Moving house and choosing schools

[MerryMo]

We have just received a short notice posting for January some 350 miles away.

This will be our umpteenth move but the first with teenagers. I have been reading up on the schools in the area and sussed out that they all 3 have availability.

My son is in Yr 9 and we will stay at this posting for about 3 years - so he should complete his GCSEs here so it is important to choose the right school. How the hell do you choose the right school from such a long way away?? I have asked on FB wives pages and its all the same answers as usual - everyone saying the school their kid goes to is OK. Nothing Wow or OMG either way,so nothing to help swing a decision there. Transport wise - all 3 are easy to get to as well.

We dont have time to visit the area this side of Xmas as my husband is away now for 3 weeks and my other child is due in hospital for an operation the week after next.

I am considering keeping my son out of school for the first week or so we move, to give me and him time to visit all three schools and choose then which one we feel is right. Is this madness? Will I be breaking any laws? We are sceduled to move the week of 5th January, so the first week back after the Christmas break.

Has anyone been in this situation before? Normally I am quite happy to make a judgement from Ofsted/a few opinions in wives groups etc. and have never been that worried (and we have moved alot) but as this is a crucial stage, I dont want to get it wrong this time.

Any ideas?

Your idea sounds sensible. You could call the local council to discuss your issues. Is there any way you could travel up before Xmas to go and see them? Where is it by the way? I may be able to help.

To be honest, sometimes you have to take these things on faith. We moved from Cyprus back to UK in Aug, when DD was due to start Reception in Sep. We didn't have the Assignment Order until Jul, and all 3 local schools (within 2 miles) were full with waiting lists!

The LA got us a place at a Primary in town, we flew back on 30 Aug and DD started on 2 Sep - two days to buy all uniform etc.

When we moved to our current home the village primary was the only one with spaces (DD is now 9). If it's the wrong school for her then there is nothing we could do about it, except make the most of it.

You are quite lucky you have a choice tbh, I'd just go for the OFSTED reports I think, they are the only thing likely to be helpful if you don't know the area at all.

You could post in Education (nc if you want) naming the schools, and at least the area, to get some opinions. Or the local site.