LMS vs HVC Can’t decide which would fit dd best

[Muggcake]

I really can’t decide which would be the best choice! Looking at two secondary schools for dd10 both out of catchment. One 20 mins away 2k students where I get the impression that students have to fit into the school (Lady Manners) or 50 mins bus journey, 500 students more nurturing environment (Hope Valley). Dd10 is quirky, very bright, sociable, loves drama, is creative, loves writing stories, making things etc. She sometimes struggles with anxiety and is dyslexic. I am so torn as to which school to choose. Dd likes Hope because it’s smaller. I also can’t get my head around the exam results (I know that’s only one consideration) the results on Hope’s website does not tally with the government results.

Would she get a place at either or both of these schools? Is there another more local one or are you very rural?

Tbh 500 students is a very small school and would have a limited offer in terms of sports teams and GCSE subjects, which would make me pause. Also a 50-min bus journey is a bit of a mare twice a day. With 5 mins walk each end she'd have to leave the house at 7.30 and would get home at 4.30. Looooong day.

Do you mean Lady Manners Bakewell? It's a good school tho there is quite a disparity of wealth there - some very rich families I think. It's not 2,000 students tho, more like 1300, which is pretty average for a secondary with a sixth form.

Thanks so much for replying @Clarey We live very rurally. The school for our catchment is actually further away than Bakewell and for a variety of reasons isn’t the school for dd. One reason was that she became very anxious at her new middle school and we moved her after a term, hence why we are considering the smaller, nurturing Hope Valley. She currently attends a feeder primary for Lady Manners which is fantastic but doesn’t have any issues in not moving up with her friends. I’m leaning towards LMS because I agree that it’s a good school and it would make life easier for all of us. I’m thinking we could always pay for dyslexia tutoring (she’d have more time for that if she wasn’t travelling 10 hours a week) and if things really didn’t work out then she could go to Hope. Just need to get dd on side. Thanks again

Sorry! Tagged the wrong @Clary above