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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

Nearest school or best school

50 replies

Mamamamamamamam · 06/05/2018 09:58

We’ve got a place at School A but we’re 1st on waiting list for School B. Should I leave the waiting list and be happy with School A?

School A:

pleasant 10 minute walk away
nearly everyone we know is going there
on same site as her preschool
good reputation

School B:

half hour walk or 5 minute drive away (with a toddler in tow)
only 25 in a class
parents are really involved and help loads at the school (while school A struggle to get people on PTA etc)
new buildings and great outdoor space
inspiring curriculum with lots of outdoor learning
great reputation.

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Ariela · 06/05/2018 21:49

School A, will help knowing everyone from preschool, it's a good school and as for
parents are really involved and help loads at the school (while school A struggle to get people on PTA etc)
well YOU could change that.

mindutopia · 08/05/2018 14:17

I would stay on the waiting list for school B. We have a 15 minute drive to school (it’s our closest, we live rurally) and it’s not a big deal. But school B sounds very similar to ours (minus the new buildings!). It’s a small school with lots of community involvement and outdoor focused. My dd has only 11 in her reception year, compared to 90 in friends’ schools! It’s been a wonderful experience and we are so pleased with our choice. The drive isn’t a problem at all and just takes a bit more planning to make sure we leave on time in the morning.

JellyBellies · 09/05/2018 11:51

Mama, I would double check the waiting list thing.
In my LA it is definitely not automatic. Apologies if it is in yours!
In my LA, we would be told by letter and would them have to call either school or LA to accept the new place.

Original poster

Mamamamamamamam · 09/05/2018 20:28

Thank you everyone. Despite all your help I still feel a bit undecided! I think my decision making function has actually broken after a year of sleep deprivation with dd2! But I know I’m very lucky to have such good options.

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IWantMyHatBack · 09/05/2018 21:18

Definitely nearest. Do not underestimate the importance of a nice easy walk to school in the morning. It's also so much easier to give kids a little bit of independence and let them walk home once they're in year 5 or 6. I know it seems like a long way off, but DS walks home with his friends sometimes now (Y6) , and having that group of friends nearby is great for him.

VanellopeVonSchweetz99 · 14/05/2018 10:43

The nearest, 100%.

BubblesBuddy · 14/05/2018 16:13

11 in a class can be very problematic from about Y3 onwards when they fall out with each other. You cannot do anything with 11. Sports teams, music and drama are all compromised. Its cosy, but 11 is too small.

Regarding the local school, I do think that a PTA reflects parents in the school. It could be that many are working though so are time poor. I would also look at the progress the children are making. I guess the free school is too early for SATS, but you do not really know how good it is. Neither do you know how having a few less children impacts on learning. Should they have a poor teacher, it will make no difference at all. A brilliant teacher can teach 30. A poor teacher will struggle with 25.

It does not take long to change an admission number. Schools can be asked to take bulge classes pretty quickly. They can have a quick consultation and agree a raised admission number for the following year as long as they meet the deadline for publishing the number. It is not acceptable to have an artificially reduced admission number if there is size to take more in the building and there is a need. However, it sounds like it is not your catchment school so who knows what the catchment need is. If all 25 are catchment, and no catchment has been refused, then 25 is probably OK. Financially it might not be in the long run.

My feeling is that shiny new is not always best. 30 minutes walk with a 5 year old and a toddler is stretch and you won't do it in winter.

BackforGood · 14/05/2018 16:45

I'd choose school A without a doubt, on the information you've given.
Don't underestimate the value of your school being close - especially once your 2nd dc starts and one wants to stay after school for something, or one is on a trip and has to get there early, or one is ill, and 101 other times you trot up to school and back, or when it snows. when you work with other parents to help each other out - when one is ill, if you've had an op or an accident (or another dc?), when it snows, and people are walking the same way as you help each other out. When your dc gets to Yr4,5, or 6 and wants to walk home on their own. When you want to get involved in lift shares, not only for school things, but other things they join as they get older.
Invaluable I tell you.

Original poster

Mamamamamamamam · 14/05/2018 19:29

Bubblesbuddy we are in the catchment area for both the schools but School B is oversubscribed even within the catchment area so they then allocate based on distance from the school.

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BrownTurkey · 14/05/2018 21:47

I think you sound like your heart is with B, there is no wrong decision, just different ones - just check you are not missing anything (eg, you say great reputation - how established or new is the school? New Free schools can have a new buzz, and good buildings, but is it substantiated). Otherwise, sounds great.

