Which school? Better socially or better academically?

[Wiggy29]

We're moving to a new area (from city to smaller village) and, even though we're in the catchment for the stronger of the two schools, geographically we're much closer to the slightly weaker one.

On paper, there isn't a huge difference so I went to visit the schools hoping that I'd find the closest school the okay one as I don't want dc to feel ostracised from local kids (made more important by fact we're moving them from friends now). BUT when I went, the further away school just seemed far better, can't really explain it but I was wowed by it.

BUT I keep reminding myself that in terms of results, there isn't a huge difference, so do I send dc to closet (less appealing) school to allow them to make friends with kids who will live nearby, or the school that really shines but is (although we're in it's catchment), further away?

Really stuck on this one as dc are not happy about leaving friends in current school so feel like I really need to get this right.

the further away one that wowed you

we were in this position with primary and are in it again with secondary.

At primary we chose close school. Kids have done well. Possibly not stretched to their limit. I would choose closer school if I had to do it again. Huge advantages to being walking distance and close to friends

Now for secondary I chose results without a doubt. Probably reinforced by our primary experience. They need a peer group who are same or brighter. They need to be pushed and I am told (!) that teenagers socialise through their phones, so location is less important. ds starts secondary next sept and he will need to travel on a bus.

you don't say how old your dcs are?

One dc is very young so don't need to worry for a few years yet but other dc is in year 4& we'd be changing to a middle/high school system. Dhsuggested sending him to closest middle but then not the closest high school, but I think it might be cruel to move him now & then move him away from his friendship group a second time when he moves to high school. That said, dh went to first/middle/high& said he ended up without friends in his class (even though they were in his school) each time he moved anyway).

Excuse typos, on phone.

I would send to the wow school even though it is a bit further away. For me primary school is not about results but about where your children will be happiest and will suit there personalities best. If a child loves learning at primary level, this love will hopefully follow them throughout their academic carer. If this school have you a wow feeling, then it is obviously the right school for your DS, so go for it.

The only slight consideration I would raise is that you would be able to facilitate things such as play dates etc with the further away school (sounds like you can but just making sure).

Although they are too old to do play dates at secondary - the key thing is it's accessible on public transport ...

Sorry I thought I read that OP's DCs were at primary school!! if they aren't then please totally ignore last paragraph of post and definitely consider transport links for them to be able to commute on their own.

(also please ignore all typos and silly mistakes, I was very tired last night!)

It's confusing, currently in primary but changing to a first/middle/high school system because of area we're moving to. We're happy to pay taxi driver & think at further away school about 50% of children come in from surrounding villages on school transport so he'd be in same situation as many of his peers, just that there'd be no other kids from our village.

Are there local groups that your DC can attend to make friends within their village? If you are in the catchment area for the wow school then there much be other children locally attending that school, even if there aren't enough for them to have a school bus.

Yes, loads in local village& there is a school bus provided to wow school that stops literally outside our house. Chatted with dh at length last night& decided we're going to send him to the better schools. It might mean he has less friends on his doorstep and we spend the next few years as taxi drivers but we'd accepted that role anyway when we decided to move to a village. Thanks for all your advice.

I would imagine that there will be other parents in your local area who also choose the more wow school. It is unlikely your DC would be the only ones traveling to the further away school.