Choosing a secondary school

[Joco34]

In the process of choosing a secondary school for our daughter and wanted some advice please. Most of her friends will be going to the secondary next to their primary school. Its an ok school, relatively new head, classed as good from Ofsted, bit more run down. Wasn't overly impressed during open evening, didn't get a great feeling.
Second school is a mile down the road. Had a bad reputation but has academised and had lots of money put in it, is smaller, Good ofsted too. Me and her dad are really keen on this one, she even said that she liked it and it was better walking around it BUT she wants to go where her friends are going.
She has suffered with anxiety in the last 18 months and dont want to make the decision without her but equally want the best education without her feeling depressed and even more anxious.

Will she actually be with her friends though? Some schools split them up, some children ask to be in different classes. Even if she goes with her friends they might go off and find different friends so I wouldn't put too much emphasis on that in choosing a secondary school.

both sound perfectly good options, so go with her preference

No friends so far are going to the school that her father and I like, all will be going to the one next door. We have spoken about making new friends and not being in the same class. I suspect its an anxiety issue which we dint want to make worse. Thanks

Depends upon the Admission criteria, really. If she's guaranteed a place at one, you can put down something possibly a bit riskier in terms of allocation higher up the preferences, knowing that the other one is the likely outcome. But always put the most likely to be oversubscribed at the top. Which sounds like the one nearer home - otherwise, she could end up getting neither.

From what you’ve said how about choose the nearer one. If you have any concerns in the first year, move her? Offer that so she knows she’s been heard?

But always put the most likely to be oversubscribed at the top. Which sounds like the one nearer home - otherwise, she could end up getting neither.

The order in which you put them will have no bearing on whether she will be given a place if the school is oversubscribed. Put them in the order in which she wants to attend them.

I would send her to the nearest school/where her friends are going. Preferable on two really important levels.

I am in a similar position as you. Been there already twice before. If the school she wants to go to is fine then let her go where her friends are going and where she wants to go. 100 per cent. You will have an awfully anxious child next summer if you go with your first choice.

It’s not easy this transition from year 6 to year 7. Anything to make it better for the child I say.

@Cattitudes

But always put the most likely to be oversubscribed at the top. Which sounds like the one nearer home - otherwise, she could end up getting neither.

The order in which you put them will have no bearing on whether she will be given a place if the school is oversubscribed. Put them in the order in which she wants to attend them.

It does, because, assuming that nobody is daft enough to only put down one or two schools, so fills the list with others, the school that is allocated is the one that is highest on the preferences.

It's been a long day, I'm probably not explaining it very well. But if there are two schools she likes and there's no guarantee she'll get a place at them, they need to be at the top, otherwise it's far more likely the actual allocation is somewhere undersubscribed for good reason because the oversubscription tiebreakers come into play (things like distance) and parents are only a place for the one that's top of the preferences.

1. Preferred and oversubscribed/less chance of getting in.
2. 2nd oversubscribed/slightly more chance of getting in.

3+ All others that would be preferable to the 'worst' school in the entire region and/or are guaranteed because they aren't oversubscribed/short distance/there's no additional criteria