How on earth do I choose a school???????

[fluffymummykins]

I'm in the process of applying for a primary school and I just don't know where to choose! My options:

1. Local school, walking distance, good ofsted, one class per year, live closer to potential school friends, hate the uniform!
2. Second closest, walking distance, OK ofsted, nicer uniform!
3. Same school as childminder does drop offs to (keeps continuity as my other child will remain with childminder)
4. Excellent school 3 miles away but no link whatsoever
5. Excellent school, same as step-child but 5 miles away and so nowhere near potential school friends.

I just haven't got a clue. Such a big decision.

Forget the uniform! It's about your child. How will they cope socially and academically? Which school will nurture them and help them achieve and have confidence in themselves? Where will they be happiest?

Have you checked the entrance criteria and which category your DC would fall in to? And what was the greatest distance a place was offered in that category in the last few years?

In theory we're most likely to get option 1 or 5. And I don't know Wolfiefan, that's my problem :-(

I've visited two but I feel like I don't know what I'm looking for.

School 1.

Big question, do you really have a choice or are the schools over subscribed? You might like the school 3 miles away but would your child get a place there? In my opinion, closest good school is a better choice. More friends, play dates after school, easier for you to get to. If it was a rubbish school then it would be different, but as it's a good school I would go for closest.

We get three choices, and most people get one of those three.

I would go with option 1 (local school), despite he uniform. As they get older. It's really nice for them to live near their school friends so they can play out together

Unless your nearest school is shit, then you cannot underestimate how much easier it makes life to be able to walk to school; no getting stuck in traffic being scared of being late, no parking dramas, no issue with cancelled buses etc in bad weather. It will make parties and play dates etc a hundred times easier if you live near friends as well.

The uniform really doesn't matter! It's just something to keep them warm and probably get dirty in the playground. The childminder will matter less and less as your child gets older and goes to friends and clubs after school. You have a good school nearby. I would go with it.

Will you need after school care?

Anyway after 7 years of washing ironing name tagging and replacing the same uniform over and over again you'll hate it even if it's custom designed for you by Versace!