How to choose between 4 different schools

[Willow4987]

We’re lucky in that we have the option of 4 different primary schools for DS1 (I know it’s early but I’m a planner )

Having looked at the intake etc it’s seems like we would probably get into a first choice but I’m unsure how to choose which I like the most (and then which for 2nd/3rd choice)

We will be looking at all of them (if allowed) in the autumn to get a feel as I understand this can have a big impact

So the 4 schools:

1 - in the local town, recent academy but no recent ofsted. Prior the change to academy it was requires improvement. Easy walking distance and good for making local friends
2 - in the local town, also academy but rated as requires improvement and has been this way for the last 8 years. Easy walking distance as well
3 - local village, rated good, very small school so small class sizes (but years 1-6 are doubled year groups). 10–15 min drive so not as convenient or good for making local friends
4 - fairly new school built about 10-15 min drive away. Rated good but not as convenient etc

My gut feel from looking at the websites and prospectus is between school 1 and 3.

So I suppose, if you came to a deadlock between schools, what would sway it for you - convenience/local friends vs better ofsted?

Local school unless there are extremely strong reasons not to.

An Ofsted report is not remotely a strong reason. My DC's primary schools yoyoed between Ofsted rankings which seemed to bare no connection to the actual quality of the schools.
When was the report written? If it's more than a year or so old, you should disregard anyway.

Local is also good for you. For birthday parties, football, ballet, play dates all the other families are local. Its lovely going to the local park and it being full of friends from school. Also when life gets tough and if you are ill or have more kids people will swing by and walk older one in with theirs and lift share.

If you go out of catchment-and have more children there is no guarantee you will get siblings in. As catchment children are prioritised over non catchment siblings. I know several caught out by this who have then had to move older kids as they cant deal with the realities of drops offs at multiple schools.

My children go to a large three class per year primary. I thought id hate it. But it is very community minded so feels small.

Ofsted reports are often old and only tell you so much. Id personally go for a good ofsted but lovely culture then a school that was very academically driven. But thats because academia is not my priority until kids are older. But thats a very personal choice.

Also one change of head or academy switch and bam you are in new territory anyway.

OP
If you have a younger sibling it's a valid concern as PP said that even if you get your first child into an out of catchment school, it definitely doesn't follow that you will get your second in. Birth rates vary enormously on a local level.
By choosing the closest school in your catchment, you have an extremely good chance of getting both children in.
Other schools might be better on paper, but you really really don't want the situation of having two children in different schools - more common than you think!

All the concerns about siblings getting in are true if the OP lives in an area that uses catchment areas, but there are still some areas that don't have set catchment areas and have all siblings above distance in their admissions criteria. If the OP is in one of these areas, then out of catchment siblings are less of a concern for them (though I appreciate it's possible that policy could change in the future).

In my opinion, don’t immediately write off small schools. They don’t all have terrible facilities or overworked teachers! Where I live, all the schools are small, one form or half form entry. There is no other choice & they are all thriving, well subscribed schools. They all have huge play fields & woods. In fact, far more outdoor space than the large 3& 4 form entry schools we used to live in the catchment for. Admittedly, we do live semi-rurally now so there is lots of land.

We actually moved because of schools (plus a want to live a little more in the countryside). We looked round the big catchment schools near our old house & just felt our shy DD would find them overwhelming & her little voice could get lost . She’s confident but shy & thrown by busy, very noisy environments. We’ve instead got into a lovely one form entry school that our neighbours rave about. The head teacher knew all the kids names when we looked round & the reception teacher told us all about the work they do to hear ‘every child’s voice’. The school blew me away in that regard. I honestly think my DD will find her feet there. It’s a good fit.

I agree ofsted isn’t everything but it is a guide. Our catchment school is inadequate & has poor results. It failed in 2019 on safeguarding. That’s a deal breaker for me.

My big conclusion - visit these schools, you’ll get a vibe. It’s personal. I really disliked an outstanding school with a decent rep in our area which surprised me! It just wasn’t for me, the headteacher was very serious & strict. She went on & on about covid & told me reception didn’t do free play anymore & sat at ‘stations’ with allocated toys nooo thank you!

DS1 is an august baby so will just be 4 when he goes and is already painfully shy in large social situations.

If you're not already aware, you can legally start him in Reception at 5, if that's if interest to you. Depending on your LA, you may need to approach schools individually. Look up Flexible School Admissions for Summer Borns on Facebook. That extra year can really make a difference (and you can still get 30hrs funding for the "extra" nursery year, if finances are a concern)

@HolmeH

In my opinion, don’t immediately write off small schools. They don’t all have terrible facilities or overworked teachers! Where I live, all the schools are small, one form or half form entry. There is no other choice & they are all thriving, well subscribed schools. They all have huge play fields & woods. In fact, far more outdoor space than the large 3& 4 form entry schools we used to live in the catchment for. Admittedly, we do live semi-rurally now so there is lots of land.

We actually moved because of schools (plus a want to live a little more in the countryside). We looked round the big catchment schools near our old house & just felt our shy DD would find them overwhelming & her little voice could get lost . She’s confident but shy & thrown by busy, very noisy environments. We’ve instead got into a lovely one form entry school that our neighbours rave about. The head teacher knew all the kids names when we looked round & the reception teacher told us all about the work they do to hear ‘every child’s voice’. The school blew me away in that regard. I honestly think my DD will find her feet there. It’s a good fit.

I agree ofsted isn’t everything but it is a guide. Our catchment school is inadequate & has poor results. It failed in 2019 on safeguarding. That’s a deal breaker for me.

My big conclusion - visit these schools, you’ll get a vibe. It’s personal. I really disliked an outstanding school with a decent rep in our area which surprised me! It just wasn’t for me, the headteacher was very serious & strict. She went on & on about covid & told me reception didn’t do free play anymore & sat at ‘stations’ with allocated toys nooo thank you!

I agree, seeing the place in person really helps. We managed a couple of visits this year (although on evenings) and the school that stood out in terms of the visit was the one where the headteacher seemed proud of the children. Not their academic achievements or facilities etc. (which were worth boasting about!) but the fact that they happy, kind and generally lovely children.

Our son was already at this school nursery and it was only during this visit I realised that the teacher that had persuaded my reluctant and crying 3 year old into the nursery with the promise of making mud cakes together was actually the head, who also knew each nursery child by name within a week or two.

The whole ethos of the school fitted with what I hoped for, although we’re in a village with lots of great schools and some other parents had totally different ‘first choice’ schools after the visits! For whatever reason I just knew that the academically best school wouldn’t be my top choice and that the bigger (2 form entry) school could be seen as too big by my DS.