Looks like we are moving to Scotland - need to know how to judge schools plus some other info.

[figleaf]

Looking very like were going to move to Scotland. I am an ex secondary school teacher and have only worked in the English system. Both my boys go to Primary school here. Some other Mnetters have helped me work out the different school years that my sons will go in (as the names and start dates are different etc) but the thought has struck me that Ill need help assessing the schools. What data/info do Scottish schools publish and what is good/bad scores in this info? I dont think Scottish schools do SATs but I guess there is somthing I can look at and compare. Can any Scottish Mnetters help.
As I said on another thread wed like to live in the Stirling area. Me and the boys are RC, DH isnt (hes C of S). You here stories about parts of Scotland being sectarian. Is that true of that area? Anywhere I should avoid?
We live in Bristol at the mo. This is a lovely city but not blessed by it`s schools. My 2 boys go to a brilliant school that is RC. Faith schools here tend to be better than the LEA ones. Can anyone tell me weather that is true in the Stirling area?

you can look at HMi reports online, I think its like Ofsted in England

sorry dont knwo stirling schools

do you want your boys to go to Rc school or non - denominational? Private or state?

KristinaM, Was hoping for state school. Thought they may adjust to the move better if we kept them in an RC school but wont do that if they are rubbish or it`ll set them up in a sectarian thing.

bump

Second what KristinaM says www.hmie.gov.uk. Stirling is lovely Dunblane just outside is great and has some good schools there. There appears to be a RC in Stirling which has just had a HMIE Report published this summer you can download them and read them. I know there's one in Bannockburn too which is just outside Stirling. We nearly bought a house there by the way. Happy hunting.

figleaf - do you know that RC schools in Scotland will prepare the kids for their first Holy Communion? So if thats not what you want for them , they will spend a lot of p3/4 feeling very left out.

I my very limited experience, the amount of religious input in RC primaries varies a great deal. I think that once you decide where you are going to live you would need to check out the local schools. Or are you going to choose a school and move into the catchmnet area? Entry to nearly all state schools here is by where you live. You can make a palcement request to another school but the most popular ones are often full. More an issue at secondary level where i live

Have a look at the Learning Teaching Scotland website (ltscotland dot org fot uk). Then go to the Schools Online section. You can then search all primary schools in a local authority area and look at HMi reports, plus there'll be a link to school website if they have one. It'll say if the school's catholic.

Sectarianism predominantly west coast. You'll be ok around Stirling.

Here is a link to Stirling council . In Scotland you basically tend to go to your local primary either non-denominational or RC.

Also try here scottish schools on line
parentzone
HMIE

Also try contacting Gomez I think she lives in Stirling. If you are buying a house up here make sure you use nethouseprices as we operate an offer over system and you can pay up to 20% (maybe more) over the asking prices so try and watch houses local to the area that are for sale to see what they go for HTH.

oh good point seb

also remember an offer on a house is binding here.

I would certainly say in Edinburgh that sectarianism is not rife- much more low key than in the West. It's just accepted that you have a choice between Catholic and non-Catholic, generally, but I would echo what Kristina said, you do need to be prepared for quite a lot of time spent on first communion/ confirmation stuff (according to my Catholic mates, anwyay!).

Re. faith schools being better than ND schools, I would say that isn't particularly true in Scotland. A ND school in a 'good' neighbourhood would probably be better than a RC school which might have a wide and very mixed catchment. I do know that RC schools, particularly at Secondary level can get a reputation as being more 'caring' than ND schools, though. Really, in the end, I would decide how important it is to you that your children receive a Catholic education.
Sorry, I don't know about the Stirling area specifically.
Sectarianism tends to be a West/Central belt thing and more prevalent in less affluent areas.