Do you drive miles out of your way so that your child can go to a better school?

[dreamerlemur]

I am thinking about moving my daughter to a school she has attended previously although was nursery age. She still has fond memories and we keep in touch with people there. She has been in the current school for four years but there are is an accumulation of things I am unhappy with rather than one issue. I enjoyed the previous school's atmosphere and they have a better Ofsted report (although I know that's not always the whole story). My daughter says she would like to go back to this school also. It would be a 30 minute journey instead of a 10 minute journey which I don't think is s a big deal. It would also mean that she would not live near to her friends from school at the moment although another consideration if for us to move nearer that school next spring. As I am typing it makes sense, but I just don't know anyone else who has done this?

I should add that she changed school originally due to moving house .

No I wouldn't . It won't be he same and the grass is always greener, are there any other closer options?

No, I wouldn't either

We currently do 20 mins, but for some reason 30 mins feels a bit too long. Also, as mentioned above, is it just the grass is greener situation? Can you tackle the issues with the current school? How old is your DD?

DD will be going into year 3 in Sept. There is one closer option I could explore?

I think that it depends on the issues but I would say that we moved dd in yr3 and are very happy with the decision.

I drive a 30 minute round trip rather than a 14 minute one. Very pleased with our decision.

I wonder if you have raised your concerns with the current school and are not happy with the response, or whether you haven't spoken to them about your worries.

Your DD says she would like to return, but four years is a long time and what she liked about it four years ago may be very different now. She has friends in her school now. Would she miss them or know anyone at the other school.

Good to know of positive experiences. Yes thanks for the other points for me to consider. That's true about four years being quite a long time.

Does 30mins mean 2hours for you each day? That is a lot I think.

Possibly , the AA travel says less about 20 mins but I was thinking about rush hour. My partner could help and go this way for work so not too labour intensive.

Would the other school still have a similar catchment for secondary school? It is nice to go to school with friends, although if that is the problem at the current school then maybea break would be good. Is she still in contact with anyone from nursery? Dd ddidn't recognise someone even a year later, she knew that there had been an 'Amelia' in her old nursery and that there was an 'Amelia' at Rainbows but didn't realise that it was the same person. Even if she is still in touch remember that friendships out of school don't always translate into friends in school. I would go and look at a few schools and decide after that whether any are better than the current one.

Thanks for that shouldwe. We have one family we are still good friends with from nursery and meet up. Yes, perhaps I should consider it as if it's a new school even if she did go back to her nursery school. Thanks all, it's been really helpful for me to read everyone's ideas. Just have to make a decision now ....

I moved my 2 DC to a school about 20 minutes drive away. DC in year 1 and 3. This was a reluctant decision due to the old school's mismanagement of DC1's ASD. New school is so much better due to smaller size and supportive and nurturing environment.

It isn't very inconvenient for me as the new school is near my office. I wouldn't have done it without a the huge problems we had with DC1. Both DC love their new school and have settled well but miss their old friends. It's worth it if your DC are unhappy in their current school and steps to resolve this have not improved matters.

If she's Y3, having local friends will be more a big deal in the next year or two. To me having an extra hour(ish) on the day is worth a lot of "better" school. Sounds like your daughter is happy in current school too? If she left in nursery has she kept in touch with friends who are at the school? If not, she won't just be able to slot in where she left off.

Remember as well that any after school activity will require an extra drive out there.

I am in the opposite situation where we moved and I kept both children in their outstanding primary but the journey is a mere 12 minute drive or a 50 minute walk. So I drive.

It was a huge commitment even for 12 minutes especially if one child had an after school activity. But then I am a SAHM so had no other demands on my time.

I knew this would be a 7 year commitment and we moved for a bigger house in a cheaper area with the bonus of an outstanding secondary school.

I think you need to look long term, how will this work if you are ill? It isn't like someone is passing by your house on the way to school and can collect your child. How would people feel about having a playdate at your house, over 30 minutes away from where they possibly are or further? How much is the petrol going to cost?

What are your rough plans for secondary school? Is the primary a feeder school for a secondary?

I do plan to move in the next 12 months so I suppose the 20 -30 minute drive would be for that amount of time. The secondary school is another issue - bit complex. The new school is near a local authority border so the children seem to go to a few different schools.

Yes my DD7 is happy at current school but she is the type of child who does make friends easily. The school I wish for her to return to has more of a nurturing 'village' feel to it. I rang today to make an appointment to visit the new school. The secretary was very friendly and actually said to me 'We'll work around you?'. I thought that was very helpful (totally unlike DD's current school but it all adds up if you catch my drift). The secretary then said ' I'm the headteacher by the way, I was just passing and picked up the phone'. It just added to my conviction that I am doing the right thing .

A nurturing villagey school can be great for infants but get rather claustrophobic by Y4 onwards - not much choice of friends, not enough kids for sports teams or clubs etc.

How important are the minor issues individually and do they affect your dd's happiness?

I have a 45 minute round trip to school twice a day so my DC can go to a school with better SEN provision. It's worth it.

It's not a village school just has the feel of one partly due to semi rural setting but there is also a friendly atmosphere. Also if I move her school now, it won't be house and school move all at the same time.

I personally wouldn't move schools just based on ofsted but if I had the other concerns you mentioned then maybe I would. I actually moved my Ds when he was in year 3 but this was due to bullying. The school he was at was a five minute walk and I him to a school that is 3 miles away and is a 10 minute drive. He settled well and has lots of friends but he doesn't see these friends much of side of school as we live in the next town so it's sometimes difficult. That said however he is due to start secondary school next year (a two minute walk from his current primary) and he'll be able to come and go a bit more on his own and will be able to walk to friends houses after school etc so it'll be a bit easier. But for now he has a lot of friends at home in our street plus he attends sports clubs and scouts so he has a separate group of friends there. I knew that it would be a challenge moving to a school slightly further away but we make it work and the school and staff are brilliant and really care about the children and make them feel valued which is the most important thing imo.