Wwyd? Dh and I can't quite agree

[Marvelendgamekids]

Dd starts school in September. She's been offered our higher preference school. It's a church school which I like (I know others wouldn't but it's a plus for us) good ofsted, good results, our eldest went there (now left) as we lived in the area at the time, but it's 1.5 miles away. So a good 30 minutes walk, although as I work I'd be driving and using the wrap around childcare anyway a lot of the time, so only a 3 minute drive.

I'm having second thoughts, there is another school a 5 minute walk from our house. Ofsted and results haven't been very good at all recently, but, it's still a popular and nice local school, usually very oversubscribed. I could walk dd to/from school some mornings and afternoons which I've always wanted to do, and she might make more friends locally. Oh and the school do still have places.

Downside is if I was driving to go straight off to work, it's actually slightly awkward due to having to go all the way around a one way system and school being in the middle of a housing estate.

I'm really torn, dh thinks we should just let it be and stick with the church school, but equally he hasn't got a strong opinion and is happy to leave final decision it to me. Other people think I'm mad not to just send her to the closest school.

but it's 1.5 miles away

That’s nothing. Honestly, DD goes to school 13 miles away (also going past a school at the end of our road)

If the church school is a plus, I would stick with that.

1.5 miles is a pretty short distance for high school!

How realistic is it that she will make local friends do you think? Do You see lots of local kids walking to school in the morning? Secondaries normally draw from a wide radius so friends are just as likely to be distant as they are with the church school to be honest.

Does DD have an opinion either way?

Convenience is more important to me so I would do that. We discounted a school that was about 2 miles away as knew we’d be walking them there and back, this is tough in Reception in particular.

13 miles is the difference between a drive and a walk. 1.5 is the difference between a long walk or a short walk. Not really comparable.

Sorry is this secondary or primary? I’d assumed primary?

13 miles is the difference between a drive and a walk

She walks, train and walks the other end. No driving (bar the odd occasion)

I guess I’m used to travel though as we didn’t get our catchment school for primary so she was driven every day. I’d definitely travel for the right school.

Is there anyone you know at the closest school that you ask about it? Any changes in staff or reason for results? I'm in Oz so here our 'results' aren't always a good indication of anything as it really depends on funding and schools manipulate the results.

I will say I changed my dc from a bigger school that we had to drive to, and put them in the local around the corner. It was lovely riding bikes to and from and getting to know the kids that lived our streets.

Go with your gut feeling about the school rather than focusing on ofstead reports. Which one is right for your child? There's lots of advantages to being really close and being able to wall to school. As you say, your DC will make friends locally, and when they're older, be able to walk to and from school on their own.

Personally, I like church schools as I feel they teach good values and ethics, so that would be a consideration for me too. Go on what feels right.

Oh sorry I assumed secondary for some reason too!

Primary - closest school, walkable definitely!

Oops sorry it's Primary! I should have said this.

My gut instinct says to go with he church school, but that's probably just because my eldest went there, and it's where we used to live, the local school feels all new and strange (to me) won't make a difference to dd though.

1.5 miles really isn't very far! Stick with the better school.

I think the local primary have had a new headteacher fairly recently, lots of staff have left, they're having a few problems. It's not a rough school or anything like that, and they've got lovely facilities and outdoor space. But they are having problems under the new head.

The further away church school are doing really well.

Follow your heart!

My youngest DS goes to school 24 miles away, I drive him to a drop off point 3 miles away for the bus to take him at 7am, after I've finished a night shift and it kills me.

It takes 90 mins on the bus (goes through lots of villages).
Its madness, he gets home at 6pm. My oldest drives to get him because I'm already on my way to work by then.
There is a school at the end of my lane but I chose to do this for him so he could get a better education, it costs me a fortune, they do clay pigeon shooting
The school he goes to specialises in Engineering and that's what he wants....

I'd go with the school closest to home.

My sons are grown up now but I was always able to walk them to school when they were younger and then go straight to work after.
I also made lots of friends in the playground which was a bonus

Better school. 1.5 is nothing.

Will primary school choice affect secondary school options (plenty of time for this to change obvs but change is often glacial in terms of secondaries)

Which school will suit you daughter best?

Ah a good head teacher really makes or breaks the school in my experience. That's why we left our first school.

My Dc go to school 30 miles plus away from me. It's outstanding and our local 4 schools aren't. They were very lucky to get in. Although it was exam based they had to not only pass the exam but with a high mark to apply, it is state and they get an outstanding education for 'free'. I pay about £2000 each for the children excluding bus instead of £20K a year each for the private grammar school -which is a similiar distance away.
I did drive them there and back and there and back x4 hour commute a day before they got places on the private bus the school has (it has an 18 month waiting list) even with the bus I still do a 2 hour commute and 30 minutes to work and back. Yesterday I got a job -starting September next door to the bus stop (second one) on their bus route so it will be 40 minutes each day each way for me including work -I can't tell you how relieved and excited I was to get he job!
They still have to sit on the bus for 40 minutes each way on top but I really don't see that as a problem. In the car we talk and laugh and catch up -makes a really close bond.
My youngest DC goes to a primary 4 miles away which again is outstanding.
1.5 miles is a doddle! Plus the fact she will soon make friends with parents and wrap around care is a good thing I think -seeing other children etc.

I'd go with the better school, 1.5 miles sounds pretty local to me, with regards to her having friends etc

My dd goes to school 17 miles away. Surely the better school trumps convenience.

The church school is only a mile and a half away and as your dd gets wrap around care it will make no difference. The caveat will be when she is older and won’t have any local friends to hang around with. So lots of driving her around until she’s more autonomous.

Closer school is better for local friends. When she's at door knocking age she'll have friends on her doorstep.

My son's school is 40 miles away......it's a bit crap tbh.

I'd go with the church school to be honest. It is a known entity and is a good school.

Church school. When she's older you can perhaps cycle it.

One of my children goes to an outstanding grammar, but I would still not bother too much about outstanding at primary level. My children have been in many different primary schools and they are much of a muchness unless there is a massive teacher retention problem (which there might be here). They all follow the same curriculum, have vaguely nice headteachers, individual teachers vary so there's a lot of luck involved in getting good class teachers and they all have similar equipment broadly speaking).

I'd find out if the problems in the local school are more than just local gossip or past reputation, if it's solid and on the up with a new head I'd go there. Otherwise you have a second good option. Walking to school and having local friends is much nicer at primary level.

I’d have a good look into the problems and the reception teacher. If the reception teacher has a good rep and the problems will be ironed out in a year or two, I’d go with the local one.

It would be nice for her to have friends she can knock for to play out and walk to/from school with.

You’ll have more wrap around care options & she’ll be able to walk to/from school when she’s older.

1.5 miles to the other school isn’t far, but it is far enough for her friends not to be knocking distance and for it to be a bit far for her to walk to/from by herself in a few years, especially when the other kids won’t be.

Don’t hassle with your car, 5 minutes to walk home to collect the car is nothing.