Would anyone talk to me about going with a school that wasn't one of your choices?

[WhoahThereCrazyHorse]

We didn’t get any of our choices for DD, but were allocated a ‘requires improvement’ school 2.5 miles away in a not horrific but definitely not great area. After the initial panic we are following the good advice on here – have accepted the place, put DD on all waiting lists and requested the relevant information on why she didn’t get in and last distances within her category (thanks for this everyone!) Oh and will go and look around the school when term starts.

What I’m really interested in is experiences of people who decided to go with a place at a school allocated under these circs, and whether it was something that they were pleased they’d done; also have people moved schools when waiting list places have come up and if so, how did children react?

I’d also be really interested to hear from people who’ve gone private but moved their kids back into the state sector when a place came up. We could go down the private route but not long term.

Thanks in advance to anyone who could share any wisdom on the above!

Remeber "requires improvement" is the old "satisfactory".

I'd definitely agree with going to see the school and asking pertinent questions. You may be pleasantly surprised!

TBH it actually makes not odds whether it was on your original preference list or not. You have no idea how your DD will get on at a school (any school) until she actually goes there. For what it's worth my DC go to a primary in an area that probably qualifies for your "not horrific but not great area", "naice" middle class parents draw in their breath sharply and turn white when they hear what school the DC go to. Although we "chose" it - we had zero chance of getting into any other school, so it wasn't really a choice - and remember that that is the experience of the majority of children- no real choice, they just have to go to their local school.

And yet my DC have done well and they've had a range of opportunities and experiences. They've made friends and generally been happy. DS was bullied for a short time but the school dealt with it swiftly and there's been no reoccurence. If I had to think how the school would be better they are really minor niggles that I suspect I would have had in any school.

I posted about this on a previous thread, just to show that sometimes the allocated school, you had severe reservations about, can be right for your child. I was distraught when my son was allocated a certain school, I wanted him at the lovely school where he had attended the nursery. I'm ashamed to admit that I liked the look of the other parents in the playground and the school had an outstanding reputation.I became fixated on this hype and believed only this school could educate him. I closed my mind to the allocated schools potential and dreaded him starting there. I worried about his safety, had very low expectations and was generally negative. I refused to listen to my friend sing the schools praises, her child had attended there and was now at Oxford , but I was not interested, I hated it.

From day one, he has loved this school and has been happy as Larry. Coincidently, three members of staff from the outstanding school now work there.His teacher is bloody amazing and cares so much about her class, children are not let out the door without her up dating each parent on how the day has unfolded. She turned up on my doorstep on the last day of the Christmas term, with his presents, because he had been poorly she had not wanted him to miss out. I could write pages and pages describing how she goes the extra mile for the children.He is thriving academically because he is so happy and for me that is the most important thing. He enjoys school that much, he can not wait to go back after every break. He has flourished socially and is now a confident little boy.

I now have to bite my tongue when people slag off this school, because like I did they judge it without knowing very little about it. People have told me, as he progresses through the school I will become disillusioned, I don't know if this will be the case but we have got off to the most amazing start that I never imagined was possible.

Wow mumofthemonsters808!! Thanks both, really good to get some different perspectives. Most of the mum friends I'm talking to that are in the same situation are very much still in the hysterical panic phase about this....

I know several who had to go with what they got. Every one said it worked out just fine or great

Of my ante-natel friends, two of us did not get their first choice schools. We both got our third choice (also less "naice"ares etc).

6 years on, we have had by far the best experiences. Children are thriving in class and socially, lots friends, sport, music.

Two others have had a series of supply teachers after a poor ofsted. Others moved school because it wasn't what they expected.

Funny old world.

We chose our local 'requires improvement' school because we liked it an have never regretted our choice. Please bear in mind that OFSTED categories a) are open to change at any time and b) are only the roughest guide imaginable to a school, and (except in extreme cases) not a good guide to how your child will fare.

I have 2 friends who were allocated their last choice schools. 1 moved after 2 years and moved children to their preferred school. The others have been completely won over and have actually moved closer so their children can attend more easily. So it is really worth keeping an open mind.

Ds is at a school I hadn't looked at (was one of our 6 choices solely on distance). Looked round and liked it so only stayed on 1 waiting list (much closer school).

It's had lots of investment and has some very dedicated staff. But I think the most important factors in a child's experience of school are the individual class teachers they get and the kids who end up in their class. Are there a few kids like yours?

So while some might think many kids look a bit scruffy and there's not many wealthy parents, there's mainly parents who want their kids to get a good education even if they didn't, and enough kids who prefer imaginary games to football and ones at ds's level of literacy and numeracy, that ds is happy and learning lots.

Conversely, dn's mum needed to rent a new home a few years back so chose a flat next door to the most desirable school in the area. Most kids live in large houses. Turns out the school is very rigid and can't cope with SEN, and combined with a poor Y2 teacher and a group of kids winding dn up, we're now looking at the 'less good' school where Aspie children appear to thrive.