Other points: the option for a Year 6 child to gain independence by walking to school alone. Never needing to find a parking space for the school play. Being able to pop back for forgotten PE kit easily.

LadyLapsang · 14/05/2018 21:56

Have you read the Ofsted reports and looked at the data on the schools and their progress and attainment results? Also, if you are intending to stay in the area, do either of them act as a feeder school to a preferred secondary?

Original poster

Mamamamamamamam · 15/05/2018 07:35

Both outstanding Ofsted! (But I’ve heard School A would be good not outstanding based on their current results.) School B’s Ofsted is recent and particularly glowing.

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Original poster

Mamamamamamamam · 15/05/2018 07:38

School B has no Year 6 yet so can’t compare KS2 results.

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Original poster

Mamamamamamamam · 15/05/2018 07:45

A lot of School A kids go to what may well be our preferred secondary - but admissions to it are just done by postcode and also I might change my mind about secondary schools too! As you may have guessed, I’m not the most decisive person!!

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MollyDaydream · 15/05/2018 07:46

I would go for your local school. Ofsted results change - how will you feel if by year 3 your child is in a requires improvement school with 32 in her class and you have to drive every day?

BluthsFrozenBananas · 15/05/2018 07:49

If I was back at the picking primary school phase I’d undoubtedly be going for school B. I now have a child in y5 and would go for A every time. A local well established school has huge benefits.

Free schools can change a lot as the group who initially set the school up often move on. I have a friend with children at a school which was very much like school B when they first stated. A few years down the line they’ve had an almost complete turn over of staff and my friend is desperate to move her children.

CrumpledDuvet · 15/05/2018 09:41

Like a pp said, think about secondary schools as well. It may seem a long way away but it comes around very quickly. Where we live a lot of people went to school b even though it was further from their house. Pupils from Both schools a and b tended to go to secondary school x. But things have changed over the past 6 years and now the pupils at school b are off to a different secondary which is not so well regarded.

Hersetta427 · 15/05/2018 12:46

We are in Herts and they automatically take away your allocated place if you get a place at a school you ranked higher.

BubblesBuddy · 15/05/2018 17:00

It’s quite a luxury being in catchment for two schools. Around me they don’t overlap.

I would also take into account the Headteachers. Are they committed to the schools in the longer term? Is the free school Head likely to go elsewhere within the MAT as an adviser/Headteacher elsewhere? Is the Head of school A doing a great job in a more difficult situation? Are they a strong head? Heads are a vital component in any school.

Racecardriver · 15/05/2018 17:05

The best school obviously. Why wouldn't you want the best? A half hour walk is very pleasant on a nice day (and healthy!) and on a bad day you wouldnt walk anyway surely. They both really close regardless. Most of the children at my sons school like half an hours drive away.

Original poster

Mamamamamamamam · 15/05/2018 17:48

School B’s head has a better reputation I’d say and has been described as ‘inspiring’. But I don’t know how I’d find out how long he plans to stay. Also I’ve heard he ‘drives the teachers really hard and makes them do loads of extra stuff’. Don’t know if that’s good or not! I worry it could lead to higher staff turnover. School A’s head arrived after the last Ofsted and I haven’t heard anyone say they think she’s brilliant.

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Original poster

Mamamamamamamam · 15/07/2018 13:06

Update: a place came up via the waiting list and I had about 3 days to decide. (So even though the policy stated I would automatically get School B, that wasn’t how it worked in practice.) I stuck with School A. Now massively regretting it because I have realised my heart was with School B all along. But I let some very short term factors cloud my judgement - like my dd had already started the visits to School A and her best friend was going there. Not quite sure how I managed to mess this up when I’d had months and months to think about it! But now feel terrible about it! Thanks to all of you for your help anyway x

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tomhazard · 15/07/2018 14:28

School A for sure. A good school 10 mind walk away is a great thing. I had a similar dilemma and plumped for school A, really glad I did

tomhazard · 15/07/2018 14:30

Sorry I didn't read your update- you haven't messed anything up. Your dd has a place at a good, nearby school with her friend.
You can always move her if it doesn't work out but don't beat yourself up about choosing what sounds like a good school!

Mary19 · 15/07/2018 16:00

School A sounds fine. If it’s very local and most people you you know are going there you will have a nice community of parents. Locals for play dates. All these things are valuable with small children.
A school that drives its teachers hard may well cause a high staff turnover and disgruntlement.

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