How can I choose a school from the other end of the country?

[Jamana]

We are relocating from Cornwall to Essex at the end of the school year. But how can I choose a good school when I am so far away and don't know anyone in the area? I have done the Ofstead thing and the school websites, but having looked at the same info for schools in my area that I DO know, I can see how misleading these things can be. So are there any tips? Or perhaps someone could recommend a nice primary {secondary also needed} near Little Maplestead?

Jamana, have your DCs already started school?

When we moved last year, we took a day to go and visit the local school. You get a much better feel for a school from actually seeing it xx.

I did this from the other side of the world. What I found most helpful was reading the schools letters online. It's a bit more 'real' than their websites.

Have you tried MN local for Essex? I bet someone can give you a parents 'view on possible schools :)

Otherwise I think I'd do a short list, make appointments at the schools on it over a couple of days. Then have a brief visit to Essex to look around them.If you explain you only have a couple of days to view the schools I'm sure they will try to accommodate you.

What I mean is that there may be few schools with in year spaces so you will not have free choice, complicated further if you have more than one DC and made a bit easier if your DCs are year 3 or above.

I would ask the schools if they could put you in touch with someone from the PTA.

I'd have to second what doctrine said - you may be a bit optimistic expecting to be able to choose a school. It will probably come down at best to which one or two schools have places available, and at worst, which have the shortest waiting lists.

No harm in doing your research, obviously - best if you could do a quick trip to look round a few schools - but given the shortage of school places, anyone arriving outside the normal application periods is unlikely to have much actual choice.

visit.
I think it isn't unreasonable to visit from cornwall to essex. Book appointments at 4 or 5 schools in the area for a monday, travel up on sunday, back down mon afternoon evening.

What are you doing for housing? Surely where you live will cut it down a lot, and also until you have an address it will be hard to apply.

If you wait to go until after yo have moved - ie after the end of the school year, you may be struggling to see round schools at all as they will be officially closed.

When my friend relocated from the West of England to the East she worried about this. In practice there was only one school with a place for her reception age DD so the choice was made for her.

Thanks for all of your replies.

Doctrine, yes both DC's are already at school. DD currently Year 3 and DS Yr 6. So we are looking for Yr 4 and Yr 7 places.

Reading the letters online is good advice and probably helps to get the 'tone'.

I have spoken to the schools that are on my shortlist and they do have places, so that's good and means I still have a choice. But I'm just getting a little bit wobbly about it all before making a final application. Being the transition from primary to secondary is not easing my mind either, nerve-wracking before throwing in moving to an unknown area.

We have housing sorted, and an address, so I can make the application and I know the area we will be in. There are several Primary schools in the area ranging from largish {300+ pupils} to smaller country schools. As she is in a small country school atm I am leaning toward that option but they all appear to be faith schools.

Contacting the PTA is another good idea.

As far as visiting goes, that would be the ideal option I know. But it is not without difficulty. DH working and with only one car makes the school run difficult on a school day, and if it's not a school day....well rather defeats the purpose. I will have to see if I can juggle something to get up there.

Savoy, were you pleased with your choice one you saw it 'in the flesh'. Did your online impression match up with reality?

Thanks for the advice

I think on line impression is nice, but I would always want to visit the school, to feel its atmosphere. I know one outstanding school which I really didn't like once we saw it. I later found out that there were a lot of unhappy parents and an issue with the head, so I was really glad we didn't use it.

I know it is hard, but secondary is pretty important choice to make from a distance. I know it costs, but how about dh takes a day off or a late start on monday, and he taxis kids to school. Arrange playdates after school or a friend /babysitter to collect and feed until dh is home and you arrive home later. It has to be worth the expense for the kids education?

Well, having looked at all available info I have had to make my choice from a distance. I couldn't get up there to visit in person but have spoken to everyone that I could think of and have made a choice based on my impressions from that.

The Secondary choice was made easier by the fact I could only choose between two schools and one had an awful reputation, so that was straightforward.

The Primary I made a decision based on speaking t the relevant Head's and my thoughts on them and their approach. I also consulted DD's current Head and gave him the info I had, and he agreed with my choice from a 'Professional's' point of view and a much clearer understanding of the league table and attainment results etc. As the schools were similar sized to the current one the results could be compared fairly without the fluctuations in percentages due to class size unfairly influencing.

So the forms are filled in and now I await the confirmation of place offers. Strange system though in that I had to apply to my local Council rather than Essex but apparently that is normal procedure. Cornwall Council were completely thrown by my enquiries about moving to a school out of county, all their info was for if you were transferring into Cornwall not out. Maybe they don't think anyone ever wants to leave hopefully the office I sent the forms to are more familiar with the system than the phone staff

Thank you for all of your advice and tips.