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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

Help me choose between two schools!

18 replies

Helpmeranda · 29/06/2023 13:37

I'm hoping to get some feedback on school choice. My DCs are going into Y5 and Y3 in the autumn and we are changing from an independent school to a state school for financial reasons. They are very unhappy about leaving their current school. There are two primary schools with spaces, but they both have pros and cons.

Basically, school 1 is in our local area, but still about an 18 minute walk or slightly shorter bus ride away. It has a lot of music, performance, and club offerings (all of which my DCs enjoy), but its academics are fairly average and most children go on to the not-great local comp.

School 2 is in our old neighbourhood, near their current school, and requires a couple of stops on the tube and then a short walk. Total travel time is similar between the two schools. Its music, performance, and club options are basically nil, but its approach to academics is very good, they have smaller classes, and many children take the 11+ and/or go to independent schools; with some still obviously going to the local comps as well.

Both schools have good reviews from both Ofsted and current parents and the children seem happy. My DCs much preferred school 2 when they toured, but I think that comes down to how the actual tours were delivered (one-to-one vs large group of mainly adults). School 2 also seemed to have a variety of measures in place to help my DCs acclimate and make friends, which is a big concern of theirs and mine!

School 2 seems like the softer landing for them and should prepare them better for the future. However, the lack of music, arts, and clubs really bothers me. I also worry that putting them there would keep us from fully integrating into our new area. Any thoughts or suggestions?

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CurlewKate · 29/06/2023 13:41

Nearest with clubs is my vote.

Lostmum2407 · 29/06/2023 13:44

I’d go for number 2 and take your children to clubs independent of the school.

GMH1974 · 29/06/2023 13:45

School 2 and you do some out of school clubs using the money you're saving on school fees.

Heckythump1 · 30/06/2023 12:07

Walking distance school every time for me!

BoohooWoohoo · 30/06/2023 12:09

I'd pick school 2 and join clubs that aren't linked to school. (I'm guessing that you can afford clubs)

prescribingmum · 30/06/2023 15:18

Would also go for school 2 and arrange clubs separately on the basis this is affordable. I personally prefer for school to control the academic side (with my full support in working towards any area of weakness) and for us to arrange the rest

Emanresu9 · 30/06/2023 15:22

if school 2, would your children do 11+, local comp or independent?

meditrina · 30/06/2023 15:33

How would they get to school 2 if there were tube strikes or other outages?

Looks like your choice is either to pay for 11+ tutoring, or to pay for extra-curricular activities, plus the time/admin of each.

And remember that it is your DCs who actually have to go there - if they can explain their reasons for preferring school 2 and they have any merit at all, then that is definitely worth taking in to account

(caveat of "if they have any merit at all" because sometimes they can be swayed by something really tangential, which is why I think taking v young DC on school tours is often counterproductive, but by secondary their views matter much more, and yours are in the middle!)

Original poster

Helpmeranda · 30/06/2023 15:45

Emanresu9 · 30/06/2023 15:22

if school 2, would your children do 11+, local comp or independent?

They would be in state secondary schools, but hopefully we can get them in somewhere other than the most local comps, which aren’t great. DH would like them to maybe do 11+ but, while they are both bright, I don’t think a highly pressurized grammar school situation would suit them, but we’ll see.

OP posts:

Original poster

Helpmeranda · 30/06/2023 15:51

meditrina · 30/06/2023 15:33

How would they get to school 2 if there were tube strikes or other outages?

Looks like your choice is either to pay for 11+ tutoring, or to pay for extra-curricular activities, plus the time/admin of each.

If no tube, we could take the bus, walk, or drive, but tube is the best option for the daily commute.

I don’t think we’d pay for 11+ tutoring, but we’re hoping if they’re around more academic children that their standards and goals for themselves would be higher, if that makes sense. Instead of just saying “oh yeah will just go to the local comp with everyone else” even though it’s kind of crap.

Honestly I think most of their preference for school 2 came down to the fact that it was the second school we toured (so they were more used to the idea of a new school) and the teacher who did the tour was very friendly and engaging, as were the other members of staff we spoke to.

OP posts:

Original poster

Helpmeranda · 30/06/2023 15:55

So it’s actually turned out that school 1 make not have a space for my younger DC after all? They said they’ve had more applications come in and they’ll have to rank us against them. Because we’re not super close to the school, I don’t know that we’d get the spot. This is pushing me towards school 2. However, as they are in different boroughs, can I put in applications to both schools and potentially switch to school 1 if they say in august that they have a space?

OP posts:

redskytwonight · 30/06/2023 16:04

I'd also go with closer school. I also wonder how School 2 is managing to run small class sizes with school budgets being cut.

You can apply to as many schools as you like. And things will likely change a lot over the summer in terms of places coming up. Y3 and Y5 are prime times for parents to move out of state.

redskytwonight · 30/06/2023 16:06

prescribingmum · 30/06/2023 15:18

If the children at School 2 are going for grammar/independent schools it is highly likely that they are being tutored out of school. So if OP wants this outcome for her DC, she'll be having to sort tutoring regardless of which school she picks.

LIZS · 30/06/2023 16:06

You only apply via your home LA but can submit preference for an out of borough school too. Personally 1 sounds more rounded.

MissDollyMix · 30/06/2023 16:10

Reading between the lines it sounds like school 2 had a better vibe for you and your DC. Also school clubs (unless paid for and provided by external providers) aren’t usually that good. Much better to get the basics right educationally and then do extra curricular activities out of school (in my opinion)

RandomMess · 30/06/2023 16:56

DC need some lessons to pass 11+ as some of the test topics are not taught in school at all. You can see a year of tutoring to be sure they have solid grounding for secondary school regardless of where they end up going. Especially after the Covid years and possibly missing chunks and then moving schools and the curriculum not covered in the same order.

Original poster

Helpmeranda · 30/06/2023 17:28

RandomMess · 30/06/2023 16:56

Yes I should clarify that we would tutor if we were going to have them do 11+, but I don’t think we will.

OP posts:

starpatch · 01/07/2023 08:07

For in year admissions in London it is different, so you can actually apply seperately to both boroughs and in some boroughs the schools themselves can take a direct application in addition to this on their own application forms. So yes you can hold rival offers. Both schools sound fine to be honest but sounds like you may have missed out on school 1.

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