How do you find a good school?

[Pixar1]

Any ideas on how to find a new school for my 7yo (year 3)?? Our school has recently been graded ‘good’ by Ofsted. But my daughter (who is greater depth for the three areas) is just left to one side because the teachers & TAs need to help the kids that are below target.

I’m not saying this isn’t the correct use of the teachers time, but how do I find a new school that will spend time helping her to grow? Or give her a reading target? Or giving her ways to improve?

She is very bored in class because the work is too easy and when she finishes it she either has to sit doing nothing or gets more of the same level of work - which feels like a punishment. Because she usually gets 100% in tests, if she drops to 90% she gets very upset and stressed. I’m willing to relocate to help her, as I think if she gets harder work she will learn that she can’t always get 100% and that she shouldn’t be getting 100% in everything.

But how do I find a school that has the available resources?

We moved our DD for the exactly same reasons to the independent school when she was 7. Actually DD used to love her state primary school (rated good by Ofsted) but she used to say that “school is so boring place”. She was always complaining that she doesn’t learn anything at school she just waits others to finish their work. Now she is in selective independent school and she is still above avarage from all subjects and she is top of the class but her teacher gives her harder topics and homeworks etc.. She is learning well and so happy there. Most importantly she goes to school happy with a big smile x

@Pixar1 I would be very cautious about moving school just for this reason. It would be so easy to visit a new school, have a couple of great conversations with one or two members of staff who assure you that they will stretch your DD, and then when she moves to that school, she is taught by a different teacher or enters a class containing more challenging children that take all the teacher’s attention.

Our DD was a ‘greater depth’ child in an ordinary one-form-entry primary, and we found that the provision varied each year, depending on the teacher. In the good years, she was stretched often enough. In the other years, we encouraged to finish her work quickly and accurately, and then politely ask for something harder (developed her persuasive skills!) If that wasn’t forthcoming, DD would bring in her reading book or a workbook from home and get on with that.

We provided suitable reading material from home (well, the library) and the school were happy to leave us to it. DD didn’t need a target – she loved reading, and still does.

Maybe we could have pushed the school harder, but it was just up the road, she was happy, she was safe, and we could supplement her learning easily enough. I don’t think she’d have benefitted from moving schools: she passed the 11 plus with a high score with only some home prep and is now flourishing at a super-selective grammar school.

I should add that my comment only refers to state schools. We didn’t consider selective independent schools.

It’s great to hear how you’ve both navigated the situation.

Sadly we can’t stay with the current school because the Head & Assistant Head are negligent to the point of allowing accidents and incidents to occur.

Also my son is in reception now, but in just over a year he’ll be starting Year 2, where the Year 2 teacher (also SENCo & Assistant Head) has some horrendous teaching practices.

We have a maths tutor for my daughter who sees her weekly and we also make sure she has books to read that stretch her. She takes the books into school and reads whenever she us allowed - which isn’t often because the school doesn’t prioritise reading.

Another reason for the move is her end of year report improvement target. Which is to work on her aim for Netball. Again, this hints at another problem about how one of the governors of the school is being paid to teach Netball to the children. Conflict of interest anyone? 🤔

I would love to send her to a selective independent school but I’m not sure I can afford to send both children.

You speak to all the local schools, visit them and find out which have space and find out how to apply. Go armed with a list of questions that are pertinent and see which ones gives you the most satisfactory answers.
There is no way of objectively comparing them because as you've found out, Ofsted reports can be meaningless. You have to go with your gut feeling. The only other options are independent or home schooling.

And if you don’t find any local state schools that look like good options it’s worth considering whether you can afford, or might qualify for a bursary for an independent school - assuming you have one or two close by. (Obviously not all independent schools are better, but most ought to be able to provide the focussed attention your daughter is currently lacking.)

In fact, it might be worthwhile - even if you have no fee paying intentions - to attend the open days at a couple of independents so you can compare and contrast the state schools you look at. Knowledge is power and all!

Look for a school that has a large cohort of high achievers. A starting point might be using key stage 2 results. If there are lots of high achievers- rather that just one or two- the school will be more likely to cater to them. KS2 results are available on compare schools .com.

Might be worth checking what the tutor does. If they cover the national curriculum before DD does it in class, that would contribute to her boredom. But there is plenty of interesting maths not on the curriculum she could do.