Primary School Applications - state (catchment issues), montessori or private - what to do?

[bojangles]

Please help me I am getting in a real dither about DD's schooling. She is due to start reception in Sept 08 and I am getting really worked up over the following problems:

1. The school closest to us is not actually our catchment school despite it being literally 5 mins from house. It is a good school but oversubscribed and they take very few from out of catchment, maybe 1 - 5 children. It is also a massive school with two reception classes and total of 440 pupils! Problem here being - will we get in and is it just too big anyway?
2. Our catchment school is split into infants and junior system - infants ok school (not as good as above though) but junior school is not good - not long out of special measures and no permanent head for around 4 years now - so we really don't want her to go to the junior school.
3. There is a local montessori school which is lovely - very small and friendly. Problem here is that the plans to keep them from 6 upwards have not been finalised yet and they can't guarantee that they will be able to offer anything beyond 6-7 unless they have sufficient numbers.
4. There is a lovely private school just down the road and I am very keen on it but they are running a waiting list for next year but they are fairly confident that she would get in either in reception or year 1 we could afford it now but it would be more of a push when DS went 2 years later.

I have visited all of the schools (except the junior) and my impression is that obviously the private one is lovely - small classes great facilities, the state ones are both similar with 30 pupils but one has a better building than the other and the montessori is very warm and friendly.

I have read so much about education theories and everyone seems to conclude that we start them too young in this country - knowing that I have concerns and reservations about the system I really don't want to make the wrong decision and cause more stress than is necesseary during those fisrt few years. DD is quite bright - loves books but she can be very shy.

Please help me with your pearls of wisdom.
x

bump please!

Mmmmmm if you can afford it without lots of stress and financial worries I would go for the private but there will be lots of people who disagree (my DH being one of them..)

thanks LadyG - we could afford it if I went back to work (which I intend to over the next year) - just typing the problem out has clarifed the situation (a bit) and I am thinking of starting her at the montessori nursery after half term and see how she gets on whilst also putting name down for private school.

well you can apply for both so why not put in your state application and private applications and see what happens?

if i were you id go for the good state primary first and if you dont get it go to the montessori until a place comes up

I haven't read up on the theory as much but presumably if you delay them then they have a bit of a shock when they do enter the system. You can presumably apply for all 4 schools and see what you get - I know a lot of people move around even in the first few weeks of term.

We kept our options open by paying deposit on 2 privates schools as wall as keeping our eye on locals schools both within catchment and just beyond.

In the end we plumped for one private school based on DD's friends going from nursery and the quality of the teaching - particularly a fantastic head master.

To get in though we had to attend their nursery section on at least 2 days a week. Lots of children failed to make the cut (36 split between 2 classes) in reception even if their siblings were already there. Our long term planning definitely worked out.

My DW goes to work 5 mornings a week just to pay for the schooling but worth it - and keeps her sane!

Thank you for all your messages - lots to think about - keeping our options open does seem the most sensible route. We are also exploring another option of moving house - we have seen a house we quite like in a village with good primary and excellent secondary - we might be able to part exchange so could work out better and would be cheaper than paying for both DC's to go private.