Choice between 2 Primary Schools - one state on private

[PinkK]

We live abroad and I am thinking of moving the family (three children under 10) back to the UK for better quality of education. Am torn between Ramsbury Primary School which is state and rated Ofsted outstanding against The Dragon, private and also outstanding. What makes the crucial difference? Would love to know if anyone had any views? And/or knowledge of either or both schools? All input greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Honestly? The major difference is that you can save a huge amount of money by making use of what you will be paying for in your taxes, and use it for whatever 'extras' you think your children might benefit from, whether that is a French tutor, sport, music, trips, whatever.

If you like the state school well enough to be 'torn' then I think the answer is obvious.

I am torn because there are only a few private schools I would consider picking over my son's state school and that's one. But we never moved are still in London and even though we are in an area with outstanding independent and public schools I wouldn't consider any of them.

If you can afford it and know you can continue to afford it AND you get offered a place go with Dragon School. But don't if it places any hardship

Would you have any chance of a place at the state one?

Good point. I assumed she'd already researched this. Have you called the school or emailed to see if they have vacancies in all three years? If not ask if there is much movement. Also you will need to check on where to live for the best chance of getting in if you are on the waiting list for the state primary.

I can't imagine any private school within walking distance that could have done so well for my son who has some issues. However private schools do offer a lot more in the curriculum and during the school day like art, music and sports for instance because, we'll that's what you pay for. That would be the biggest difference.

Key question is exactly as doodledotmum said, would you get a place for all (or indeed any) of your DC's at the state school? If it is outstanding, it is likely to be full, and you wouldn't make it onto the waiting list until you had moved, at which point getting a place for three children at once might be hard. That said, I know someone who managed it in our very oversubscribed local school. But her DD went into reception, so it wasn't three places at once that she needed.

I would say it depends hugely what you want for secondary schools for your children (assuming go will stay here that long). The good London secondary state schools are often faith schools with VERY strict admissions criteria. So, if they will not/ cannot go to the state secondaries, you will need to consider private secondaries meaning they will have to sit a test for which state primaries will not have prepared them well.
On a day-to-day basis, the difference between the two is explained here www.londonschoolmaze.com/#!state-vs-independent-whats-the-differ/cf6w.
That said some state schools offer a truly exceptional education, allowing kids to transition between state and private at 11 very easily, but there are not many of them.

Yes ours is exceptional but that jeans that hundreds of people apply and wait lists are huge!

hmm. had a look at Londonschoolmaze and not hugely impressed.

The use of an arbitary cut off point in sats for which state primaries are good, and as the only criterion, is bizarre...

Also, its called "London Schools maze" but the area covered in detail is:-

Notting Hill and Holland Park, Marylebone, Fulham, Brook Green and Hammersmith, Hampstead.

.....!

Ramsbury is in Wiltshire and the Dragon in Oxford, so the difficulties of London secondary state school admissions is probably not a factor.

But the general points about securing state school places are relevant. Unless you are Crown servants returning from a posting, you cannot apply until you are in England, and you will only be offered a place if there are vacancies. Finding 3 places in the right year groups in a popular state school can be a nightmare for anyone relocating. So that in itself might tip your decision, if you can comfortably afford three sets of school fees. Or you might want to consider the private school, and move them when places in the state school you like come up (you might have to sacrifice a terms fees in lieu of notice, but it'll work out cheaper in the long run).

Thanks Edith and apologies to all, I got confused and thought that Dargon was a west London school. It's not !