to think it would be better if everyone went to their local school.

[assumetheposition]

I'm talking hypothetically and not criticising anyone who sends their child to different school, given the current circumstances etc

BUT

on the whole, in theory, do you think giving parents a choice over school has made schools better, or has it just given those children with conscientious parents even more of an advantage as they will fight for the best schools.

This follows on from a walking to school thread but actually, lots of children at DSs school drive past lots of perfectly good schools to get to ours (no special measures, all good against the country average etc) making traffic a nightmare.

If everyone was forced to go to their local school wouldn't every school be better? Or would it just make house prices even more ridiculous in good catchments.

It may also involve banning independent and faith schools.

I'm no longer in London either.

The current system of choice doesn't appear to be working and is giving parents a lot of angst. A large proportion are at this moment appealing against the decisions made for them and many will end up not being satisfied with the result. Children living in a certain catchment should go to the school in question. Authorities should work alot harder at helping the failing schools come up to a good standard so that there is more of a level playing field If this could be achieved, parents would then be satisfied and wouldn't need to make choices.

yes I do agree. In an ideal world.

The need for all state schools to have breakfast clubs and after schools clubs are paramount if this government expects all mums to go to work.!
When I was a girl yes you did go to the local primary and thats where you made all your friends and then you could go out to play with them in the holidays instead of being bussed around for playdates!
It all seems very complicated these days and I feel sorry for working mums having to juggle with it all.

I am curious as to why people think that making good schools mediocre will solve all of society's social problems.

School is far too late.

These solutions have to come before the children are even conceived.

We need a government that has the backbone to tackle the issue at the source, not put a sticking plaster on the problem, and losing any excellence we have managed to preserve.

DD is going to the local school that I can see from the bedroom window, although I did have reservations about it.

However, think that way too much emphasis is put on OFSTED reports. It can be an indicator of how a school is performing, but doesn't tell the whole story.

Our local primary was borderline failing. There is now a new head teacher who is fabulous and is enthusiastic, and has raised the standards in the short time she has been there. I met with her, and she was realistic about the failings of the school, what is being done, how parents can help.

But so many middle class parents decided to send their children to another primary about a mile away citing last OFSTED report at local primary which was dreadful.

The funny part is that an updated OFSTED report came out last month and local primary came out as 'good' and the comments suggest that very little is needed to achieve an 'outstanding.'

selection by house price round here too

we tried to go to one of our locals LA actually wanted up to walk past our local good school to go to a less local not good one

I grew up in places (fourplaces) where kids went to their local schools and my own children have grown up in places (two places) where kids go to the local schools. From my own personal experiences, growing up in fairly mixed areas in terms of socio-economics, going to the local schools is a Good Thing.

Ban independent schools - no, keep them, they are an option that should be available.

Ban faith schools - no, just make them independent. The state should definitley not fund them.

Bringing in a wide variety of choice in the comprehensive system has not been a good move, imo.

Message withdrawn

What's considered local in one place may not be local in another... we live in London and DD1 no longer attends the 'local' school but one that is 800m from our home.

The reason for moving her? I teach there; the first school is closer and has better results but she was the only white person in her class and there was no before/after school care. DH is also a teacher and we both need to be at our schools at the start of the school day - it's not the done thing to ask pupils to register themselves because the teacher needs to deliver their own child to a different school by foot before walking (me) or using public transport (DH) to get to our schools.

I also wanted her to attend a school with a mixed intake which is what the school I teach at and she now attends actually has. At the other school she was the 'mix' in Reception.

If all schools had a mixed intake there should be less of a discrepancy between them thus making it easier for parents to actively choose the local school.