1 form entry school or 3 form entry (more resources)

[Lifewithcherryd]

Hi,

i would like any advise from people who have chosen their children’s primary school please.

i have 3 options.

1. first school is in my catchment area. 1 form entry. Seems like a great school. 1 form entry (community school). No before or after school (I would prefer this as I work full time but partner has agreed to do pick ups). Seems a bit diverse however heard a negative experience from a previous ethnic minority mum re bullying and how they didn’t handle it in the best way but I also heard a good review from someone else. I like the child led type environment it has. It is within a cul de sac type area. I will be driving to drop off my daughter (even though it’s a 5 minute walk) as I will be going to work straight after.
2. second school is a 3 form entry. Doesn’t actually look that big. Impressed with all the resources available and outdoor play area. Looks a bit more diverse - this is important to me (I viewed the school during class times). It is however on a bit of a main road (so I’m already thinking of any possible drop off issues as I’ll be driving). I’m unsure how I feel about 90 kids in 1 form however. They share a massive room which is partially divided into 3 but I love the school as a whole and also how much they have invested into the reception resources and it’s also child led activities/ nurturing. It’s about a 3-5 minute drive (15 minute walk). Outside catchment area but they generally aren’t over subscribed. Heard good review from another parent who goes there. Doesn’t have before and after school either. Apparently school 1 also uses this schools resources sometimes too (as I mentioned school 1 is a smaller school)
3. third school was my initial first choice school. It’s a child of England school (I like this idea due to the values but it’s not a make or break). It’s definitely further out a field (10 minute drive- forget even walking as it’s not an option). It’s a 2 form entry. I really liked the feel and look of this school. Heard great reviews from another parent. It has before and after school (until 5) so I really like this too just in case I need additional support with after school care - Partner is self employed. But what is really deterring me is the distance in case there is traffic (there is sometimes along this route). It isn’t catchment (only school 1 is) but it also didn’t hit full capacity last year.

therefore you can see my hestitations with all.

if it also helps I have a nearly 2 year old (with additional needs/ disability) who goes to nursery which is 1 minute away from school 1 but as it’s a private nursery (they close at 6pm). She won’t be moving to the in school nurseries as I’ll keep her there until school time as I like it there (she might go to a special school or state school - will see closer to the time).

any advice will be truly appreciated. I have until 15th January to apply and I can put down 3 choices (just unsure which should be my first choice, 2nd or 3rd).

thank you.

Option 3 if I was you. Flexibility of wraparound care is a no brainer for me as a fellow FT working parent.

I'd drive by all schools at morning and afternoon times to see how bad parking traffic is.

Ie some your partner would need to arrive earlier to park up, depending on his work might not be possible ?

I'd prioritise being walkable. Your child could get themselves there and back themselves in Y6, maybe even Y5.

Also surely it's easier to park up and do nursery and school drop off in one go?

Take the 5min walk one. Her dad doing pick ups is fine - you don't need after school childcare if her own father is able to collect her.

The distance would put me off school 3 immediately. Although they have the wrap around care option, it sounds like this isn't essential for you so I would be inclined to discount this.

Out of the other two, school 2 would appeal more. Better resources is a massive plus in terms of opportunities and more scope for friendships too. One form entry schools can be restrictive as their class will stay the same for 7 years, baring the odd child moving in or out. Great if they all get on, but not if there are personality clashes with no way of being moved away from those children. Even if they all get on great, it can make the transition to secondary school harder if they're not use to mixing with lots of different children and forging new friendships.

Parking issues can be just as problematic in a cul-de-sac area as on a main road. Some shool run parents can be complete arseholes when it comes to parking:- parking in unsafe places, blocking people in, dumping and running etc. Don't expect that to be any different wherever you end up I'm afraid.

As for the bullying thing, I wouldn't stress too much about one negative anecdotal story. Again, you'll get that anywhere wherever you go. Someone will always be disgruntled and expect their problem to have been handled differently. As long as there aren't multiple accounts of disgruntled parents, I'd take one bad report with a pinch of salt. You only have to think about how many posts there are on this board from disgruntled parents over some issue or another. Some you will totally understand their displeasure, others you will think they're totally overreacting. It's the same in real life. One disgruntled parent doesn't make for a bad school.

Are you realistically likely to get school 3? 10 minutes where I am would make it completely unobtainable.

With that in mind I wouldn't hesitate to choose school 2. A single form entry can and often is suffocating and the lack of wrap around care would have me worried most children would have a parent around at home and so lots of events by the school would be arranged during school time with that in mind.

