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Original poster

Nearest Primary is crappy

50 replies

WobblyPig · 07/12/2009 21:17

We are really stuck. Our nearest primary is truely appalling and we have no chance of getting into any other. We can't move at the moment and I have to work 3 days a week so home ed could be difficult.
Private would be a very big stretch for us. Are there any ideas I haven't explored?

OP posts:

seeker · 07/12/2009 21:21

What makes it appalling? Is there any way you can make up for whatever it lacks at home?

Original poster

WobblyPig · 07/12/2009 21:27

Achievements below national average ; poor leadership from head ; very slow to react to previous advice from ofsted. Very high proportion of children can't speak English on entry .

OP posts:

thisisyesterday · 07/12/2009 21:28

yeh, what's wrong with it?

is moving really impossible?

Original poster

WobblyPig · 07/12/2009 21:33

DH just started up new business, just taken a big pay cit. We can just afford mortgage but the bank would not lend us what we would need to move based on current figures. We would have to rent which I really don't want.

OP posts:

oldwoman · 07/12/2009 21:35

Have you found out the fees of any private school that is within a reasonable drive? They can vary a lot.

Plus, not sure how old your child is, but the money you get off a private nursery or other childcare settings can be taken off the fees of some private schools for the terms when your child is still 4. I know someone with a DC who has an Aug bday child at private school and she is getting the money off all 3 terms of Reception. For her I think it works out about £400 a term off.

Doozle · 07/12/2009 21:39

Hi Wobbly, we talked a while ago about schools near us. Did you put HT down as one of your choices? You know their catchment area turned out to be quite wide last year due to going up to 60 places? I checked the distances.

thisisyesterday · 07/12/2009 21:42

i think, if i were in your situation, I would seriously consider moving and renting, even if it isn't ideal.

that said, I do think you should go and see the school. As I said on another thread recently, things like ofsted reports really aren't the be all and end all of a school. Gut feel is a really good indicator of how your child will be there.
My son isn't at the "best" school in our area, but I just knew it would be the one he would do best in.

I do understand your concerns about language, we didn't buy a house we realy liked because the nearest primary had the same situation, and while I love being able to bring my kids up in such a multi-cultural town (having come from whitey-whites-ville myself) I did worry that his education would suffer being in a class where 75% of the other children couldn't speak English, it must be difficult for the teacher.

I honestly can't think of any other options for you, other than those you mention in the OP.
I would apply to others though, cos you never know

seeker · 07/12/2009 21:59

OK. 1 and 4 aren't necessarily problems. 2 and 4 are. Is it in special measures?

Original poster

WobblyPig · 07/12/2009 22:04

Thanks, have been to school and also walk next to it 3 or so times a week.
About the renting - it does appear to be the only sure fire way of getting into a school but I really resnet uprooting the family for this - have a 6m old baby as well.
I know this has been in hte news but do schools want to have been in a place for a while before applying to avoid people moving temporarily.

OP posts:

Original poster

WobblyPig · 07/12/2009 22:08

Yes Doozle I know the enlarged reception meant a wider catchment . No one I know from Battles got in though from what I have heard.
Really stressing now and think we would have to move to Merton Park as couldn't really afford Dundonald without reducing size of house considerably.
I really wished I had thought of schools even though I wasn't married or with children when I moved here.

OP posts:

Doozle · 07/12/2009 22:11

The school told me the furthest away on first offers for open places was about 1.2km away. It went even further than that eventually.

Also don't forget that the council are going to announce 4 extra schools which will each take another 30 places at the end of Jan. I couldn't help but think that Pelham or Dundonald would be one of them.

domesticextremist · 07/12/2009 22:12

WobblyPig - do you have a dd or a ds? It makes a massive difference for private school fees where you are.

Is your nearest school MA btw? Could you not get into Gfield? [sorry dont know precisely where you are]

thisisyesterday · 07/12/2009 22:14

i know uprooting the whole family is pretty drastic... but i guess it depends just how bad the school is?

you;ll have to sit down with your husband and make lists of concerns, priorities etc and see what comes out top.

for me I do think it would be my child's schooling tbh, the first couple of years, whilst not necessarily crucial in a learning kind of a way, I think can play a big part on how your child perceives school and how well they take it in their stride.

i think what might change that for me would be if you think that perhaps you'd only leave him there for a year or so and then be in a better position to move or something#?

