When it comes to choosing a school for your child why do so many parents......

[graceM]

go for the easiest and most convienient choice for THEM, not their child? The only reason I ask is that most of my friends/aquaintences/neighbours etc have their children at the same primary school and then automatically chosen to send them to the feeder secondary school despite it being rated a grade 3 school (unsatisfactory/requires improvement). For most of them (and theyve admitted this) they chose to send their children to the school down the road as they are too lazy to have to drive a long distance and they "just can't be bothered"

Whereas myself I chose to opt for a catholic primary and secondary school for my children in the neighbouring borough

Erm, good for you??? Firstly, I'm a big believer in using the most local school where possible. It is better for children to walk to school, have friends close by, build a community etc. Secondly, being a 'grade 3' school is sometimes better than being a 'grade 1'. Locally we have an 'outstanding' school. Last visited by oftsed in 2007 I think (properly) because outstanding schools don't need as frequent visits. I found it (in my opinion as a teacher myself) resting on old ideas and I didn't like it. In contrast the local 'grade 3' school has pressure on it to constantly improve, input from the council, ideas to get results, monitoring etc and a lot of excellent, up to date practices. Never ever judge a school by its oftsed report. And thirdly, why does it even matter to you?????

Continued- That I wasn't guaranteed my children would actiallt get into. The reason I chose these schools was because they were the only decent and outstanding/good rated schools in the borough, yet when talking to friends/neighbours etc I have come across a lot of negativity, and on more than one occasion have practically been made out to be a snob for choosing not to send my children to a mediocre/failing school, which our local schools are.

They couldn't understand that I would chose to take time out of my own life driving my chldren to schools in the next borough "just" so they could get a better education! I'm made to feel like I'm a snob or like I'm trying to be bette than everyone else just for wanting the best for my children and i'm sick of it, rant over!

Ofsted would be the last thing I would judge a school by!

And I have ranted at you because I'm sick of people blindly choosing the 'outstanding' school, often without even visiting the others, merely because of oftsed. So at least that is off our chests hey! :0)

Good for you.

What a fantastic parent you are.

Agreed EllenJames!!

Maybe they didn't want to choose a catholic school?

But I did visit the other schools And they were shocking! Plus I disn't just take ofsted reports into account, I visited these schools many times, spoke to teachers, looked at the league tables etc.

Ofsted gradings are not the be all and end all. No one should choose their child's school based on the current judgement alone.

Perhaps they don't want to send their children to a catholic school. I know I would actively avoid sending my DC to one.

But there are other non Catholic schools just that bit further away that are so much better than out local schools but most of the people I know didn't opt for them. The opted for the school most convienient for them.

I'd never send my children to a faith school.

Well then, feel happy that you have what you consider to be the best option for your child. What else do you want us to say??

OFSTED is the last thing I would look at before choosing a school. Much much more important is the feel of the school, the atmosphere and the staff.
I visited several schools before choosing one for my DS anx only after I had done that did I look at the OFSTED reports to see what they achieved for pastoral care.
The school I chose was the one where the HT took time to meet us and crouched down to listen to my son. It was deemed good or satisfactory at the time (I think).

grace that's your way if doing it which suits you. Others may make different choices.

My children went to the local primary and secondary school.

Do I lose MN points?

And why's that? If it came to sending your child to a catholic school that was excelling in every way or to a seriously underachieving non demontainal school that was seriously failing which would you chose?

You opted for a catholic school so I assume their wasn't one in your town?

Lazy you say? Well who's driving their kids to school! My DD took two buses to get to school by herself.

OFSTED reports are meaningless to me I've sent my DD to some outstanding schools (we moved alot) and education system failed her in other areas like bullying.

BTW a lot of the criteria is based on catchment area especially on over subscribed schools.

Because you would disagree with the schools fundamental principles!!!!

If all the other parents had made the same choices as you, your children probably wouldn't have been able to get a place at the Catholic primary and secondary in the neighbouring borough. So why complain?

Because I'm not a catholic and neither are my children.

I'm going to leave this now because I'm not sure what we say is going to make that difference...

Well round here, it does not matter what school you choose, it is what school offers your child a place. So all the research in the world can be for nothing because you get none of your preferences and just get allocated a school.

Mine are going to the school where they'll be happy with their peer group.
Which happens to be the local school.
Which is good as I actually couldn't get them to another school without giving up my job.