Exactly what @YourNameGoesHere says

3. for me if there are no parking issues.

Regarding 1), classes vary year by year. My dc have been in ‘nice’ or ‘good’ classes. The year in between my dc wasn’t considered so good, so it can vary.

One thing to consider is afterschool clubs? Are there enough pupils and/or teachers to run football clubs, netball clubs etc?

Regarding 2), one class of 90 sounds huge. Even having them divided up in no one room sounds noisey.

Do you meet the admission criteria for all three?

School 1 is in catchment, the others aren’t, so much will depend on whether 2 and three are over or under subscribed.

How full are the classes in the one form? Schools with falling role are closing and struggling to fund everyday needs.

You need to look at the admissions criteria of each school there's no such thing as catchment really, distance from the school is usually quite low on the admissions list

I would have no concerns about a ‘three form entry’ school being too big, I would actively choose this over one form entry which can be a bit suffocating / make it hard for the school to break up unhealthy dynamics which develop between kids. Also bigger schools attract more resources which is really beneficial. Remember you’re choosing a school for your future 5/6/7/8/9/10 year old, not just your current little four year old!

However, do the three forms not each have separate classrooms?! The thing about one big ‘partially divided’ space for the three classes sounds a bit weird. My DC is at a multiple form entry school but each class and classroom of 30 is totally separate

My DC went to an open plan infants school. It allowed for flexible use of space and groupings and wasn't that noisy when you were actually in it. Plus it means the DC get to know their whole year group when they are more free format in Reception.

I'd always say go local unless a compelling reason so would discount your School 3. Normally I'd go with School 1 as the closest, but I'd be worried about school finances in current climate, plus I'm not sure that 1 form entry is that great once you get past KS1.

Even though there isn't a school run Wraparound, there may be an external one nearby, so check this!

I presume you mean a free flow style set up for Reception, but then proper class rooms after?

Not read the full thread, just came on to say that our local primary schools have been very oversubscribed over the past 15 years, so the notion of a ‘choice’ is pretty theoretical, as you have to pretty much live within a few hundred yards of a school (or have a sibling there) to get a place. Some high-birth rate years have also meant (in the past) that there are some residential streets that aren’t in any of the local schools ‘catchments’, meaning a school is allocated that is at some distance. Have you looked into the historical allocation distances for the local schools mentioned, over maybe the last five years, to get a sense of which one/s you would likely be allocated? Apologies if this has already been mentioned in a previous post.

One form entry primary schools really struggle with finances if I had my time again I think I would have chosen a bigger school for ds - more scope for resources, ideas, after school clubs, additional support.

At our one form entry primary school they have no money & the headteacher has to do things like lock the playground gates and put chairs away after parents assembly as nobody else to do it

School 3 assuming it is running at near full capacity.

The extra resources larger schools have can't be underestimated and state schools are very strapped for cash!

@wonderingwhatlifemeans each class generally gets about the full capacity (30 students or just under)

@jmh740 thanks, yes I looked at the admissions. The first thing they take into consideration here is how close you are to the school in terms of distance, then it’s if you have a sibling/EHCP/ Looked after children etc. however having spoken to most of the schools they seem to all have had a few spaces left generally (even after every one has gotten their preferred choices) and considering I only have 1 school in my catchment area, I have to technically also look further out too.

@Newbie1011 i think it’s mainly just in reception (and possibly year 1) where they divide the spaces but as each year progresses they have separate rooms

@PuttingDownRoots yes that’s what I mean.

@Stoufer thanks for this! No I haven’t looked at this yet but just asked schools personally and also checked the local council website whether they suspect this primary school intake year to be a high birth year and apparently it isn’t. Where would I get more detailed information however re allocations/distances? From the school directly or the council?

Our council has an interactive school offers map, showing for each school the radius of last place offered in the previous year and I think in the admissions brochure each year they have the distance of last place offered for each school. The council should have the info - or the schools themselves may have the info if not. It seems to vary what info is available from different councils unfortunately.

I would worry a bit about a one form entry that isn’t filling all its spaces. Birth rates are low atm, a small school with lots of un filled spaces is unviable. Councils are going to be looking at ways of saving money.

@viques oh that one definitely is filling all its places (as it’s only 30 pupils) and it is always over subscribed (but I also know if I put that as first choice, we would get it as it’s right behind our house) I just wanted to explore other options.