Secondary school choices

[HastingsLikeTheBattle]

As a single parent, I'm finding trying to decide on which secondary for DD a bit like swimming in treacle with no one to discuss options with. Is there anyone out there who would like to help me mull things over - please?

Option A: feeder secondary though we don't live in catchment for either current primary or secondary. A school that seems to have really worked hard at not only improving academic standards but also behaviour. Thought of locally as a school just for high achievers, which isn't an issue in itself for DD as she is top set in all subjects, however, she can be a bit immature and emotional at times needing a bit of pastoral support. Other than the small form groups (15) to provide that support I didn't really see what was on offer. Also, DD adores drama - no drama club. DD participates in a sport at a regional level, and while school A have an elite sports section, DD's sport isn't listed so she would just be doing conditioning work.
Looking in students books, very neat across the board, good teacher feedback etc.

Option B: Not in catchment or feeder but live close enough that she would have got in the past three years. Better suited for non-academic side, they do DD's sport and have a very good reputation for it. Excellent drama society. But, I think I'm worried over the academic side. DD adores maths and is very able, primary school are pushing her hard and she is thriving - we have very high hopes for her. Due to lack of staffing and resources, only a very small number (i.e. the top 22 for example) are allowed to study further maths down the line. Again due to resources, in Y7 half the year group do French, half do German or Spanish - you don't know until you start whether you're in the half doing French or in the other half - and even then you wouldn't know if you were doing German or Spanish. DD loves French and has worked hard at it so it seems a bit off to risk the possibility of not studying it further.
The pastoral side seems better here though.
Messy student books, teacher feedback hit and miss.

Option C: local faith school that traditionally gets best GCSE results in town, though last year got ofsted rating 'requires improvement' which is a bit of a worry - mainly down to leadership concerns.
Good music and drama department, DD already familiar with school as she does her music lessons there. We haven't been to their open evening yet so don't really know much more. I know DD is last priority admission, but we live close enough so that shouldn't be an issue.

If anyone has read my essay, and to you!

They all sound good and of your daughter is bright, conscientious and well supported, she will do well.

TBH it sounds as though you’re over thinking it. A lot of parents would love to have such an able child and access to such good schools.

If she is good at one language she might be good at others, think of it as opening a door, not closing one (some might take two languages at GCSE). You sound like you have three excellent options, particularly the second two (not sure what a feeder secondary is, aren't the primaries usually feeding into secondaries?) so Practicalities aside why not give your daughter a choice, and therefore some buy in to the school.

DC's school does the same thing with languages as School B- the DC do get to state a preference if they have one. Though I have to say DD was desperate to study French at the start of Y6, and by the time we got to form filling in stage at the end of Y6, she said that actually she didn't care what language she studied!

If your DD is doing her sport at regional level, surely not having it at school is not an issue? Same thing with drama- she can do it out of school.

With the new maths GCSE I think many schools are abandoning further maths (sure someone else can confirm that).

TBH all the schools sounds fine - you are lucky to have 3 good choices!

Option A and to up extra curriculars outside of school, or investigate option C to get to the bottom of the OFSTED RI and what it really means practically.

Option B sounds shit.

RI is not bottom OFSTED.

School A for me! She can do drama and sport out of school. Good luck!

Her sport in school is almost certainly going to be boring for her wherever she goes if she's regional. I wouldn't let it influence you.

Ditto drama. If she's interested in drama go for an outside one. Unless they're doing Oliver or Annie she'll be maximum chorus or one of many going for the occasional part in years 7/8.

Further maths is being dropped by many with the new maths scheme. There isn't much on it that isn't in the new maths GCSE. I wouldn't think it will necessarily survive the next 5 years. Dd1's just started A-levels and says that she can tell roughly who did additional maths because they did do more stuff, but there's very little difference between those who did further maths and those who didn't do anything above normal GCSE.
So I'd take that out of the equation too.

Look at the pastoral side, also what she likes (though not final say) and perhaps other things that are extras. My daughters surprised me in what they chose to do at secondary, particularly dd2, I would never have guessed her choices!

Is your catchment school out of the question? Would advise you to check admissions criteria.