We moved house at the start of the month close to a crazily oversubscribed and popular primary school. We came from completely out of area. Most schools in the area were full, but DD1 in Y1 got a place at an undersubscribed school 0.8 miles away, as I fully expected and planned for given the status of the more local school. She started on Tuesday, we've spent money on the uniform etc etc, expecting the long haul and showing commitment to the head.
I just found out that DD1 is actually currently in the top position for in-year admission to the oversubscribed and popular school, which is a bit of a surprise even though we are 150m away. There are only four children on the waiting list (the school told me this) so I guess none of them have siblings already at the school.
Now, I know full well that she could be sitting there for five years for all I know, especially as the school told me that only three families left the entire (one form entry) school last year. Somebody could move closer, or have a sibling (although if we send DD2 there in September that negates that) too. We're prepared for all that.
There's a couple of things though.
- The oversubscribed school had a surprisingly really bad Ofsted earlier this year (4, as opposed to its usual 1), and I've heard talk of the SATs only being as amazing as they are because it's full of middle class children with pushy parents.. i.e. the teaching is not that great but the children come from supportive families. There is a new headteacher there now, who I have met and seems nice, who is apparently sorting all that out and improving the teaching.
Whereas the undersubscribed school where she just started also has a new head as of September, who is also nice, and is also apparently sorting out all the issues with that school too. For all I know she may turn her school into an outstanding school over the next few years, but there is no way to know if she can pull it off either. DD has had just a few days at the undersubscribed school so it is not fair for me to judge it yet, although a few things concern me already, but especially as they've not had a chance to make any changes. At least with the oversubscribed school there is a bit more of a guarantee she'll do well judging from the respective previous SATs results. DD is very able and I am a little concerned that the Ofsted report highlighted that more able children are not stretched enough at the undersubscribed school, BUT, that is also a positive as it's something they need to address.
- I am ridiculously non-confrontational and a total people pleaser and hate upsetting people. How the heck, should we ever get that place and decide to accept it, do I tell the other school she's leaving? I feel really bad about it. It feels like kicking a puppy or something. There's the old "distance" factual argument which can't be disagreed with, but we all know if the schools were reversed in terms of reputation nobody would care about the distance.
Having said that, most of our neighbours all go to the oversubscribed school, so there is the community aspect to consider. But we're renting until we buy our forever house so that may not apply forever.. but the area we'd be looking to buy in is even further from the undersubscribed school.
And finally.. we have to decide by Jan 15th whether we would likely accept a place at the oversubscribed school if it came up, because we need to decide where to send DD2 in September and I'd obviously prefer for them eventually to be at the same school. Hence me arrrghing about this now. I'm really hoping that something happens at the undersubscribed school (positive or negative) that makes the decision for me!!