Questioning school application... right choice?

[theapplesinthetrees]

We have submitted our primary application for the 2022 intake. It took us weeks and weeks to decide.

I am now wondering if we have chosen the right school. Our choices came down to a one form Catholic school (DD is Baptised and about a 15 minute walk door to door) and a two form non-faith school. In the end we opted for the two form, but I have a nagging voice in my head questioning the decision.

We purely made the choice based on extra curricular clubs and local friendship opportunities (the Catholic school covered 3 different local towns).

However, the Catholic school is very active on social media and it's been lovely to see what the school is doing and what happens there. The non-faith one doesn't have an active social media. I feel like I know more about what goes on at the Catholic one then I do about the non-faith one.

I also keep looking at the stats and wondering if I should ask for our preferences to be changed.

The Catholic school's progress results for 2019 resulted in 11% of the school population achieving at a higher level, compared with 8% at the two form. Scores were also higher in reading, writing and mathematics for the faith school. The faith school is also introducing a new admissions criteria for the 2023 intake, so it suggests that popularity is increasing (it has previously been requiring improvement, but has turned itself around).

DD is quite a sociable little girl for context...

Any advice?!

You had good reasons for your choices and generally 2 form entry is a good size. The Catholic school isn't better, just showing you more. Have you looked at the progress scores for the schools? Often a school like the Catholic one is an active choice I.e. not just the nearest for lots of families. This means you often get a higher percentage of parents who are very invested in their child's education and supporting at home, which may explain the results difference. However one of the bonuses of 2 forms is that more children overall are working at that level for grouping them.

Extra curricular clubs and local friendship opportunities sound like solid reasons for your original preference, and are directly relevant to your DC’s experience of education. Social media profiles - not so much! I think it’s understandable to second-guess these things whilst the outcome is awaited, but that doesn’t mean you’ve made the wrong decision.

All that shows is the Catholic school is good as selling itself.

Sounds like you've got two good options. Its a fortunate position. Its likely both decisions are right!

The non religious school may keep parents included a different way, my children's school does not have an active social media but has an active app only visible to parents invited to join it. Single form entry may not be an advantage either, one form of 30 children is a higher ratio than 2 x 20 children for example, until admission is complete there is no way to no exact teacher to student ratios.

Something swayed your decision and the reasons you've shared are definitely valid ones, your dc may thrive regardless of school.

Often the school that needs the pupils tries harder to attract them - the change in criteria may make it easier to attend (because they need the pupils)

The 2 form entry school has a bigger budget and more resilience to absence than a smaller school

However that is just a couple of reasons why a larger school has advantages there are reasons a smaller school suits some children

Just because the 2 form intake aren't vocal doesnt mean they don't keep you upto date.
Our very social media savvy school were crap with letting us know what was going on. The less socially active school are much better with the internal communication. Public face doesn't = internal communication.

Personally I think youve made the right choice - and the "better" performance of the Catholic school could well come from the wider catchment self selecting a better intake.

Look at it this way - the time that the 2 form entry school isn't spending on posting on social media, is time they are spending with the children. I know which I'd prefer.

I think you've made the right choice based on the clubs and wider social opportunities. All the social media posts say is that they have someone at the other school who is into social media!

There's not that much difference in results (that size of difference with two small schools could easily reverse next year if the cohorts just happen to be different). That means your reason for wanting to change boils down to "the catholic school make more use of social media", which is not really anything which affects the children. Using public social media is mainly a matter of advertising. Most schools do more of their communication with parents by less public means such as emailed newsletters.

Thanks everyone. Really helpful comments.

The Catholic school hasn't been very subscribed to in recent years with their intake numbers. Last year I think they took 22 children out of a max of 30 whereas the 2 form 60 intake is usually over subscribed (we are in catchment). This is in part down to the Catholic school being closed and re-opened as an Academy. The HT has turned things around and I guess the busy social media presence is to sell the school to prospective parents. They recently launched a video of the school and a few days ago released a video with lots of parents saying how wonderful it all was. I suppose this is really what is swaying me. Thanks for putting into context :)

The power of advertising...

If they'll only had 22 kids last year they will be on a massive recruitment drive this year as low pupil numbers affect funding.

There is an old saying that you go with your first instincts and in this case I think I would stick with your original decision to put down the 2 form entry school as first preference. Do not be seduced by glossy advertising

@theapplesinthetrees
I am amazed you think a social media presence is a way to choose a school. I would totally ignore it. If you don’t know already, schools are funded on a pupil on roll formula so 22/30 means they are short of 8 pupils. They are therefore 8 pupils down on funding but still have to pay for the teacher. In fact they might need to amalgamate classes if those numbers persist and make redundancies. That’s a lot of money they don’t have! If all years are not full. No wonder they want to get more pupils!

They clearly have had issues and schools need to sustain improvement to be truly “turned around”. A quick fix and a social media presence isn’t the answer. It might be sustained of course but other parents are not banging the door down to get into it.

RC schools essentially “select”by religion but plenty of people avoid them! (Where I live anyway!) I don’t see that the results are that great or indeed strongly in favour of the RC school either. Over a period of time, if you looked back at old ofsted reports, my guess is that the school wouldn’t have great results or progress. Ofsted wouldn’t have rated it RI for no reason. So it might be good now but you can never guantee it will stay that way if the head leaves.

I think you had a previous thread about choosing schools. I’m afraid you are worrying about minutae far too much. Even if there are 30 children per year in the RC school, 11% represents 3 children!!!! So very few children can affect this stat up or down. If there are 22 children, it’s 2 children! So why even look at that figure? 8% of 60 is more children so at least if your DC is bright they will find more children like them - although cohorts vary from year to year..

I would stick where you thought was best.