigger divide between grammar and non grammar schools and less opportunity for learning in later life.

But equally have seen parents spend small fortunes on private schooling and it's not always delivered what the parents have hoped and put an enormous strain in the child to deliver academically when not all kids are academically minded

It's just about a parent doing what they think is right and each parent will have a different view on this - obviously you v highly regard formal education in an aspirational sense as did my parents - some parents are just of a different view

"Oh for goodness sake how am I a better parent simply because I chose to send my child to a good school?"

No idea. It's you telling us you are!

Unless you know these parents very well, it's extremely unlikely that you will know the order they listed their preferences on their application form.

So, if they are not RC, they may very well have put the desirable comp in first place, but at 2.5 miles away been too far away to receive an offer (and not feel they have any grounds to appeal).

Perhaps they were allocated a school they'd included only as their last choice 'banker' (better a school you dislike that's convenient, then one you equally dislike that's the other side of town).

It's not a reflection on their parenting or judgement.

Are you sure they have chosen the failing schools (and are they really failing?) or is that what they've got? Because if they aren't Catholic, it's unlikely they could get their DC in to the Catholic school, and the other far away school might have been their prefered choice but they didn't get it. There's a lot to be said for parents putting on a brave face and acting like the crap not so great school they've been allocated was their first choice even if it wasn't.

If you have bought a house in one area that has a close school, it's likely your DC will get into that one but not others. It's worth having a look round the school and deciding that ignoring it's reputation, would it be a good place for your DC or do you need to move fake a religious belief .

There's a secondary school near us with a 'bad' reputation, but I know a few mums who are sending their DCs there this year, they have looked round with an open mind and decided that actually it probably would be a good school for their DC.

My children chose to go to the nearest school - it's fine - it's not outstanding but I work in education so understand that OFSTED reports should be taken with a mine of salt and not used to make important decisions

I could have sent them to the 'best' school - 20 miles away requiring them to sit the 11+ (next LEA to ours) but they didn't want to - and it's THEIR education

we have since moved and the nearest school is better on paper than theirs but THEY are happy which is what counts

maybe get a new hobby?

The school my dd moved to last year (year 5 - middle school) was deemed inadequate by ofsted, needing major improvements. I still sent her. They got in a new headteacher, had a major clearout of staff and the school is absolutely fantastic.

DD also needs support with SENCO and has lots of help with coping in a busy, noisy environment. I cannot praise her school enough for their support of her, despite us still going through the diagnosis and assessment processes.

In a year the school has turned around and become one that people want to now send their children to. I'm glad I listened to my instincts on what would be best for her and have been proved right.

When I was a kid everyone just went to the nearest school and there wasn't all this angst about which schools were good or bad. When did all that change?

And isn't secondary school usually when they start taking themselves anyway? So why does it matter whether the school is 0.5 or 2.5 miles away, they get there themselves whether it is by foot, bus, bike, whatever.

Great for you and your child if you are catholic and can therefore get your child into a good school. Personally I would never want my kids to go to a catholic school even if it was the best school in the area, I wouldn't want them to be indoctrinated with the catholic faith at all but that's my personal opinion. I sent my eldest ds to a school which at the time was in special measures and was very apprehensive about it at the time, but the school has had a lot of help and been sponsered by a local outstanding school and now is doing well in fact it got the second best A level results in the county . My ds got a good set of Gcse's last year, is able to walk to school in ten minutes leaving him with more time for homework and to do his part time job which is important to him and enables him to folow his football club all over the country and gives him great pleasure. He could possibly have got a bus and gone to a better school but that would have taken a couple of hours travel time out of his day and meant he would not be able to earn money.

Gosh, you sound smug. Well done OP, for not being a 'lazy parent./

You is the best mummy. That's why.

We're just assuming??? like you're assuming about other parents you mean? Oh golly

A load of parents from our village sent their children to an out of village primary (some moved house!) as it was rated top notch at the time by Ofsted and the local was doing ok. Some bragged on FB (eye roll) and self praised their brilliant decision. Until 3 years later when said school went into special measures and they all bitched and moaned about how crap it is. Point being, you can't predict without having actually had your child there learning yet, how amazing and fantastic it will end up, so I would hold off from your judgement of others choices of which you have no clue about, and worry about your own. My DD goes to a non catchment secondary, but I don't give two hoots why anyone else sent their kids to the catchment school.

