Choosing primary schools

[Eileen101]

We're applying to primary schools soon and I'm looking around them/speaking to the heads at open days.

I'm firm in our first choice. I'm relatively confident that DC will get in because it's our catchment school and on our road.

I'm torn on second choice. It seems like the sensible option is to put down a relatively new academy school which is also close by. We haven't been able to look round because of COVID, they cancelled their open day and aren't booking separate visits. I don't really know anything about it other than the very limited info on the website. This is the second closest school.

The third choice is another faith school (school 1 is faith also) but with less 'good' results. They also cancelled their open day but headteacher met us in the playground to walk us round the outside and answer questions. I got a good feeling about the school. The head was welcoming and told me several times that her door is always open. They do lots of residentials for the kids, they have a good stock of equipment for outdoor activities from their pupil premium, forest school in the grounds, positions of responsibility for the kids - head boy, head girl, deputy HB, deputy HG, "spiritual committee" etc where they give the kids a good say in what they do, how they want their prayer rooms to be set up etc, a lovely garden in the grounds etc.
Strictly on the stats, they're not as good as other options in the area, it's percentage of children meeting the expected standard is lower than the national average.
The head teacher did acknowledge this, she took over in recent years, and they're joining a local academy instead of staying under local authority control.
She did also say that they have a number of children who join the school from the near by refuge and a number who are in the school "in transit" before going to special schools etc.

I want to put this school as choice 2, ahead of unknown academy school but feel like I shouldn't because of the data.
I do plenty with DC at home and I feel like well supported children will still reach their potential in a less good school?

It's still rated as good by Ofsted regardless of results.

I'm happy with DC experiencing life with all kinds of children. Whilst I want them to reach their full potential academically, I want them to be kind l, caring, empathic etc (we try and do plenty for good causes in our local area) and I feel like school choice 3 would be a good fit ahead of a school I know very little about.

WWYD?

Put them in the order you would prefer to be part of. You won't lose out on 2 by placing it third if you do not qualify for a place at either of the others.

Go with your feeling @Eileen101 - the fact that the head met you and what she said, plus she's recently taken over and is actively trying to improve things, as well as everything else she described, it all sounds promising.

Yes do what you've suggested. Far better a school that feels right with slightly lower results than an unknown school that you might just not like with higher results. Happy child in a nice community more important than results IMHO. And you only care about one set of results. Unhappy children don't achieve as well.

A school with a larger proportion of children with a tougher start in life is bound to get poorer results on average. It's much easier to get good results with engaged kids and parents. I'd probably have some questions about how they differentiate work and manage disruptive behaviour but as long as I was happy with the answers, I'd be open to it. Plus it sounds like a school on the up.

I’d go for school 3 as second choice

If you are really struggling with the results go on the compare school website and you’ll see the value add scores and progress made based on ability under pupil characteristics. This data is more relevant anyhow.

As others have said getting a good feeling is really important.