State schools Lancing/Steyning....

[EdgarAllInPink]

I have just got my application form for DD to start infant school.

any opinions upon - St Andrews ? (fantastic ofsted report - is it true?)
Upper Beeding? (decent ofsted again)
North Lancing? one more decent ofsted...

bumping just in case, i have to submit by 15/01...

Is St Andrews the one in Steyning? If so, my friend's son (10) is there. He moved there at Easter this year having previously been at a private school (since nursery) and he has come on in leaps and bounds. His dad is lamenting all the thousands of pounds he 'wasted' on the other school!

Have you visited all the schools? It can really help you make up your mind to meet the head and get some of the atmosphere. We had a fantastic school right near us, great ofsted, it was the one everyone wanted to get into and dd was already in the attached playgroup. We had put it on the form but at the last minute thought we had better take a proper look at the alternatives. We went to the 'great' school first and it was good but dd was very clingy and quiet as we went round. Then we went to the next one which on the face of it wasn't as 'desirable' (not a church school like the first, no playing fields, much bigger classes etc) and dd was a different child. She cried when it was time to leave! We changed our minds on the grounds that it was more important that dd was happy and confident at school and never regretted it.

The Ofsteds are a good guide but nothing can replace actually seeing places for yourself. HTH