Would you want your child going to this school? ( Admissions question)

[noeyedear]

Hi, I'm in the middle of visiting schools for my DS for September. Our nearest school hasn't got a brilliant reputation, but it is so close and convenient, I thought It wouldn't do any harm to look around. They seem lovely to me. They have a really nurturing and calm environment. In the reception and yr 1, they learn mainly through play outside and there is equipment where they can learn while playing in the sandpit etc ( hard to explain!) They have 1 teacher and 2 TA's in each class. I think my DS would love it there. My main problem is with the other parents! Only 3 of us turned up to the open day, even though there are 60 places available. They don't have a PTA, or much parent input which means no school fete or activities. The woman who took us round said they tried, but the parents didn't want to do it or have much involvement in the school at all. They have disciplinary issues but said that is dealt with by the 3 teachers in the class, so the non disruptive kids don't lose out. I'm worried about what will happen when he leaves year 1. The parents aren't going to be more interested, and the disruptive children aren't going to less disruptive with fewer adults. I'm wondering who my son will have as his friends ( I know everyone says this, but he is quite a sensitive boy, and doesn't do well with lots of noisy kids) and who I will know as a parent. I'm not sure what to do. I have my top 2 choices and some others to consider, but they are oversubscribed. This school would be a banker if he couldn't get into any other. I'm wondering whether to put it 6th or higher up the list.

A lot of Reception is about taming the wild beasts teaching the wilder kids how to behave appropriately, and this will continue in Yr 1 as appropriate. By the time they reach Yr 2 most of them will know how they should behave in school and will be learning, not disrupting.

It sounds like Foundation, lots of play based learning. Very nice, works well for boys in particular. I have no complaints about that way of learning.

Re parental input, well, sometimes you can't win with some people. The majority of parents at our school aren't interested in anything but turning up to events organised by a small group of parents. Nothing you can do. People are busy and/or disinterested. The important thing is the standard of education your child is receiving, not the xmas fayre :)

I'd go for that school if it you got a nice feeling from it and it is very near. The older they get, the more hard work there'll be, and the less long journeys you'll want them to be on. Plus, cycling/scootering/walking to school will be nice, all year round.

Excuse grammar.

What is it about the parents that bothers you? It is quite often the case that some parents don't have the time or inclination to get involved with things like the PFA - it doesn't mean that they won't be interested in their own child's education, they're just not able/willing to be involved in the wider community of the school.

You could ask some more about the school's behaviour policy and, in particular, what they do if children haven't 'got' how to behave in class by the end of Year 1.

Thanks. They did say the boys especially really learnt well with that type of learning, and I have 2 boys. My DS currently goes to a nursery attached to a Catholic school , which has loads of parental involvement, and i know a few of the mums etc, but I'll probably go back to work ( Please, Please!!) when he's at school. I like the fact that there is a community feel about the nursery. Funnily enough, that school has an outstanding OFSTED and is oversubscribed, but I didn't get the same feel about it. I'm also a bit of a rubbish Catholic, and the school is VERY Catholic!

I would arrange to look round on a 'normal' day too.there might be a lot of window dressing going on on an open day.

It wasn't really a formal 'open day' just a day they had set aside for some staff to talk to parents and take them around the school. We saw the children playing. Do you think I'm just being a snob about the parents? It's quite possible! What should I take into account?

At our school Year 1 is mixed with Year 2 so not very play based at all which is a big shame as ds2 would prefer learning through play.

As for Christmas Fair etc. , if you want to get stuck in then I would enrol your son in an extra curricular activity out of school like cubs and use your enerfy there.

I agree with wellies that some of the most important lessons learned in Reception are the school rules and behaviour expectations. If your child understands those then it's a big advantage. My children have been at a "satisfactory " and "outstanding" school and in their experience, the % who are disruptive are very similar at the two schools.

What's the OFSTED results for the nearest school like by comparison?

Did you meet the Head on the Open Day? Good leadership goes a long way, imo.

Believe me, you can't judge a school by its parents (this I DO know from experience!!). You can judge a school by how happy the children are, how polite they are, and how much they enjoy learning....all things which teachers can take a lot of credit for, I promise! If I'd judged my son's school by the parents, I would have run a mile [snobby] but the happy positive atmosphere inside the school is, IMO, award-winning.

It's a 3 with some 2's. They came in for special criticism for not stretching the more able children. But there is a new head who seems to have put in a lot of changes. He specialises in early years. My DS would love it during the early years but it's more later on that I'm concerned about.

crazy I didn't think about scouts. Good idea!

My daughters school sounds very much the same as yours.

Its in the deprived area next door to where we live with 95% kids coming from that area. 65% free school meals to give you an idea.

BUT, it was our local catchment school so I thought I wouldn't listen to anyone else and go and have a look. I LOVED it. The atmosphere was really warm and caring. The head knew all the kids by name (450+ kids at school) and all the kids seemed so happy.

At the time it had an Ofsted of 2, recently its gone down to a 4. BUT, I don't see this as a problem as I know the reasons why it is this (crap head, not the teaching or behaviour etc).

OK, so some of the parents are a bit rough, but all the kids are lovely and polite. DD1 is now in Y1 and there hasn't been a day where she hasn't wanted to go in. At the end of reception she was above the national standard, so obviously the school were doing something right for her. her sister has just started at the school nursery and is loving it.

My thinking on primary school is that as long as they are learning the basics of reading/writing/maths to an acceptable standard (which they are here even though Ofsted have given it a 4) then for them to have very happy memories of primary school is worth just as much to me. And at the moment that is what my 2 DDs have.

I'd go with your gut feeling. if it doesn't work out you can always change schools after a year.

If the school is actively discouraging parental involvement that is a problem. But if it is encouraging the parents and they simply aren't interested that is just one of those things.

Even schools which have an active PTA tend to find it is the same small group doing things all the time. Most parents either don't want to get involved or don't have the time. Occasionally the active parents will get fed up with the apathy from other parents and give up. Sometimes that will prompt more parents to come forwards, sometimes the PTA will fold until someone else comes along willing to take it on.

cat64 I luuurves you

Can I also add that there is a lot to be said for going to school with "rougher" kids (not that the term is kind but ykwim)...there are more varied examples of good and bad behaviour, examples of how to stand up for yourself in a Real World way...not sure if I'm explaining myself properly but basically, my son has no hesitation about defending himself verbally (not in a fight-ey way) if another kid tries to mildly bully him in any non school context (e.g. Play centre, park, sports lessons) in a way that, given his natural personality, I don't think he would have developed in a Naice School. He is always polite and kind but will not tolerate unfairness and will just say it as it is rather than beat about the bush. Much as I would like him to grow up in to a world where everyone is lovely and polite to each other, the reality is that people aren't and that won't come as a shock to him when he grows up. [Longwinded]

We have the same trouble with our PTA. Just the usual half dozen parents on it, and our children are getting older...once they move to secondary, I can't foresee the PTA continuing since all efforts to bring in new blood has failed. But this is not a reflection on the school, like Cat64 says.

Thanks everyone. Thats really helpful. It seems like such a big thing to decide! I think I will put it down somewhere. I have a few weeks to decide at least!