To want to move for this?

[5329871e]

We live in Town A. 2 kids in an “outstanding” infants school, but the junior school is only “good”. Secondary state school nearby is “outstanding”. There’s an independent school which looks nice - their exam results are better than the state school, but not by enough to justify the money. My commute is 20 mins driving. DH WFH. House could be our forever home. My parents are getting elderly and they live in this town.

Town A and Town B are about 30 mins apart.

Town B has a great independent school. Results way way better than the schools in Town A, so in my mind it’s worth the money. There’s a chance I might work in Town B in the future (years away) but not guaranteed. Commute would be longer until then (approx 45 min drive). House prices are similar. Would have to relocate parents though - they might or might not agree but I’d be sad to leave them.

I suppose one solution would be to consider the move in a few years time, when I know where I’ll be working. But the worry is that the kids won’t get into the Town B indep school if we reapply at 11+ when it’s more competitive.

What do you think? AIBU to move home for the above set of circumstances?

A move all based on What Ifs? And built around 1 school. No, I don't think I would.

I think you would be nuts to even think about moving.

Way too much uncertainty in the move.

House A has it all. If you lived in a rough area with failing schools and antisocial behaviour I would understand it but you have everything going for you anyway.

I think you would be a bit mad....you seem to have all you need in town a. The grass is not always greener

I wouldn’t. It doesn’t sound worth it to me. But it’s your life. 🤷‍♀️

I think you’re right. The benefits are marginal. I think I’m a bit fixated about my kids going to the school - it’s really amazing

Outstanding schools are overrated. Personally from what I understand of Ofsted I wouldn’t want my child in an ‘outstanding’ school as they always seem to be the ones with shit provisions for SEN and unable to accommodate anything outside the ‘norm’

The school may look amazing on paper but it might not suit your kids. You just can't tell.

Stick where you are & enjoy what you have.

If it's only 30 mins apart then surely you can go to that school anyway, especially if independent? I know kids with much longer school commutes than that.

@namechange90832

If it's only 30 mins apart then surely you can go to that school anyway, especially if independent? I know kids with much longer school commutes than that.

Agreed, but probably not aged 6. Definitely at 11+ it would be ok.

You don't know if the school is amazing. You know that the presentation to prospective parents is effective at making it look amazing.

My youngest has just left school. I confirm that there is a lot of smoke and mirrors at play with schools presenting their best front. The children making up the yr 11 and yr13 exam result key headlines are often not the same children who were at the school many many years ago. Along the way kids are asked to leave (maybe not achieving quite what the school wants to present), high achievers are often bought in (ie enticed) by huge scholarships. The sports stars are often excelling elsewhere yet the school brochure would have you think they have all been nurtured by the school and their super-duper facilities.

Smoke and mirrors.

Gosh don't I sound cynical. But you get the idea, basically, your kids are way too young to make these huge decisions of moving house based on a series of what ifs.

Our local primary school which was rated 'outstanding', the only one in our town so massive oversubscribed, went into remedial measures a few years later.

We didn't get a place despite being in the catchment area as we moved mid year. Was allocated a place at a school that had been in remedial measures (hence all the kids who would have gone there doing everything to go to the first). By the time my children went there, they fit anew headteacher and totally turned the school around.

The first one went downhill as their headteacher went.

I have to say that my children had a much better experience than our neighbours kids. The parents were furious at how bad the school had got.

Making a mission of getting kids in the outstanding schools especially when the others have good standings is ridiculous. The difference between outstanding and good is minimal and could have nothing to do with teaching. Within a year of the visit, things can change quite a bit.

Kids who parents are supporting their kids with school life, homework and discipline will fare just as well at an outstanding co pated to a good school.

That terrific independent school can not guarantee great results - your kids sit the exams (though hopefully they will have stopped the exam system by then).
You don't know what kind of students your children will be. There is a good school and outstanding secondary near you, you are close to work and your parents - it's a no brainer.

Agreed, but probably not aged 6. Definitely at 11+ it would be ok.

Oh sorry thought you were just talking secondary age, yes agreed, although arent you happy with their primary school anyway, and "good" for juniors is still good, not many schools have obtained outstanding in the last few years as it's harder to achieve. If you're happy with the primary schools no need to pay for it if you're happy with it in my opinion and re-evaluate at secondary!

Very sensible thoughts here. Thanks everyone.

Outstanding schools aren't necessarily what you think they are. We have an outstanding school in my home town, everybody wants their kids to go there. Yet it is haemorrhaging kids because everybody dislikes the headteacher so much and it hasn't had an OFSTED inspection since 2010. The SEN provision is horrific as the headteacher doesn't want SEN kids in her school or any child who doesn't fit into the bright and well behaved mold. I also worked in an outstanding school for ten years and there was very little outstanding about it other than the headteacher's ability to hide the issues and cheat the SATs system. I would take a good school over an outstanding one any day of the week.

As for your conundrum, I think you would be crazy to disrupt your life in that way simply to avoid sending your child to a 'good' school.

You have a lot going for you in Town A. When the time comes can you have your children apply for the school in Town B & make a decision based on if they are offered a place? A 30minute commute to school isn’t too long either, especially once they reach secondary age

You’d be sad about leaving your parents? 30 minutes away?!

I was just going to say the same as the above pp - the school might not be outstanding by the time your kids get to that age.

I went to an outstanding high school - it had been outstanding for many years, was outstanding when I started there and then about 4 years in the head teacher left and a new one started and the school suffered hugely and fell substantially in the town's high school rankings.

It’s a quite common pairing to have an outstanding junior followed by a good junior. Historically it was linked to extremely high SATs results in the infants (teacher assessment) and then then not quite so high sats results in the juniors ( test format ). Neither are incorrect but the comparison is apples and pears.

Sorry that should say outstanding infant followed by good junior

Ofsted are way behind with their ratings because of lockdown, I wouldn't even choose a school based on that now. A school that was rated Outstanding 8 years ago means nothing today.

Go and see the schools, read the local reviews, talk to parents.

And definitely before you consider making such a drastic move

The main factor in your children doing well at school, is your children and how they are made.

Why would you move for a 30 minute commute? I wouldn’t,