I need your advice guys primary school related

[Sofia2011]

Hi everyone, I've come accross this site whilst researching about primary schools for my three year old daughter and thought you may be able to help with my predicament. Up untill recently myself and my husband and three year old where living in a very nice local area with a great nursery and primary school with outstanding reviews from ofstead. Unfortantely the landlord wanted to sell the property we were renting which has happened twice in the last two years in different rented accommdation and has really unsettled me and my family. I was very upset about moving out of the nice village I was living in and due to the fact their was no local housing to rent I had to move just outside of Coventry as their was housing available. Here is my predicament my daughter currently goes to the school nursery in the nice area we used to live in which is a twenty minute drive from where we live. I am having to get up drive her to school find a parking space as its always so busy and then drive to work in another place. It takes me a twenty minute drive to get to her school and another twenty minutes to get to work. She is really settled at this school and it is probably the best state education I could give her. However I am finding the journey tiring as I have a highly stressful job and the cost of petrol is not cheap and the after school club is twice the cost of the local primary. Their is a school which is small and friendly not far from where we live the area surrounding the school isnt great but the school is small and friendly with around two hundred Pupils on the register compared with six hundred and fifty at the other school. The schools ofstead was not great a few years ago but they have worked hard to get it to a good standard. The schools after school is a lot cheaper and it wouldn't cost me anything in petrol as its so local. Heres my dilemma what do I do send my daughter to an outstanding school which is a distance away or a good local school that I don't knew too much about but know its not in the best area. It's so hard as I've changed my mind between the two 20/10/2014 18:03 morethanpotatoprints

I think it just makes life easier if you live close to the school, you may not have to leave as early, friendship groups are closer to home for after school play. You can always stay and join in any activities rather than watching the clock for buses.
I would do local anyday, but it depends on what you like the best.
check out after school activities and although it may be difficult look at what your dc may want to do after school.
three times and I'm unsure of what to do any advice would be much appreciated, as you all understand I want the best for our family and my daughter.

It sounds like your main concern is the Ofsted reports. Look at how long ago each report was done, a lot can change over a year or two. Also, Ofsted isn't everything. Have you visited the local school to see what feeling you get from it? Feel free to ask questions when you visit, it might help you make up your mind.

Local for me. Ds now in secondary, dd is in year 6. The fact they can walk to their friends houses, even play out together in the cul-de-sac, that is worth a huge amount.
We bump into their friends all the time, at the park, going swimming etc.
Also handy for birthday parties, brownies etc. One family takes and the other collects.
I also work and have managed to make friends with other parents from the school, so can help out other families with the school pick up (fridays only) or even after school club pick up, so that I can ask for help in return, when needed.

One aspect you uneed to consider is if your DD is likely to secure a reception place at current school. Unless there a category which states the children already enrolled in the nursery have priority, she may well not qualify now her home address is so far away.

What was the greatest distance offered for the school in recent years in the entrance category your DD belongs in?

From what you've said - the local school.

Ofsted is unlikely to be relevant. Ie the things you care about are unlikely to be the things that made one school 'outstanding' and the other one not.

Schools in 'bad areas', or at least schools attended by lots of pupil from low income families have more money than schools in 'nice areas'. Which will benefit your child in many positive ways.

I think you need to think about this logistically...are you even likely to get a place at the outstanding school that is 20 mind away in a good area? You haven't mentioned any siblings so that would put you in the lowest priority admissions category...so you know if they are over subscribed each year or if there are places to spare?

Local every time. Are you sure you would even get in the current school ? I would normally vote for bigger schools but local is much better on every level

Definitely local. Even if the other school is slightly (and it sounds like it is slightly) better, the benefits of living locally, not having to sit in the car for 40 minutes each day, being less stressed and the family having more money will definitely outweigh this!