What was this year's greatest distance offered for the non-Catholic school you find acceptable?

I don't think you can judge other's choices based on your own perceptions.
Not everyone can afford to live within the catchment of a good school.
Not everyone can afford the travelling costs associated with getting a child to a school out of catchment area.
Where the family has more than one child and a school run is required, it may be impossible to get all children to different venues at the same time unless the obvious catchment choice is selected.
Some parents have moral objections to faith schools.
Some parents believe that unless a school is actually failing a bright child with a supportive background will do pretty well at any school.
Some parents believe that raising a well-rounded child involved far more than academic education and other schools may be better able to fulfil this.
Some parents believe that travelling to 'decent' school can be counterproductive to a child's best interests - a child that has to be on the bus-stop by 7am and doesn't get home until after 5pm is a child who is going to have less time for sleep, extra curricular activities and much-needed rest.
Yes some parents will send their child to the nearest school simply because they haven't thought about it much, but if you want to point the finger at someone for that, try the rest of society and successive governments of all colours. If all schools were equal, we wouldn't even be having this debate.

I would never send a child to a Catholic school. There is so much wrong with the Catholic viewpoint it's hard to know where to start, and I would not want my child indoctrinated like that.

I don't see how it's easier for the parents no matter what school their child goes to though? Here, secondary age children make their own way to school be it by bus, train, bike or walking.

Yep, I spent the most miserable years of my life at secondary school due to parents just sending me to the nearest rather than actually researching the options and choosing the most suitable.

The old "kids will do well anywhere" is a complete joke. If you're constantly being bullied, including physical abuse, you're NOT going to do well. If you're stuck in classes full of kids who don't give a toss so teaching is impossible due to disruption, you're NOT going to do well.

I think it's one of the most important parts of being a parent to properly research educational options and choose the school that your child will fit into - for some that will be academic, for others sports, for others drama, etc., but it certainly SHOULDN'T be just the one that's easiest for you!

DD is going to an OFSTEAD rated Good school. Its a catholic primary (we are very very NOT catholic ) but its a stones throw away and they genuinely seem to care about the children.

If all parents sent their children to their local school then there wouldn't be such disparity in "Good" schools and "bad" schools.

I have work in a Requires Improvement school and i wouldnt hesitate to send my kids there. Its a great school. Don't believe everything Ofsted tells you.

The parents I've to spoken to have chosen these schools, they weren't allocated them as they failed to get in to their first choice. I realise that kids who don't go to the local school very often will get the bus to school rather than rely on a lift from parents so it's not as though a parent working or not driving would be so much of an issue. The community school we put down as second choice is popular and over subscribed most years but it takes kids from our area first as the primary schools are feeders. 2.5 miles isn't far so for most parents dropping them off or expecting them to catch a bus for what would be a maximum 10 minute drive isn't a big deal.

I'm guessing OP is refusing to discuss the religion thing because she is not Catholic and therefore a raging hypocrite?

*I mean I work in - at the moment. Bad proofreading.

I wish you could only send your kids to the nearest school, and that's that. There's a reason why catchment areas are in place, it's a shame they are not respected.

OP, I understand your point. Mine is that I spend an absolute fortune on a house, and sacrifice a lot, to make sure I am next to the school of my choice. It would be totally unfair on my kids to be rejected by their local school, for lack of available space, when others are coming from miles away but it's cheaper for the parents. It was obvious this year when parents complained a lot when siblings were not accepted by a school, because it wasn't remotely their catchment area.

My kids are going to the very nearest school, because we are working really hard to live there. Simple.

So, only you care about your kids? And you know exactly how those decisions have been made??

Wow, it must be amazing to be so insightful of the private lives of others.

PS - schools change and your amazing ones might be in special measures in a few years. Just saying.