Ds’s RC primary school. Huge yard, willow maze, allotment, climbing frames etc, sand etc for reception and huge rugby pitch. Year 4’s became mentors to a child in reception class which they stayed with until they left in year 6, and the reception child was now year 4 and became a mentor themselves. It worked very well. Did not have to arrange to see the class teacher or head, could just ask at the end of the day. Lots of theatre trips, forest school, etc. Children with additional needs went off to their own group that was called something like racing cars. They had a room with bean bags, sensory items etc, and had 1:1 with TA’s. Lots of assemblies, plays, etc which helped the children build confidence. PGL tripe for year 5&6, lots of opportunities to play musical instruments, all children from reception up played an instrument per year, reception violin, year 1 trumpet etc. Didn’t have the most flash classrooms but all very child centred. All teachers were warm, and the children would run up to the head and fling their arms around him, and he’d swing them around, no child feared him as head, they respected and liked him.
Sorry that was long! But yes all this on top of good inspection reports was our decider.
We had a brand new school build close by, you name it, they have it. It’s crap, half the stuff don’t get used, or teaches don’t know how to use it, parents dislike the teachers, and feel the ethos is not followed, and it’s poor performing now!
So please don’t look at just the aesthetics!