To ask which school would you have chosen?

[Herestotheschoolrun]

Ds is about to start pre school. We live inbetween two schools and now I'm worried I made the wrong decision and don't want to mess ds around changing to another school after starting pre school school.

One school is on a posh housing estate where parents are quite well off. The school is Ofsted rated good and looks lovely.

The other school is on a housing estate where people are not so well off. High crime and poverty rated in the area. The school is Ofsted rated good and also looks lovely.

We've gone for the school in the better off housing estate simply because it's ever so slightly closer. However I'm worried ds won't fit in as were no where near as well off as most people living there are. I'm worried ds will struggle because of our choice of school and the financial differences. What would you have done in my situation?

Did you visit the school? Which one felt like the best fit? How old were the Ofsted reports- what did they each need to improve on?

I'd have sent DD to the posh one.

It'll be better conpany and most likely better influences than the chavvy mums and children on the poor estate.

We visited both schools. Both were lovely and welcoming, the Ofsted reports are both within 6 months of each other however the school in the poorer area had previously been rated outstanding.

I think you wont know which is right without giving it a go. You are worried the posher school parents might not include you and your DD because you arent as rich as them?
The children are too young to care. Some parents might be like your fears, many others won`t.

Really dont worry about switching schools for starting year R or even some random time between year R and y4. Children came and went at DDs school and after a couple of weeks you couldnt tell who had been there since nursery and who had just arrived.

You had a choice of two lovely, ofsted rated good schools and you chose the one nearest to you. That is perfectly sensible. Don't over think it.

I am overthingking, I'm really anxious about ds starting and I think I'm just worrying about everything.

I would have chosen the same as you op.

I'd have chosen the closer one, especially at pre-school age.

Pre-school DC have no idea about money anyway. They choose friends based on who likes to play the same games as them ime. or random things like "me and ollie have dinosaur jumpers"

Closet one.

It's only a year of preschool.

I would have chosen the same as you. My foster kids go to school in a ‘rough’ area as I knew it was better set up for their needs. And lots of the families are absolutely lovely and I’ve made some good friends among the mums. But by the time the kids get to about 9 there are quite a few that have terrible behaviour and are really quite nasty. I’m not saying that would never happen in a ‘nicer’ area but it’s less likely in my experience.

I also meant to say, when I was at primary school I had no clue which of my friends were ‘rich’ or which were ‘poor.’ I lived in a nice 3 bed semi with a garden but was jealous of my friend in a 2 bed high rise council flat as she got to go in a lift to her house and was really high up!

If it's the closest one, then there will likely be other kids from your neighborhood.
.my kids went to the school in the nicest area of town but it had a large catchment area, 3 classes per year group and it extended to areas of council estate. All got along very well and there really wasn't rich and poor groups.

You did the right thing. It's more about attitude. If the parents care and are invested, then they too will make sure their children strive for the top, do their best etc.

Our local schools have a very diverse population from quite poor families, to millionaires with mahoosive houses. We only have a small house, but my ds's have great mates: I care and still attend all parents evenings etc.

I was in a similar situation and chose the posh primary school and everything has been good. But I do worry about secondary school and ds not fitting in if he goes to the secondary school in the posh area. I think kids are more aware of these things at secondary school age.

I would have gone for the nearer posh one too. It will be fine!

I'm not so much worried about the secondary school as if they don't go to private school the two schools mainly go to the same secondary. I think I'm worrying over nothing. Fingers crossed I am anyway!