Which primary school

[cupofdecaf]

Help me out here I'm lost as to what's best.

School 1 is an infants school so reception to year 2. Quite large for the area, one class per year plus mixed year 1/2 class.
Good out door space. Child already does some time at their nursery. Bit of a drive across town to get to. For years 3-6 they would go to the junior school a 10 min walk away from home. No idea what that school is like.
This is the catchment school.
Most kids go on to the local secondary which is close to home but recently failed ofsted, has been taken over by a trust and has a reputation for bullying but gets ok results.

School 2. Locals rave about it. Part of a well regarded trust. Short drive away from town. Does whole of primary.
Not in catchment but likely to get in (but no guarantee younger sibling would).
Good outdoor space as well. Has an infants class and a junior class so much smaller.
Other kids will come from a wider area.
Most kids go on to an outstanding secondary but we'd be slightly out of catchment so no guarantee of getting in and we'd have to arrange transport.

With school 2 we risk the younger sibling having to go to school 1 which would be a difficult school run.

All of the primary schools have good ofsted ratings.

Are you saying school 2 only has two classes? A school like that can be lovely in some ways but very limiting in others, my friend went to one like this and was the only girl in her year, in fact the year below also only had one girl. There simply weren't enough kids for after school clubs and siblings in the same class isn't always a good thing. Also in the current climate I'd be worried about a small school closing.

Secondary schools will have changed by the time you get there, so I wouldn't make that a part of your decision process (and unless the admissions criteria specifically prioritise feeder schools; the primary school will make no difference.

I am naturally sceptical about schools that people rave about. Often the school's reputation is better than the reality and people fight to get in because they feel they ought to. (The same thing happens in reverse with schools with bad reputations).

I have to say for primary level I am a fan of the local school unless compelling reasons not to - and for the limited information you've provided there isn't enough to swing it. Actually, as per PP, I'd not be keen on the very small School 2 - both for friendships and in terms of resources. Did you not get any feel at all from visiting the schools?

Thanks - yes they have reception, year 1 and 2 together and years 3-6 together.
I hadn't thought about siblings being together but that's a good point.
I actually went to an even smaller school and I think it was good for me but I'm not sure the same benefits would apply these days.

School 1.
2 is far to small. Be lovely for the first few years, but can get claustrophobic by the time you are 11.

School 1.

In the current economic climate school 2 could struggle.

I don't think the school will close it's part of bigger trust. Small primary schools are common round here.
I take onboard your comments about it being too small when they're older.