Basicaly I don't think i'd want to put him in there knowing that's where he was staying. if it was short-term then maybe, otehrwise i'd def be investigating the price of private schools/renting options

Original poster

WobblyPig · 07/12/2009 22:18

I looked at the whole private thing. On average it was about 2 - 2.7 K a term plus extras. I had it all figured out in terms of how much I would save per month to afford it. Then DH got hit with a massive tax bill which has essentially wiped out the first 2 years of education on a private basis. Hence the renewed panic. I am just wondering whether I can home educate for a couple of years but DS needs a lot of running around and quite a firm hand.

OP posts:

domesticextremist · 07/12/2009 22:18

I agree with thisisyesterday although i would uproot rather than go private if you can never afford it for more than one dc. [although I am doing a mix myself]

Its not just for your elder dc but for your 6m old as well as the sibling rule will presumably apply.

domesticextremist · 07/12/2009 22:22

Wobbly - can you rent a bit further away and therefore make that bit extra you need to fund the private fees - ie rent somewhere cheaper than where you are as presumably your place would rent for more iyswim.

thisisyesterday · 07/12/2009 22:25

well it's worth looking into for sure.
thinking about it, working 3 days a week isn't so bad. kids only go to school 5 days a week anyway, so he'd only be having1 extra "day off" although for you it would be lots of work

why don't you go and talk to the lovely ladies on one of the HE threads and see what they think?

if you're seriously considering HE, then why not apply to the schools you would want him to go to, and then just have HE as a back up if he doesn't get in.
and remember you can always appeal decisions/go on a waiting list, and you could HE during that time

domesticextremist · 07/12/2009 22:28

You could also HE upto 7 as thats another prep intake year - and gives you a backup if it all gets too much- and you could sit on your preferred school waiting list.

GrumpyYoungFogey · 07/12/2009 22:46

Wobblypig You are a racist, pure and simple. At least you are honest.

thisisyesterday Yes, multiculturalism is great until you have too much of it. And I bet it was really crappy growing up where everyone shared the same background, culture and values.

Original poster

WobblyPig · 07/12/2009 23:14

Thisisyesterday - that is what I was thinking. Children aren't just learning 9-3.30 for 5 days a week are they. SO you coud probably cover the academic stuff in 3-4 x 1/2 days . I will look into it. I think I have to keep exploring all the options.

By the way - all the state schools around here are multicultural in one way or other. Racial background has no consideration for me - I am not of ' English ' descent and my DH is of Indian descent. My concern is that in an apparently poorly led school there must be signficant additional challenges if over 50% of children cannot understand the priamry language. In a well-led, well-peforming school who would care what background/ colour, class anyone was?

I acknowlegde it comes across as middle-class angst but it is a genuine but maybe not life-threatening issue. I do have perspective but like most people would not wish to disadvantage my child.

OP posts:

snorkie · 07/12/2009 23:21

Have you considered flexi-schooling? Would the local school let him go 3 days a week (when you work) and you could homeschool him for the other two. Two days a week at home would surely make up for the deficiencies of the school if they would agree to it.

Original poster

WobblyPig · 07/12/2009 23:28

Wow - never heard of flexi-schooling. Sounds like a real option. Is this a new thing ? I am really new to the whole school thing in general. You may be on to something there because my main concenr about exclusive home schooling was the socialisation aspects and the ability ot incorporate stuff like PE. I will enquire further. Thanks Snorkie.

OP posts:

seeker · 08/12/2009 06:31

Is the school concerned in special measures?

Skegness · 08/12/2009 07:30

I reckon WobblyPig would probably have said if it was, seeker. Assuming it isn't, I would advise trying the school for a couple of terms, WP, while staying on the waiting lists of other schools, in case your fears about it not suiting your child are well founded. You may be pleasantly surprised- sometimes schools do get undeserved reputations, ofsted reports are far from infallible and in any case, imo, many primaries are much of a muchness in terms of children's learning/enjoyment. Children thrive surprisingly well in just about good enough schools if everything at home is alright, ime. Controversial, I know, but my view is based partly on my kids' move from an ofsted rated "outstanding" primary to a "satisfactory" one. I broadly agree with the ofsted ratings but have noticed no difference whatsoever in my children's progress or wellbeing in the "satisfactory" school. They, in common with the vast majority of children in their school with supportive familes, are doing just fine. Which was the case in their last school too.

One other thing, please don't worry too much about non-English speaking. You wouldn't believe how quickly tiny children pick it up and with how little formal help. It is amazing. It absolutely will not be the case that your child is neglected while desperate staff try and teach the others English.

Doozle · 08/12/2009 09:36

Wobbly, for the 3 days you are working, have you considered getting a nanny who also has teaching experience? I remember when I was looking for a nanny, there was one who had primary teaching experience on her CV.

As you say he doesn't need to be learning from 9-6pm everyday but between you and a nanny like this, you could prob cover what is needed.

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