Secondary School Choice Help!!

[FordEscort]

I am in the very fortunate position of having two good schools to choose from for my DS. Please help me decide.

School 1

• Great facilities: well-equipped science labs; drama studio; playing fields
• Lots of extra curricular: really interesting and diverse activities available.
• Rural location
• 15 minute drive to get there, no bus.
• No 6th form

School 2

• School values fit closely with our family values
• Reputation for excellent teaching
• Has a 6th form
• Some extracurricular
• Suburban location
• Run down with poor sports facilities.
• 30 minute journey on a public bus.

Both schools are big and get good results. Both have similar intake, not particularly diverse but that’s normal for our area.

Our kid is academic and creative. He is sporty but not very sporty. He’s a very quiet and sensitive kid. Which would you go for?

School 1 YABU
School 2 YANBU

Comments appreciated too

School 2 no question. For values, teaching and public transport option.

School one... the transport issue is a downer.
School two... you don't seem as keen.

What does DS think?

And where do pupils at school one go at 16?

I would find out what are the options for 6th form

but school 1 would be my first choice.
The more activities, the better!

I explain: if I end up having to drive to activities with school 2 anyway, because there's none at school, it doesn't really make much difference in the end.

Have you looked at the admission criteria for the schools?
Remember that you’re expressing a preference for a school, not choosing a school.

If you meet the admission criteria, I’d go for 2.

School 1. Assuming you are able to take them. Half hour on a public bus ( which may or may not turn up and you’ll end up driving them anyway!) doesn’t sound fun, nor does the run down state.

Did both have their inspections after 2019?

What do you mean about aligning with family values? The stated values of a school can change, like those of any organisation

School 2 would be my choice. A shiny new science lab is not as good as a great teacher. Extracurricular activities aren’t the be all and end all when there’s so many things to choose like cadets, martial arts lessons etc outside of the school system.

Travelling daily on public transport is great for their self esteem and confidence too.

How does your DS feel? You can send them to the ‘on paper’ best school there is but if they don’t want to be there it’ll be a non starter.

We have a good chance of getting into both. School 2 aligns with our values in that it is a C of E school and we are Christian.

I was very keen on school 2, until I saw the shiny facilities of school 1. DS doesn’t seem to have a preference.

Do they actually get to use the facilities though? Sport and Arts is virtually forced out the curriculum.

Younger siblings to consider as the sports stuff is likely to be after school? Have you asked what clubs run most years and when (lunch or after school).

Need to look into this @RandomMess

Where are his friends going?

Friends evenly split between both

I’d go for school 1

School 2 purely for transport reasons.

DS1 chose the run down school. He's loving it.

2 for transport and c of e, which was important for me too

I’ll personally go with 2 for transport and c of e

I thought school 1 sounded great and would always choose good facilities and extracurricular for broad education but I did think driving a secondary age child is infantilising. Was going to say there must be a private bus option.

Then I saw your update and changed to YANBU because it would be a deal breaker for me sending DC to a non-faith school. It's so hard to raise kids to Christian values and to put God in th centre of their lives. I love a good faith school.

I went around a nearby grammar that I don't like much anyway but had a really visceral reaction to a non faith school. I'd be gutted if ds2 doesn't get into the same RC grammar as his brother. He'd miss out on all the liturgical happenings throughout the year.

2 for an academic child who’s not particularly sporty.

School 2. Being able to travel independently is a big plus point at secondary age. As he gets older, he'll likely want to go and hang out with friends at a coffee shop after school, or maybe go to a friend's house or go to the shops. He'll miss out on all that if he's being driven straight home after school.

I think having a sixth form is a plus point, too.

I would never choose a secondary school based on where primary school friends are going. Friendships so often change once they get to secondary school.

I would go for 2 but tbh the faith bit is largely irrelevant & i wouldn't place much value on it.

C of E have been running schools in this country for centuries and yet there are fewer children than ever before attending church/remaining Christian into adulthood. Parental influence is much stronger despite the c of e evangelising more and more via schools.

The student population of the school isn't likely to include many active churchgoers even if it is a c of e school.

I'd focus more on teaching, pastoral care & results.

What post 16 education facilities do.you have in your area?
None of the secondary schools near me have a sixth form but we do have a very large sixth form college and a second very large college which a offers a large variety of courses next to.each other near me .

Loads. Post 16 not a problem apart from the fact they have to start again.