...am I in search of the impossible, or am I right to listen to my instincts?
DC's school is an 'Outstanding' School. It is a highly academic state primary, my dc are happy there and they have been consistantly assessed as 'above average' in all areas. So why do I want to pull them out and put them elsewhere?
The Head runs the school with a rod of iron. I don't actually think that in itself this is a bad thing, and discipline is very important to me, however, when watching how the children behave in assemblies and such like, they are like little robots. It's hard to explain.
The school isn't interested in extra-curricular activities at all, unless they're educational (quizzes etc).
They enter sports competitions but don't allow the children any time to practice, so send them off likes lambs to the slaughter. The school are fine with this ...a quick game, school get hammered, we all shake hands, now back to school for some more poetry ...
On the odd occasion where children have made it to high levels in sport, even when representing the school, it's not given more than a cursory mention in the school newsletter. I wouldn't even say that it's not encouraged - it's actively discouraged.
The very worse thing, for me, is that the children aren't treated with any sort of individuality. They are 'cohorts', not children 
. I think children should be treasured for who they are, not what results they can acheive to make the school look good.
I've got to the point where I hate the school and everything it stands for. I would move schools in a heartbeat but my children are happy and achieving, and I'm really torn.
Any advice would be very gratefully recieved.