primary school: how important are school fields? more than local friends?

[manitz]

apparently im a bit early but I'm looking for a primary school for dd. the 3 im looking at are not more than 15-20mins walk. the closest (by about 2 mins) has not such a good rep (tho haven't seen and open mind etc) and the next closest (NO2)has good rep and have seen. Not sure if it's for me - mainly lack of green, otherwise ok except a bit big (think all 3 might be same as all infants and middle schools combined).

think the furthest away might be the one i like. but all the people we know (new to area so only 5 or so mostly in our street) are going to school 2.

would you choose a bit less green but lots of local people at it or would you choose a bit further away but poss more green.

I'd choose less green and lots of local people to be honest. Your dd can't play with the extra green bits after school, and it's important to have friends close by when you're at school, especially as you're new to the area and need to make those contacts for both of you.

less green for me too. also do look at the one with the lesser reputation. reputations aren't always right (in fact, round here, I'd advise anyone to find out which school has the worst reputation and send their children there).

anyway, how sporty is your dd?

Hmmm, tbh, I'd ignore where her current friends are and go for the school that is right for you. Look at all of them, ask lots of questions and see which 'feels' right.

Ds1 didn't know anyone going into reception in September but now he has loads of friends whose houses he visits after school and who also come to ours. A few of them all now go to football coaching together on a Saturday and he goes to swimming lessons on a Saturday with friends he had before school and now go to different schools.

Choosing the right school for your dd is the most important thing - it can affect her whole life.

It could also be a bonus that she has friends local but not from school - if things ever got tough at school she's got friends 'on the outside' to chill out with. It's nice to have a good mix - like I say, mine have friends from school and from out of school and I think that's a good thing.

As for the green - I like a school to have a nice big playing field but you have to take everything about the school into account and get the right balance for you.

I went for the greenest, even though it's the furthest away. I just liked the atmostphere, and the feeling of space (not just the field, but in the building too). I think that you are lucky to have three schools so close and I wouldn't worry too much about people in your street. Our school is a 15 mins bus ride, but there are several children who go there in our street, none of whom we knew whn the children joined the school. Of my local friends none of our children go to the same school, but we are all happy. I think that the most important things is that you like the school and think your child will be happy there. On the other hand if there is a group of children so close I guess that helps with school runs etc. Also the locals may know more about the schools thank you do!

thanks. I'm looking at all 3 but have only seen one so far. just think i have/had rose tinted glasses about primary schools and was a bit disappointed about the one that had been bigged up.
Senorapostrophe why would you go for the one with the worst rep?

if she's likely to play with neighbourhood kids then
I would pick the same school as them.Is your neighbourhood the type where the kids play outside in the summer?

I bet there are quite a few parents in your neighbourhood who have the same dilemma, and will choose a school further away. There might be local children who would go to the greener school, further away. I am in a similar situation, can choose from 3 schools, one with bad reputation, 2 with good reputation but of those one without its own fields. I chose the green school, and there are lots of children from the other catchment areas that chose this school, but the other way around as well. (Although not too many choosing the one with the bad reputation). Just go for what you like best. There will be friends for your children whatever.

thanks again been laid up with flu last few days so taken a while to get back and now drugged up.

don't know how sporty dd is. she's quite physically cautious but loves ball work and i just like the idea of 'outside'. however we chose the new house bcause it's opposite a recreation ground (which school no1 also uses sometimes) so kids in the street do seem to play outside quite a bit but at their age not in street and i wouldn't be keen on that anyway.

we're not living there yet but waiting for building work so i can't really get a feel for the place but she's started ballet and will start swimming as soon as i get into gear. she's currently at preschool playgroup and a nursery on the days i work & so i hope is making friends.

going to see the school with the bad rep on tues. the rep is due to a) reported high numbers of asylum kids who get put in then move on within the year so quite transient b) people i've met whose oldest goes there wanting their next child to go elsewhere.

think one prob is that we moved from more central london to the burbs so my expectations were high for greenery. Complaint a is fairly irrelevant to me but transience could be an issue for the school. complaint b is more of a concern.

will report back when have seen school. I'm interested to see what I make of it. although school 3 may have more green (don't actually know if it has) I think logistics might mean I have to go for either 1 or 2 as will have to get dd2 to and from pre school and might get help from neighbours shld i have no 3.

OK, have no experience of this yet but gut reaction would be to go for local/good rep, less green. You (and dd) have got to be comfortable with the choice for the fairly long term and I don't think a couple of fields is really going to balance out any possible negatives. If the kids are likely to be playing on the rec. in the summer anyway...take off those rose-tinted specs...or move to Dorset

However, in the end it's probably just down to the one you like the best. Helpful as always, aren't I?

ah yes dorset it is then. just dragged you over for a chat really. dd2 has just woken up. i've got up for first time in 2 days & dh is now in bed cos of course i cant be ill unless he is. pd off as ive had f ever n throat & for first time in 3 years except once whenpg. argggh.

wo you out with last night? was it a boy?

Sorry, was having restoring bath. No, no young mayaans, just old schoolfriend. We did end up in a 'niteclub' surrounded by young people and lots of stag parties. Most amusing. I tried some young person's dancing, too. Croydon really is a scary fkin place at 2am, though - jeez. Hackney was far less intimidating.

sorry screaming of dd2 took me off mn. can see what you mean about croyd at 2am. just a whole different kind of scary, although it's been so long i'd just be scared to be outdoors at 2am (maybe not cut out for the whole camping thing hum?). was there much larfing and pointing?

so when are you going to look for scho for ds? wil you take dh or ignor? am so ill. apparently dh distinctly remembers me being ill on 3 other occassions in old house and having to take to my bed over last 3 years. i guess 'gave birth' is a lame excuse...must be iller.