School A or B - which would you go for?

[AngelTrain]

We are in the very fortunate position of having two good primary schools nearby. We live close to both and based on admissions data from previous years, we should get a place at whichever we choose if we put it first on our list.

I know that's an amazing position to be in so I am NOT complaining but...I don't know how to choose! Wondering if MNers have any wisdom. Which would you go for and why?

School A

• small school, one form entry
• slightly more practical, closer to shops and train station and likely to be closer to nursery for DS (not yet born!)
• faith school (not an issue for me as I attend church, although DH doesn't)
• closer to main road so worse from pollution point of view I guess
• rated outstanding in 2017
• headteacher young, new, less experienced but full of ideas and enthusiasm

School B

• much larger school, 3 form entry (sometimes 4 in oversubscribed years)
• also rated outstanding but longer ago (2011?)
• academically neck and neck with school A, although has a higher proportion of kids applying to the grammar school
• not a faith school
• DD already attends pre school there and has settled in really well
• headteacher older, more established, clearly strong leader and really knows her stuff

What else should I be thinking about/considering? We like the ethos and culture of both to be honest

I didn't choose a one form entry church school based on the Reception playground being directly on a main road with pollution.
But there were other things.

I'd go for A

@stealthpolarbear why would you go for A?

I prefer smaller primary schools. Mine were at a one form entry outstanding faith school 5 minute walk from our home. It was a great small school, the head teacher knew everyone's name and everyone's parents/younger siblings names etc. Very good school/home relationship and organisation and communication. The results were always great lots of children going to grammar etc.

Unfortunately we moved away and our children now go to a larger 3 form entry and the difference is obvious - chaotic drop offs/pick ups, the senior leadership team only know the "challenging" kids and their families - I have one challenging child with SEN so they do know me lol but when I've come to pick up my younger child they only knew me as the older one's mum didn't associate them as brothers despite same name as such a big school! Communication with parents and general organisation of school trips, plays, sports days is not great.

I'd always go for a small school but that's personal preference. I myself teach at a small one form school so perhaps that influences me too!

Single form entry school S often fill the whole class with siblings..

@helenluvsrob obviously I'm not saying that could never ever happen, but based on previous data that would be a bit of a fluke at this school.

I’d go with B because I’d be thinking about secondary schools. Are your secondary school options big schools? If yes, some kids from single form primaries can really struggle to adapt.

B. I think one-form entry schools are too small.

B

Three form schools have more potential for clubs, friends and various teams and your DD is familiar with the preschool.

I also prefer HTs to have more experience.

School A. It’s smaller and better rated, plus the staff are young and enthusiastic. Little kids can feel out of their depth in big schools, imo a small friendly school is much better.

B.
More pupils mean more money generally (of course this depends muchly on how it is spent) plus easier transfer for your child who is already at attached preschool. Will probably move up with many from their current 'class' of peers

I'd normally say local, unless compelling reason not to, but sounds like they are both local?

in which case I'd go for B. Small schools can be nurturing and great, but if your child doesn't find a like minded friendship group they can also be isolating and claustrophobic. Plus the way schools funding are going, I'd worry about what the small school was having to cut to keep afloat.

B we had a similar choice and so glad we did the girls in A were a small bitchy clique and 2 moved over to B

I would go for B by a country mile.

Ours is a bigger school - 3 form entry - and contrary to PP I can say that all the teachers know all the kids not just the disruptive ones.

We have an amazing school community. PTA events are amazing.

More opportunities to make friends. DS1 struggles to make friends and if he stayed within his class he would struggle, luckily he gels with other kids in the school year which has been a great relief. Some of the kids in his class are cliquey. If this group if kids was his only option we would move him.

Your DC are already settled at nursery, will keep the same friends and be a better transition.

New keen teachers are great, but I prefer the sound of the HT in school B.

Check out feeder secondary schools, it is a big factor and comes around quick

B.
A headteacher is what makes a school. If they have experience and are strong leaders they will have the support of all the staff. I would be wary of a new headteacher with too many ideas for changing too much too soon.
A bigger school is usually better in terms of what’s on offer. More people for your DC to mix with, more clubs and activities etc. Plus you’re DC isn’t already in pre-school there so the transition will be (hopefully) smooth. They are known to the school and have a circle of friends.
Looking towards secondary, if you want your DC to attend a grammar school, B seems better set up to help prepare them.

Id pick B - more resources all round

I’d go with B- more friend options and more likely to have friends go to same secondary.

I went to a small faith school and felt v alone as a child. My kids go to a bigger school and they've found friends across the classes so more options. They do more clubs etc. Personally I wouldn't put my kids into a small faith school

Interesting - school B is 'winning' it seems. I think I may be leaning that way myself actually although it's so hard.

I actually think most people in the area would say school A as it's seen as more 'exclusive' (you need to attend church for x years to get a place) but they both have excellent reputations.

I was possibly a bit unfair to the headteacher at school A. Of the two, she's actually the one who has been a headteacher before but she does have less teaching experience overall - just because she's about twenty years younger!

Both are local schools really, we live around 0.3 miles from each one.

Do you think there's anything in avoiding disruption of moving DD if we can? All being well she will have a new baby brother in early 2020 so I wonder if it might be better to have the stability of keeping her at the same school.

(Because she's already at pre school at school B. Or maybe it's not such a big deal?)

The thing is, people’s advice depends on their own experience, the particular cohort of kids in the year, and a multitude of factors about what makes a school good, or not. You have to make a decision based on what is important to you, and what your DD is like.

Is she confident? Academic? Does she need a really nurturing environment? Does she have close friends who will be guaranteed to go into the same class?

I wouldn’t put too much store in her being settled. School is different enough that a continuity shouldn’t be a factor, esp with a long summer break before.

What's your DD like - shy or outgoing? DS is shy and we chose a one form entry for him. With 3 forms, that's a lot of people your DD won't know around in the playground / on school trips / at assemblies. Audiences at stuff like Christmas plays will be much bigger - will that matter? I wouldn't worry about finding friends at the single intake class if it's full classes of 30. Our experience is also that with only a single intake they mix across years in the playground. Bigger schools can have more problems with bullying - is that a problem at B at all?

For school B, it will probably have more after school clubs but can you get a place on them, our nearest bigger school they are heavily oversubscribed?

When you say A is more practical, how many minutes a day would it save you? With 2 school runs a day any extra time really adds up....

Is she happy in the pre-school at B?

Has she got friends that will go to A or B?

Is she shy or outgoing? Does she prefer quiet or not bothered?

They both sound fine to me. I prefer smaller schools but if she's already at B would be inclined to leave her there if she's settled and happy. A state school wouldn't help with grammar applications so don't think that will make a difference either way.

There's a lot of love for small schools among parents I find. They can be good or not, depends on the school.

I would consider being at the attached pre-school a slight plus point, but not a big enough point to factor into the school choice.

(I had one child that went to school from attached pre-school, and one that didn't - the advantage was that the child that did settled more quickly, but by about 5 or 6 weeks in, it really didn't make a difference).