Primary decision - help!

[Rolo20]

Hi all,
I am applying for reception for Sept 2021 for my eldest. Live on border of a lovely town but didn’t realise there was a feeder system when we moved....

Option 1: local infants, lovely, but feeds into a not so inspiring juniors and seniors (both good just not giving me the feels). Can walk it in 10 but will need to drop off youngest to nursery and rush back home to work so will still likely drive - 10 min round trip plus time for double drop offs.

Option 2: primary in town. Great school but traffic in town is pretty awful. Could walk in an emergency eg snow day (40 mins or so). Friends would likely be a bit nearer as it’s central. Feeds into excellent senior that we love - 20 mins round trip plus double drop offs.

Option 3: primary on other side of town. Our favourite and probably the best fit. 25 min round trip plus drop offs. Wouldn’t be able to walk and friends definitely on other side of town - not many come from our side, if any. Also feeds into the excellent senior. We would potentially move to that side but not for another five years or so as we have only just moved and would likely have to downsize as more expensive part.

What would you do? I keep seeing posts about importance of community/local friends etc The furthest school isn’t as far as some of the other threads I have seen. Would be happy to go back and forth but obviously we wouldn’t bump into people in nearby park etc. Both of us work a lot so would be lots of extended days/after school clubs anyway. Help!

Have you looked at the admission criteria, and would you be likely to get a space in all 3? Your LEA will probably have last distance admitted on the website, which will give you an idea.

Have you checked the admission criteria? In a lot areas for a very good school then a school 10 minutes drive away would be hard to get into

Option one is our nearest and therefore most likely. The other two have been undersubscribed for quite a few of past six years so we have a chance but it’s obviously not a certainty.

To me there are two issues for you. The second is the obvious that others have raised, you are making an assumption that there will be available spaces in the two schools that are further away. If you do have places in these schools then you are very lucky because in many areas of the country, there would no be available places.
The second is whether or not in all the schools there is available before and after school facilities and that you are likely to be able to gain a place at the facilities. Are they actually on the school site or is somewhere else is something else you need to ask.
The third point is that I think you are over thinking the status of the schools. If you chose the nearest infant school, you are 3 years away from the junior school and 7 years away from the secondary school. Making a decision based on the current status of the next schools is not realistic, make your decision on what you can reasonably assume over the next 12 months.
A change of headteacher and any of those schools could be an outstanding school within 3 years. So a pertinent question might be how long have the headteachers of the infant and junior school been in post and how old are they? There is a significant chance that if there is a change in headship then the infant and junior school could amalgamate under one headteacher.

Don't assume that the secondary schools will still have the same admissions criteria in 7 years time. One of our local comprehensives is scrapping its feeder school criterion from next year.

Thank you for your advice. I think I have been worrying as the feeder system feels like mapping out her whole education at the age of three - but you’re right, it could all change. The secondary is definitely on the up with a new head. Just don’t want to look back and wish I’d thought about the next school more thoroughly.

I live in an area with infant/junior schools and primary schools and I think that you should think about the differences when you make your choice. In my experience, infant schools are often too small. Every teacher is in charge of numerous curriculum areas as well as other responsibilities that would be shared in a larger school.

That’s true of rural infant schools but town infant schools tend to be larger. My local one is 4 entry classes. If they are close to a junior school and both are small, they often amalgamate.

Schools change. A good one now might not stay good. Ditto a slightly average one might get a new head and improve out of all recognition. Outstanding schools shouldn’t be the Holy Grail. Good - is perfectly good.

If you are dropping off and collecting by car, local friends for walking to school won’t be so important and you won’t be best placed to make friends either.

You can choose all three and see what you get offered.