Have I messed up big time re: primary admissions?

[Tomorrowsanotherday1]

Looking for some impartial advice as feel that my family and friends are just saying things to make me feel better. Hoping you can help!

We got our 3rd choice primary school for DS1. Although it's around a mile away from us in a disadvantaged area with lots of children from a low starting point, sats results etc over the past few years have been on a par with most of the schools in the area - but it feeds into one of the best high schools and places for it are really sort after. Most of the others don't and feed into high schools which are seen in the local area as not where you'd choose to send your child as results are historically bad. That is why we put it on the list above other schools (we knew we'd have a very slim chance of getting in our 1st and 2nd choice). Stupid of me I know but I didn't check the results for 2016 - lots going on, new baby etc when they came out. Have just checked them and they are pretty dire. Under national average by a long shot. Not sure why, but it's dropped down the league tables significantly. One thing that could change things is that from last year they have taken an extra half a form at reception and therefore classes will be 22 and 23 going forward. Do you think this will have an impact on results?

I could put us on the waiting list for the school across the road which has good results but feeds into the not great performing high schools.

I just don't know what to do. DS1 is a bright kid but I'm concerned that school he's got a place in might not stretch him like I'd expect and friendship groups might be different to where he lives due to distance and area.

Do I keep him at underperforming school some distance away which feeds into brilliant high school or move to a school across the road which feeds into a not so great high school?

Help! Feel like I'm failing DS1 if I send him to an under performing primary if I've got the choice of a good one all for the sake of high school.

What would you do?

Have you checked the SATS results from last year for the other schools as well? Many schools dropped in their results last year although our local Catholic primary bombed in SATS last year while all other local schools remained pretty much where they were previously so that would potentially be more worrying. However, as someone mentioned, cohorts vary from year to year so it could have been a particularly challenging year for the school. I know you are taking a long-term view and looking at the secondary situation but schools can change an awful lot in seven years so you may not even want to send your child to the secondary when it comes to that stage.

We went to visit the school she has been offered today to meet with the head to query the drastic change in results. Just as some of you predicted they fell foul of the nee sats testing and it was also a challenging cohort. She explained they'd always had a creative approach to learning and hot good results that way. Since the bad results they have been working with the local catholic schools who performed well and changed their teaching style in line with them. Sounds like the results were a complete shock to the school and they are all mucking in so the year 6 teacher doesn't feel the pressure on her own. The head herself is running reading groups (not sure if this is unusual or not)

All the children we saw were lovely, polite and well behaved. Nursery and reception were a little chaotic but we arrived in there classrooms as they were going out for playtime so I imagine this is normal.

The area is very much working class so perhaps my description of deprived is a little extreme although I imagine there are some families facing difficulties in the school.

All in all I''m feeling a lot happier about the school and will keep her there. Thanks so much for your invaluable advice, it has really helped x

Youay find that a difficult class may have had a poor teacher or several changes of teacher which is unsettling

The school recognizes this and has put ideas into practice

Most HT still teach - when teachers do PPA or in courses - or meetings

It is not unusual for them to keep a hand in especially if resources are stretched

Example teacher on long term sick and they now have to pay for supply etc

Sounds like it's a good school for your DD, good idea to have a look around and chat with the Head to allay your fears.

Yes I'd visited last year and the school had a lovelybfeel but I didn't know about the results at the time. Glad we got a chance to go back to ask questions.

Will keep close to results and happiness and if it's not working out we'"" do something about it.