How can you find out about primary schools before the open days?

[Smileyclouds]

Hello, we are considering moving house to be in a different catchment area for a local primary school. To help us make the decision, we're trying to find out as much as we can about the schools, but they won't have their open days for another few months. So far we have:

• booked visits to the pre schools of the schools as our daughter might end up going to them in Sept
• read Ofsted reports
• spoken to patents with children at the school (but we don't know that many)

We are applying this year but ideally need to start looking to move now. It still seems a really difficult decision, as both are rated Good by Ofsted but we have more concerns about our current catchment area school from the reports and performance (which I'm aware is only one piece of the puzzle!) And we are also trying to take into consideration our daughter who is bright but also sensitive and high energy.

Are there any ways we're missing to learn about the schools? Or anyone we can have independent advice from?

Thanks!

Will they not show you round in advance of the open days? Ours did.

Walk round the area near the school at drop off/collection and break times. Get a feel of how the kids are, parking chaos and the parents.

Just call the schools explain you will be moving and would like to look around. I’m sure they’ll either be able to accommodate you or be able to answer some questions

Ask for opinions on local Facebook groups

Hmm good point, I will ask when we look to see the pre schools. Also forgot to add social media, websites and the school noticeboards!

We made school choices in lockdown so no opportunity to visit. Like the pp I took in from pre-lockdown how the school nearby seemed at start / finish times and also whether I saw kids from our street going there (our 2 nearby schools have bright uniforms so easy to tell who is on their way to which school!). I also went in each schools website to glean as much info as I could e.g. one school published its weekly newsletter online - I read everything I could to get an impression of the feeling of the school. I must say I also judged the schools on my interactions with their admin offices! The school we chose and we’re lucky enough to be allocated had a good rather than excellent fisted abs I am super happy with our choice. I think the energy and feeling/approach by headteacher of the school was reflected fairly well in all the reading I did.

www.compare-school-performance.service.gov.uk

You can look at the progress scores etc.

Start a new thread naming the schools in the title and ask mumsnetters for opinions. The membership site is huge, you'll likely find people who know the schools here. (Bump the thread a few times if you don't find them straight away).

Also, join the local Facebook group for the area and ask for opinions.

However, a warning... take more heed of the opinions of people with DC actually at the school, rather than general local opinion, else you'll be getting the opinion of people about the school from years back and it may not apply any more. Also, explore why they think it's good or bad.

In my town, for example, people will tell you the school in the centre of town is terrible, and the one on the edge of town is brilliant.

But if you ask more questions you'll find that the people who hate the school in the centre of town tend to say things like "the are too many children who don't speak English there" and you'll discover that a lot of the objections boil down to racism, basically.

And if you ask about their knowledge of the "brilliant" school, they're talking about when the old head was there.

And if you then look at the Ofsted reports, you'll find the "terrible" one got outstanding at the last report, and the "brilliant" one got inadequate, a year after the new head took over.

It hasn't changed the reputations of the schools locally though most people are unaware of this unless they have DC there currently.

Thanks all, that's so helpful and reassuring :)

Keep an eye out for school events - summer fairs, car boots etc. You can get a feel for the site, families etc

Definitely hang around at drop off/pick up times.

Wander round at break and lunchtime if there are visible play areas (most are usually hidden at the rear, but sometimes you can see bits). How are the children supervised, do they have play equipment etc

We had to make an initial choice (which one to move closest to, which would impact catchments etc.) without visiting or even knowing people in the area.

We looked at:

1. The “compare schools” government site to look at attainment and progress.

1. We went and loitered around outside the schools at drop off/pick up, which gave an indication of the type of kids and parents.

1. Going through their website. I wasn’t necessarily looking for the most posts, but from what was highlighted in their newsletters etc gave an indication of what they thought was noteworthy.

1. Facilities and clubs, again from school websites mainly.

1. This is a silly one but I really liked the uniform of one school more than the others!

Are you moving mainly because of schools? If so, what has worried you about your current catchment school? Have you visited it?

I used the Christmas fayre for an initial nose around DCs school. It was our only realistic option so didn't probe too hard!

I chose a school based purely on how the Headteacher reacted to questions, did they seem flustered? Did they tell me they needed to ask someone else?

Also the behaviour of the children at the beginning and end of the day, and also how they behaved if I saw them in local shops etc in uniforms.

DDs primary school nothing was too much trouble, I said DD might not be able to wear the uniform and how would the school respond to that, and the headteacher laughed, told me kids can be little buggers at times and not to panic get her into school in what I can and they'd sort the rest. And they did, several times she went in in her pyjamas and came home in full uniform.

Very very happy with my choice.

I asked for parental views on the local town Facebook page. That was quite insightful.