Would you move happy children?

[Legaldrama]

Dc attend a really lovely little primary school, single form intake, really kind teachers, community feel, it's lovely.

However, the high school is shocking. Historically the primary school kids have applied to the next town along and got in to their fantastic high school, bit due to the building of thousands of new homes they don't stand a chance of getting in now.

The only option I can see is moving them to the local faith primary, guaranteeing them entry to the faith high school (we are of the faith, but very lapsed, but the dc are baptised etc). I would need to apply this year as youngest dc is applying for reception and I'd apply for a transfer for older dc.

The faith primary is just a bit....drab though. Very old school, no playing field, much wider catchment so friends wouldn't be walking distance. Doesn't seem to do the summer bbq, school discos etc that dc enjoy so much. Quite strict on uniform etc. Quite religious (as would be expected of course!) So less time in the day for "fun" maybe?

I'm really torn, the dc are happy where they are, but have no chance of going to a decent high school if we don't go Catholic. We could aim to move to catchment of a better school down the line maybe, but with the economy in ruins etc ilthats not 100% guaranteed.

Any advice welcome.

Unless your eldest is going into the final year of primary, I would keep them at your local primary. So much can change in a few years. The high school might change with the new houses, or you might move anyway.

As in, all the kids in your town will now have to consider the losing secondary rather than go to the next town, which is going to change the culture at that school.

Local, not losing.

In an ideal world, I would move into the catchment of the good school in the next town and drive them back to the lovely primary for a few years. But I would really not want my kids to go to a Catholic school.

Thanks @TheMooney . It's a really peculiar catchment, where we live is nice, it's a 60s estate of about 2 thousand houses and it's all very pleasant. As in lots of cities we are next to an area of real social problems a huge council estate with many so many families with difficulties. The kids from our estate joint the school will make not a jot of difference to the high school as they'll be such a small percentage it won't have any impact.
My fear is if I don't apply this year and guarantee my youngest a place in the faith school then I'll be looking for two in year admissions, which will be hens teeth. The Catholic school is full so I'll be waiting for families to move.

Thanks @Sundaefraise. I probably should have said at the start, the Catholic High is outstanding, all of DH's family have gone there and thrived, it's a really good school, and not uber religious. It's just the primary school I don't fancy.

I've been in a similar position - dc in brilliant primary but awful linked comp. In our situation we moved to the other side of town so we were in catchment for an excellent comp. However their new primary was pretty equal to the old so they settled quickly (although were upset at first).

Moving to a less good primary is more of a conundrum though. On balance, I think it would depend on the liklihood of us being able to move in time which only you can really judge. If your dc are v young and you have several years left of primary, I think I'd be tempted to wait, start youngest in lovely primary and then do everything possible to try and move to s better catchment. If your eldest is Y5 for example, I'd probably be more inclined to move them schools now.

Are you even likely to get a place for your older child at the primary?

@Billabongo potentially. If younger dc enters reception there then elder dc is top of the waiting list as a sibling. It's a two form entry, so there's potential that one of the 60 children will leave in the year group. Then in year 4 I believe I can do an appeal anyway based on numbers not being capped (that's what the admissions lady told me anyway).

@PucketyPuckPuck I absolutely see you logic. If we move though we'd have zero chance of getting the dc into the really over subscribed primaries, so they'd start comp alone without a friend, which is another thing to consider. I wish I had a crystal ball!

The kids from an estate of 2000 houses ought to make quite a difference in the high school, even if they are still the minority. (There might be a bit of a lag before they're all going to go to the local school, as some may get into the more distant one on sibling rule.)

I taught in a small secondary with a very difficult intake, and most of the kids from the most middle-class feeder went elsewhere - we'd get half a dozen, usually their weakest, least-middle-class kids. One year, the year group was particularly big across the area, and we ended up with 15-20 from that school, including a good bunch of bright, well-supported kids. The difference was noticeable. The ability range of the year group as a whole was still skewed, but much nearer balanced than our normal intake (which was 50% in the bottom quartile, 30% in the next). But as well as that, the number of hard-working cooperative kids was enough to tip the balance when it came to classroom behaviour, so the classes were much more teachable.

So even small numbers can make quite a difference. There are a few years to go, so it may be worth waiting to see what happens.