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Original poster

Please help me choose the right primary school

16 replies

somersetmama · 03/07/2006 15:08

Hi, I'm new to Mumsnet and this is my first message, hope someone out there can help with my decision! Dd is about to start primary school in September. She has a place at the local village school and also one in a neighbouring village 3 miles away. The local school is OK, class of about 27, but only got a 'satisfactory' Ofsted report. Also I have been told people have heard negative things said about the school (although no one is prepared to say what!), quite a few local parents in the nursery are sending their children elsewhere. The other school has had an 'outstanding' Ofsted report and she'd be in a class of 20.
The local school is an easy walk away, while we would have to drive everyday to the other school. To add to the confusions the local school is in one county which has the 2 school system ie. primary/junior to 11 then senior. The other school is the next county and belongs to the 3 school system, primary/junior, middle school and then senior. Any views on this?
My dilema is that we have just moved to the village from London and I feel it is important that DD and myself get to know and belong to the community. Which should I chose? Should dd go to the local school which isn't so good, so she'll make friends in the village or should we go to the better school in the next village.
Help. Really is the biggest decision I have had to make and could do with your advice.
Thanks in advance

OP posts:
SKYTVADICT · 03/07/2006 15:12

Its a tough one - have you looked round them both? If so how did they feel?

I had a similar situation with DD1. I had to choose a school round the corner or one further into town and I eventually went with the one round the corner and think I made the best decision for lots of reasons. The main one being her friends from school all lived around us.

Blu · 03/07/2006 15:14

Any chance of cycling to the other school once she is older? Might it be that friends in your village also go to that school, even though it is further away? Anyone you know in nursery going to the neighbouring school?

peasinapod · 03/07/2006 15:47

go to a local nursery and ask them directly and off the record ( no names mentioned )ask them their opinion . check what school (if they have a child )their child goes to .

Original poster
somersetmama · 03/07/2006 16:29

Thanks for your comments, so quick!

I have been to both schools and of course the one furthest away feels the nicest.

Not easy to cycle as it's along a very busy road. Other kids in the nursery are going to school in another village altogether........

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peasinapod · 03/07/2006 18:04

Why are the kids in nursery going to a different school (just curious ) As regards ofsted we got a satisfactory this year and I personally think its an excellent school I couldnt wish for more . As regards not being a local school my DS school is 15 miles from where we live and it can work but you have to be the one to make the effort as for friends over for tea and holiday type things

Original poster
somersetmama · 03/07/2006 18:11

It's a Montessori nursery so attracts kids from a wide area. Of the local ones children I would say about 50% are going to the village school and 50% elsewhere.

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beatie · 03/07/2006 20:22

I had a similar dilemma although my dd1 goes to school in 2007. We moved to a new area a year ago. My dd goes to pre-school in another village but I had planned for her to go to school in our village.

Waiting to pick dd up from Pre-school, I'd overhear another mother, who lives in my pre-school and uses our local school, saying better things about other schools, or mentioning how 7 parents from our village had applied to another village school!

DH and I visited our local school and liked it but we were worried, wondering what was wrong with it. My saving grace was meeting a few parents from my village who use the school or plan to use the school and know others who use the school. They testified that it was a good school. I trusted what they had to say as I liked these people and got on with them.

Have you met any parents who use your local school? Could you meet some parents who use your local school?

Mog · 03/07/2006 20:26

I faced the same dilemma a year ago and we chose the village school.To be honest I still don't know if I made the best choice as the school has had a quite negative ofsted, BUT don't underestimate the value of walking to school. I really feel part of the community as do the other siblings who will follow her to school. And after school arrangements are so easy when kids live close.

beatie · 03/07/2006 21:24

who lives in my pre-school
who lives in my village
Gah, I'm tired and need to go to bed!

cece · 03/07/2006 21:34

There is a lot to be said for walking to school and having friends around after school. Unless it is really terribel I might be leaning towrfds the local school - plus with the different systems in the two counties you need to consider your choice for secondary...

swedishmum · 04/07/2006 00:06

Sounds like us. We moved out from a London suburb and ours were at the local primary (though it was a 2 mile uphill trip) till recently. Nos 2 and 3 have now moved to the school in the next village and are much happier, because it is a happier school. Well worth the 8 mile round trip to get there. Also want to add parents from new school are friendlier even though they come from a wider area. Kids therefore have a better social life. Go o your gut reaction about the school.

Clary · 04/07/2006 00:38

I would always go with the nearest school unless there was a really good reason not to.
Cannot think what that could be as I have never been into a primary I would not happily send my children to.
But maybe a real bulying problem, or pupils who swore and spat at me when I went in (I have never seen this I hasten to add).
FWIW our lovely middle-class and highly rated school got satisfactory too.
How old are the Ofsteds? The new system has seen a lot of well-rated schools round here go from good to satisfactory.
My reasons for going local are that the children can walk to school and walk over to their friends' houses for tea etc. Agree with mog and cece.

Original poster
somersetmama · 04/07/2006 11:08

Thanks again for all your messages.
DD is at her introductory morning at the local school as I write. Very conflicting emotions on my part. I'll let you know how she got on later today.

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cece · 04/07/2006 20:31

How did she get on?

cat64 · 04/07/2006 20:38

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Original poster
somersetmama · 04/07/2006 21:25

Reception went well, DD was very excited and ran in (it's the local school). And I have met some other Mum's at a party this afternoon who reckon that the village school is fine. There are problems, but then there probably are everywhere. (No, no knife fights or swearing in rural Somerset.....oh no). So I'm feeling much more positive about the local school (and if it does go all horribly wrong then there will probably be space in the other one later). So a big thank you to you all for your input, it's been a huge help. xxx

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