Really need help with 11th hour junior school decision

[Pammym]

This is another post appealing for help to make my mind up about junior school place for my DD. We have accepted a place at the out of catchment, outstanding in every area, junior school. We have recently had changeover day after which DD said she really liked her new teacher and she has 2 very good friends in her new class but, later on said she wished she could be with the best friends she is currently with in year 2, both of whom are going to our catchment school which has a good OFSTED rating.

Am sooo in a quandry - catchment school currently only has 25 to a class so I know there are spaces, whereas out of catchment one will have 32 in a class. Advice anyone?

Only advice is not to base your decision on the OFSTED reports, especially between good and outstanding.

Go with your gut feel about which school will suit your DD best.

Good luck, it's so hard choosing a school for DC.

My children went to a satisfactory Junior School and thrived. It is now good, but it did get worse before it got better.

Twenty-five in a class sounds fab!

I work in a "good" junior school. We have a high number of statements and children on the SN register.

Out of 56 children in our current year 3 twelve (20%) arrived in year 3 unable to write their names (all on P scales). A good further 30% were still working in level 1 and many of those assessed in level 2 were just not. (The infant school overinflates their scores which makes it impossible for us to achieve good value added.) They have a new head who is hopefully going to remedy this...

IMO it is an outstanding school- our pupils are exceptionally well behaved, exceedingly polite,happy and motivated and when you take out the SN (who actually make brill progress for them) the progress is outstanding for the rest of the school. This despite many unsupportive parents. We got our Sats results today- nearly 50% of our year 6s got level 5s in English and maths but overall year 4s were around the 80% mark- nearly all the below expected were SN

My DDs went to an "outstanding" school whose results, IMO, were more due to the fact that we are in a high 11+ area and at least half of the school year were occupying the local Kip Mcgrath centre. Half of the teachers were very lack lustre and the head dull and uninspiring. Very very supportive parents too.

Ofsted are only interested in results. They assume that if the results are good then so is the teaching- at my DDs junior school this was not the case.

If all you are looking at is Ofsted gradings then I would look closer...

Just out of interest, why didn't you consider the catchment school in the first place? I'm all for travelling to get to school, so not asking for that reason? If it was solely based on the old Ofstead rating, please defo ignore. I moved my son once from a Good to an Outstanding school and the school graded Outstanding, academic wise. was awful. The school I moved him from, in that regards, was far superior. Ofstead's new rating system now takes into account more useful factors which I know many teachers aren't too happy about, but is more useful to me as a parent for comparisons sake. I'm assuming of course, you were thinking of the academic factor when you chose the outstanding school - I could be wrong:).

All that said, I think choosing a school based on where your child's best friend is going is very sweet, but shouldn't a new school have to tick an awful lot more boxes than that, such as their Sats results and pastoral care,for example? After all, at such a young age, friends come and friends go.

Thanks all. The outstanding school's ofsted is fairly recent and a follow-up visit for another area of the curriculum earlier this year has also achieved outstanding. The school is v. hot on discipline, has caring atmosphere and has more traditional teaching methods, it also sets for spelling as well as maths and has better security - these are the reasons I chose it over and above catchment school.

BooksandBrunch - I have looked at catchment school but comparing the 2, it seemed a bit more disorganised, a bit lax on security, only sets for maths (until yr 5) oh, and the toilets were smelly ... But at the moment, my heart is telling me to go for it whereas my head is telling me to go for the other one!!

@Pammym:Oh gheez, story of my life, heart versus head! I'm not emotionally attached to the situation, so of course, my view is just based on your observations and my own experiences of good school versus crap school, which, without a shadow of a doubt would be to opt for the Outstanding school. I appreciate this might not be an issue for you, but what percentage of children from each school achieved level 5 in their Sats last year (although this years figures will also be out relatively soon)?

Thanks again. It seems like all the other parents at the schools have just made the decision and here I am dithering about like an idiot at the last minute .

How about phoning the catchment school - if they don't have any places your decision will be made for you - if they do then pop along with your girl today for another visit.

smelly toilets would make me think twice. Signifies things being a bit lacklustre. If your DC's new teacher is fab, and all other things being equal, go with your first choice (gut instinct is often the best).

It is natural to wonder if you made the right decision in a situation where there probably is no 'right' decision. We went for the 'better' school, friends didn't get in, we don't regret it, but maybe we were lucky. Also don't forget girls quickly change friends, especially when all mixed up with new people. Don't just do it for friendships as they will change, and she can do brownies etc outside of school with her other friends. If you really aren't sure then go and have another look, but unless it is a serious likelihood don't take your dd.

I am dithering about like an idiot at the last minute

That did make me laugh. Parenting eh!

Couldn't agree with the quip more, as in gut instinct and 3duracellbunnies with regards to better school and friends. Honestly, after having to move my son from independent to state, and I compare what my ds's school is like compared to some of my peers state school, it's like chalk and cheese. My ds's school is awful and fail the kids miserably. I just didn't take my finger off the button which is why he achieved all 5 in his sats. In his friends great school, the teachers were just on it. Parents, besides great support structures, didn't have to do a thing. There're kids in my ds school who are equally as capable as my ds, but crap school let these kids slip. Every Monday too, wit support teacher in tow, the school morphs into St.Tinians - kids jumping off tables, literally!

For me it's a no brainer. If they're that good a friends I'm sure you'll have no objections to her popping round for tea on a weekend:)

Really appreciate all the advice I have had. I have been to see head of 'good' school and actually was v. impressed with what he had to say. Am taking DD for a look around on Monday and then we will sit down for a chat.