Would you move your dc to a school that you hadn't visited beforehand?

[drownininplaymobil]

Hi,

We made the decision to move our dc to a different school due to some significant concerns that we have with their current school. Then a week later, schools closed before we had a chance to visit any and now we feel like we're stuck.

We really want to move them and are concerned that if we don't just get on with it then schools will be open/closed throughout the autumn and before we know it a year will have gone by and they will still be there.

There is another local primary school which has a good reputation and everything on their website/ofsted looks good but their results last year were shocking and I feel like I'd want to visit before moving them.

What would you do?

I’d visit. Anything can be made to look amazing in a brochure or on the internet but walking around, speaking to people, looking at the classrooms will give you more information.

We have the last three times we moved Country. Although we didn't have much choice... The first two moves they went to the British school. This time, moving back to the UK, they went to the school with space in Yr2 (and appealed for the Yr4 place).

Is there actually spaces available at the school you want to move them to?

There is no waiting list for my eldest and then there is 1 on the waiting list for my younger one. She'd go to the top though I think if her sister is there.
The school have already said that they probably won't be allowing visitors to the school in September.

I’m considering it.

We’ve moved village, there’s a space in Reception at the village school for my youngest but I haven’t visited it. Friends like the school but of course that’s no certainty. But they were at their previous school because it was the nearest school not because we chose it, if that makes sense, so in a way not sure if it’s any different...

Primary - yes
Secondary - no

If you can't visit look for local mum groups on Facebook etc. Its amazing how much feedback you get from speaking to parents.

I wouldn’t move my children to a school with ‘shocking’ results: there’s clearly something seriously wrong with the place.

If you’re able to visit schools in the Autumn, I’d wait as that’s not long to wait given that there no school in August anyway.

Strange times.

It depends how much you believe in "better the devil you know" really. You have some significant push factors arguing against keeping them where they are. If they are things that you feel would really affect your children's wellbeing if they stay, then a roll of the dice sounds preferable to me.

Would you consider having them in 2 different schools - only moving the child who is worst affected by the current school?