Change school Yes or No

[sammyl]

Hi All

Really would appreciate some help here...

My DD is 7 and in Y2 at an infants school (Outstanding OFSTED report) and progressing well. The paired junior school is under Special Measures due to awful OFSTED reports. The head at the juniors resigned and the head at the infants is now taking care of both schools, so I have faith that the school will improve slowly but surely...

Now a space has come up on the waiting list of the primary school that is pretty much on my doorstep. This school has good results and a good OFSTED. My daughter seems up for changing as she knows that I am not overly keen on the paired junior school, but when I ask her if she wants to change she says "yes, as I want to meet new friends".

Do you think its the right move to change her?

Thanks
Sam x

Dont bother worrying about the offstead report go with what your gut says.

Yes. Wouldn't touch a 'special measures' school with the proverbial bargepole. What if your faith in the possible changes to come is misplaced?

Yes! I am moving DD from her very nice school as it feeds into a cappy secondary..my DD is year 2.

She is going to a great little primary near the better secondary...we're also moving!

Why wouldn't you move her? She is happy to move. You like the new school. It is closer to you.

And if the old school is going into special measures you could always move her back if everything went wrong. (But beware friendship issues usually raise their heads in year 3, so a few problems that way might happen in any school.)

similar dilemma here...should i move my happy reception child from a satisfactory primary school on my doorstep to an outstanding one 20 minutes away??? she likes both

I wouldn't let the ofsted report be the reason.

A new head and 4 years until she is In y6,

Does she have friends now?
Does she make friends easily?

Butterymoon, you situation is so different. If she is learning, and happy why would you add on a commute? Which will be twice as long for you, and longer to playdates.

But there maybe other factors you haven't mentioned.

The only thing to remember is that if a school is in special measures they will be receiving a huge amount of support from the authorities in an effort to pull it up to standard, more than other schools in fact.

If you can, speak to some of the parents who are already at the junior school - you may find that they don't think it really deserved its status. OFSTED visits only capture a snapshot and the parents who fill out the forms are generally (but not exclusively) the ones who have had a bad experience there.

And visit it before you make a final decision. For this school, the only way is up.

You say your dd is happy to move because she's picked up on your feelings. What about her own feelings? Does she really want to move or is she just saying that because of what you've said?

Ultimately, it's your decision but don't jump into it until you've found out exactly what the school is doing to redeem itself.

Thank you all so much for giving me lots to think about.

Will let you know what happens! And good luck butterymoon with your decisions...

x

Just to update you. I am so glad I changed her school. She has been at her new one for 3 weeks now and is getting on great. We attended a parents evening to which we were told she is way above average for her year group (she even goes out of her normal class on Tuesday's and Friday's to do smaller group/higher level work).

I am so pleased that this school seem to be giving her that bit extra.