Can I have some honest opinions?

[benetint]

Would you send your kids to a school labeled "rough" by parents from the area, at the bottom of the league tables?

Or would you cripple yourselves financially to move house or pay for private?

I would sit outside the fence and listen to what's going on inside. More then likely I wouldn't send my child there, I'd send my child to a private school (I have done this, I did give the local primary a shot though-don't ask)

Depends on the options available to us at the time. I would look round the school - gain my own impression of it - then if I wanted to avoid it, do what I could to do so. Options are not necessariily move or go private. You could try waiting lists at other schools and home ed for a while or stay in pre-school for longer.

I would go and have a look at the school, and if possible, go and see a a 'good' school for comparison.

I recently visited a school with a bad reputation (admittedly without children there) and was impressed with the facilities and how the classrooms looked - much better than the school my DC attend.

I would investigate, and then either give it try or move or go private depending on what I found.

I was very surprised when I started work at a 'rough' school, that the children were just children, and with good teachers, behaved no worse or better than the children at my DC's leafy suburban school. I really shouldn't have been surprised, I suppose, but the area did have a poor reputation. My only concern was some of the parents. The kids were absolutely fine. I was in Y5 and 6.

We were very lucky, we were able to drive by rough school and enrol our children at an undersubscribed primary 4 miles down the road. My concern with the rough school was not the children, but as previous poster the parents. We are now making the private switch.

We only had the option of a rough school, as you put it, due to an Army move after the closure dates for schools in the area. I went round all the other schools just outside of the catchment area, and put ds on all the waiting lists with the schools. It was a bit of a sweat, but the one we hoped for came up, as a family pulled out due to a move.

I wouldn't cripple myself financially, but i would ask what else i could do..longer drive, go private etc...

A lot of kids who joined ds' school, did so mid term, they either held out of the school year start in the hope of a place at one of the other schools with a good rep, or started at the rough school and moved as soon as possible.

Again i would agree it was the parents that were rough, not the reception classes, but the older kids were experiencing bullying issues, and the school was under special management.

Ditto - go and look, listen, talk to the children, observe for yourself. Then, and only then, make a decision.

dds' school, when we first chose it for dd1, was labelled 'rough' by loads of people within a mile of the school (not so much by the ones on its doorstep). I had raised eyebrows and polite smiles by the bucketload, from the yummy mummies at dd's private pre-school.

We loved the ethos, the excitement the children showed in their work, the Head. When we looked around, we could see it was on the up - or at least, deserved to be.

Three years later, its oversubscribed, growing, flourishing, and in danger of being overrun by the kind of people who looked terrified at the thought of their child entering its dreaded portals 36 months ago. Not neccessarily a cheering thought, that last bit, mind.

Go and see - good luck!

ps it was the parents who had a 'rough' reputation at our school too - not sure what people around here meant by 'rough', but when I went to see I could believe there were some aggressive types further up the school, but most were absolutely not. Children were clearly loved and looked after.
There were a few issues higher up in the school, but its changed - as the newer cohort (of parents as well as children) move through it.
I think its worth trying to get a sense of what direction the school is moving in, not just where its at now - do you like/trust the Head? How does the Head talk about the Governors, about the children? Do you feel safe when you walk around, are the children relaxed and happy?

I might go for a bottom of the table school for primary, I would not for secondary.

Primary I'd probably go with the rough school, whilst keeping an eye on waiting lists for better options, (actually I sort of did - DCs go to a great school, with a slightly problematic intake) because there really is a limit to how bad a primary school can be nowadays, and how "rough" an eleven year old child can be.

At Secondary level however, I'd sell a kidney to avoid certain schools.

I agree with most of the others, it would depend on our circumstances but I wouldn't like my DC to go to a school where the other parents didn't give a stuff, I would like some kind of socially and academically aspirational vibe in the school!! In our circumstances I would have moved I think rather than gone private at primary level had we not got our choice, at secondary probably cheaper to pay for private!

I agree with other posts - in primary school you still have so much influence on your DCs. And a school in a more deprived area is likely to have greater funding, which equals smaller class sizes or more support, better resources, more outside visitors (such as PE coaches), more funding with educational visits etc. The teachers will be equally as good.

The best advice is to look round, during lesson time, and see how it feels.

Thank you all for your posts. I've booked in to see a few schools next week to make a comparison - wish me luck!

I would be more concerned about the parents than the children. However, if finance was a problem I would try it for a while and if things were bad I would definatley move. Unfortunately, children learn and mimic each other very quickly and if there are a few families in one class who cause trouble it can create a bad atmosphere. I have even noticed my own child copying so much of what she sees in school...fortunately it's all positive.

I would go private over rough. My main concern would be influence from other parents & unfortunately their kids. Maybe downsize the family finances as best you can. Look for a higher wage job, cut costs on cars & holidays etc.

I would go private, but I wouldn't cripple myself financially.
I would do it only if I can realistically afford it.

I would decide for myself if it was 'rough', and if I thought it was not the best I could possibly do for my child, then yes, I would go private, move, or spend hours in the car.

I'd look round a few schools then decide. Maybe move house if essential. Or instead list better schools on my application in the hope there will be a space. Failing that I'd ring round once all the places have been allocated and ask to be put on waiting lists. People do move.

Thank you again everyone. I went to see two "good" schools yesterday - absolutely fell in love with one but didn't get a great feeling about the other. I'm seeing the "rough" school next week.

There are some great ideas there thank you, I never thought the waiting list idea was a viable option till now. How does it work? Do you remain on the list until there's a place (if one ever comes up) or does the list just last for the first academic year? For people who suggested driving further, do you mean apply to undersubscribed schools further away? I would drive any distance to make sure DD was happy at school! Realistically though, how far do you think is too far? Are you allowed to apply for schools a few miles away (or would they think you were nuts?) Maybe that's a whole other thread!

Any school that has places is, I think, obliged to take you, regardless of how far away you are. A friend of mine had a similar dilemma last year. She lived in the catchment of an Ofsted" outstanding" highly regarded suburban school and didn't get in because she lived too far away although within catchment. She decided to keep her summer born son in pre-school for an extra term while she looked into the options. She stayed on waiting lists for any schools she liked and started looking further afield. She found a small village school, in a different county, 15 minutes drive away, which had a space and her son started there after Christmas. They are very happy with the school and are now moving house to be closer to it!

Thanks for that Runoutofideas, I might just look into undersubscribed villagey schools then, thank you.

I had a look at one of the "rough" schools and it was an odd experience. The building and grounds seemed lovely but I wasn't taken in to see any of the lessons (only the classrooms that were empty). The facilities and extracurricular activities seem great but I didn't really get a feel for the school. The Head didn't show me round (the school secretary did) and I didn't get to meet any of the pupils so I couldn't see how the Head interacted with them. Hmmm I'm a bit disappointed really!

I'd e-mail them and ask to visit again and say that I'd like to meet the head, be shown a few lessons in action and hence meet some of the pupils.

The school's response will be informative.