Which primary school would you put first?

[Lau7]

Hi... sorry probably lots of these messages at the moment. I’m in the process of choosing a school for my daughter to go to in Sept 2020. Struggling to decide which one to put as our first option so interested to hear what others’ think...

School A - we would definitely get in as it’s walking distance and can virtually see it from our house. Lovely school, got a great vibe. Lots of her nursery friends will go there. BUT it’s only an infant school so she will need to join a new school in Y3. Not keen on the feeder junior (and it’s not near where we live). The fact it’s an infant school only concerns me.

School B - An okay school. Primary school so she could be there from R-Y6. About a 5 min drive, poss more with morning traffic though. Results are lower than other schools I’ve viewed but quite liked the values and they had a big push on kindness. Reception learning environment seemed good; some classrooms looked a bit tired however. Based on last years admissions we would get a place as it’s not an overly popular school, I’m guessing because of the results.

School C - A good (probably soon to be outstanding) primary school, if a little results driven. Lots of high achieving pupils. Great displays and generally a warm feel. 5 minute drive away but it’s an oversubscribed school so I think it’s very unlikely we’d actually get in.

Any thoughts or advice welcome?🙂 It’s basically between School A and B. However hubby reckons we could always go on a waiting list for School C (on the basis of her getting a place at school A the infants school which we are pretty sure she would) and then potentially move her in Year 1 or 2 if a place became available (given that she’d need to change school in Y3 anyway). Could this be too disruptive though? Do we play it safe and go with School B so she wouldn’t have to move schools at all?!

Thanks if you managed to read this far! x

C, A, B.

A lot can happen in the four years of infants, you may have moved house so the junior school wouldn't be an issue anymore

CAB

I also think CAB.

Thanks to those who have replied so far. If we put CAB chances are we would get A, the infants school, as C is so oversubscribed and we’re probably not near enough. They had a waiting list of 40 last year Good point about schools changing lots over the years though- I guess the junior feeder school could improve in those 3 years. I think it’s unlikely we would move house again as we only moved her a couple of years a go anyway. Thanks for your thoughts! Other opinions welcome :)

A - I'd always say favour local anyway and I don't think you have a reason not to pick it.

I'd run a mile from a school that you already think is a "little results driven". Chances are it's a lot results driven.

do you know anyone with children at these school - always worth seeing if you can get a view from someone on the inside!

I would also go with CAB. Sounds as though you are not keen on that suggestion though so why not go with what you want? Or is the issue that you and your husband don’t agree?

Avoid the results driven one...yell just be doing SATS practice for months on end at the detriment to other subjects.

Hmm it's tricky. If the middle schools going to be a trek I'd look around all 3 to get a feel. Pop option c down with it being your favourite and then decide based on what you see for the others.

I went for a school 25 minutes walk away. I'm so pleased we did. I have a school on my street but it didn't appeal to me because I will know so many people in the playground there, including an ex who's child would be in my DD class. Also their Ofsted etc was not as Good as the one we've picked. The one we did pick has outstanding behaviour. It's on a slightly nicer estate and without sounding like a snob, I've not seen a single parent in PJ's or a clique of mums that won't say hi. Everyone has been warm and friendly.

Things we liked looking around were, the kids were all polite and working hard. The reception class has a lovely outdoor area and quite a big indoor area. The teachers engaged well with us. Theres after-school clubs. The uniforms super cute (not really relevant lol). The playgrounds big. They have tapestry and update it weekly so we always know what topic she is doing. The teachers since she has started have been really helpful and kept me informed. I'm just so pleased we went further to meet lots of new faces and my daughter is really happy there. They have gone that extra mile for her whenever she's needed it too x

Well, if you're objecting to CAB, I guess you are saying CBA.

5 min drive: could you walk it??? My neighbour drives, I walk. I leave after him, and usually arrive back home before him....

I think a more able child will thrive in school B, and a less able one would be happy there. Is the ethos more inclusive and holistic than school C do you think? Where do you think your DD would thrive? Have you visited all 3?

I think I would go C (not expecting to get it), B, A.

Second ColdRainAgain and ask if you can't walk/cycle/scoot to B or C?

Thanks everyone. No, we’ve genuinely not decided yet so not ‘against’ CAB; it’s just interesting to hear what others think. Unfortunately where we live is quite rural so although B and C are 5 min drives we wouldn’t be able to walk / scoot as it’s mostly fields and lanes with no pavements! I know a parent who has a child at school A - she likes it but is also not keen on the junior feeder (though clearly sent her daughter anyway). Also know a parent who has two boys at school B and she says they’re happy and have done well there.

Ok, scrap the walking suggestion, it doesnt sound reasonable.

The more you type, the more against Y3 onwards at school A you are, so it sounds like it needs to go at the bottom.

I'm currently choosing schools at the moment as well.

In your situation I would choose C, A and then B. A sounds lovely but confused about where children go when they finish year 2, particularly if you don't like the feeder school. Aren't all the others full by then? We have a couple of infants but both are next door to juniors and although you have to apply again all children get in.

CAB

If you get C great, problem solved you like it.

Most likely you’ll get A great, you like it for now and then in 3 years apply again for other schools if you don’t like the feeder junior option. It is ‘easier’ to get a place at Year 3 because the infant class size rule doesn’t apply and there will always be movement with people moving out of area etc...

B is not an ideal choice at any stage of education. Child can stay in crap school longer is not a valid reason for making it your first choice! (I know you didn’t quite say that but even so...)

We went for B - turned out to be a bad mistake and didn’t go well... so we went for A - little infant school where mine absolutely thrived (my youngest in particular benefitted so much from that smaller caring environment) and the slightly “meh” attached junior school has turned around a lot in the time we’ve been going through the infants so is actually a pretty decent junior school now.

C local to us is outstanding but the parents are flipping insufferable about it and unable to have a conversation about schools without bringing their Ofsted rating into it and slagging off the other local schools - and I’ve not had very pleasant experiences with them. Plus I’ve worked at that school and their attitude to issues like SEN bloody well stinks.

I think sometimes if you’ve got a fantastic infant school with the ethos and focus on small children that naturally comes with them - the transition to juniors where they care just as much about the kids but have more of a focus on independence and taking responsibility for themselves can feel like so much of a shock naturally when actually the school is decent - just meeting the needs of a different and narrower age group naturally... I know most of the parents who’ve come from our infants into the junior have felt like that as a shock to the system just with the change and different age range (but my eldest made the jump this year and she’s doing brilliantly there).

I say CAB also. Or maybe ACB. As a pp said, a lot can and does happen in 4 years so the feeder school could look a lot different by the time your child starts. Or maybe B might have improved by then so you could move from A to B.