Primary School - How do I choose?

[Pollyanna12]

I have read the mumsnet guidelines which seems very sensible. But I have a dilemna in my area. I live in a rural area surrounded by several primary schools and have a choice of 2 or 3 schools. There is an outstanding school (2007) where most parents send their children it is over-subscribed and I really do not like the head teacher. The facilities are not a suitable size for the number of children. There is another school which has recently been through a trubulent year of acting heads, it now has a new energentic head that has implemented many changes. The facilites are great but pupil numbers are small. Some parents are very unsettled by the changes and are very negative about the school. Most parents I talk to never visit the schools and make choices by what other parents say. Can anyone help me in what I should be looking for and help me decipher what is real? I would love to hear from anyone that has had the same experience and either made the right or wrong decision? Should I follow the crowd?

If you don't like the head don't pick the school imo Go see the other one and get a feel of it. It may feel just right. I strongly believe that you need to get a good feel of a school and then you will know what one is for your child.

Any head can leave - either the established one you don't like, or the new one you do. Say they both do - what is left? Where are your DC's village friends likely to be going? What is you personal take on the balance between friends and academia in the early years and KS1/2. Does choice of primary make any difference to secondary options? (Feeder arrangements etc).

If you think it is likely that you will still be living in the same place when it is time for your child to start secondary school, you should definitely consider the question of which secondary school the children from each primary will go to, and whether your child is likely to get a place at that secondary. If the children head off to umpteen different secondary schools that's one thing, but if practically the whole class is likely to go up to the same secondary school but there is a question mark over whether your child would get in (eg because he/she will live further away than most) then I would factor that into your choice of school. I know that choosing a secondary school probably seems ages away at the moment, but speaking as the mother of a Y6 child, I promise you that the time will come around sooner than you think!

I guess you have a little time to decide I imagine your DC starts 2013? - , Firstly go and visit the schools if you havn't already - also consider whether you will get in all of them - you may not have a choice. Also which is nearest one - as above - its lovely and can very useful if friends are also going to the same school.

Thanks for all your messages and certainly looking at the secondary school is something that did not cross my mind possibly as I was thinking of the here and now. It feels like an emotional decision.

Pollyanna12:

Agree you should try and learn what the system is for secondary school - if it's based on which primary you went to, then you need to think deeply. The problem is that in 7 years - things could change completely (as is the case in our area with some secondary schools).

However, I'd visit. Personally every school has their good and bad points. Also it is incredibly difficult to predict the type of child your DC will be in a few years time - the change can be remarkable.

So go by what you value. Think through what your priorities are (friendly, supportive teachers; good academic achievement; lots of extra-curricular activities; lots of enhancing field trips/ events; great reading programme; etc...) and then see which school matches that best.

But to take the stress off Pollyanna12: accept that every school has it's faults and that at some point there will be something you don't like or a teacher that isn't your cup of tea. That would most likely happen wherever you go.

What I will say - is that although you have 'a choice' what we've come to find is it comes down to distance from the school more often than not.