Which primary school?

[PurBal]

Which would you choose? We live fairly rurally with no school within a sensible walking distance (2 miles plus) so we would have to drive but both are near my workplace. DS is confident so I don’t mind about the size of the school as I don't think it will phase him either way.

School A: Large school of 320. 44 intake. Reception is split into two classes and then there are 3 classes of each Year 1 & 2, Year 3 & 4 and Year 5 & 6. Good outdoor play facilities. Excellent after school clubs. Provision for wraparound care, however this is capped at 40 children. All the reception classes have 1 class teacher. However, it’s run down and they don’t really have a school hall, certainly not one fit for purpose (only built for 100 kids). They’re in the process of joining an academy and the head is new (pros and cons to this). I know people who work at a different school within the academy that aren’t complimentary as it’s become too corporate. I warmed to the head. Children at the younger end were polite but got a bit rowdy as we went up the school. They start full time from the word go.

School B: Smaller school of 150 with only 58 families. 22 intake. Catholic school, this bothers DH a little as he’s an atheist, I am a practising Anglican but there isn’t a CofE school in our area. Clearly a very engaged and active PFA as there have been lots of equipment fundraised for over the years. Excellent, and recently updated, play facilities. The items displayed on the walls were fantastic and all the children were polite. Lovely feeling and excellent wraparound care. However the classes are mixed and not a 50-50 split. Eg 7-8 children are kept in the reception class in Year 1 “predominantly” based on age. There is then a slightly strange split as you go up the school with only Reception, Year 3, Year 4 and Year 6 all together as a year (with a few children from other years eg Year 3 has 7-8 Year 2s). Year 6 is mixed with Year 5 to create a class of 36. Reception and the Year 1 & Year 2 class have 2 teachers. Staff retention is good and they're oversubscribed. They stagger the start and include a home visit to get to know the children's interests.

In an ideal world I would send DS to a CofE school with single year classes. I have a bright summer born. His nursery key worker is a former teacher and I’ve been advised he needs to be stretched. Ultimately they will all go to the same, large secondary school.

No idea what to put as first choice.

School B sounds like a better choice.
Do they prioritise children who go catholic church though? The worry is that you won't get a place and then also miss out on school A based on you not putting it down as 1st choice

@user2848502016 yes they do prioritise catholic children but only 2 in reception this year and 30% across the school. But yes, that worries me too. We might not get School B even if we put it down as first choice (35 applied for 22 places last year). School A gave the impression that catchment children would get a place, but I don't know about first/second choices.

You won't miss out on school A by not putting it first choice unless you qualify for a place at both schools. If that happens you would be given the place at the school you put in first place.

Other applicants won't get school A over you just because they put it first - all applications for schools are ranked by how they meet the admissions criteria, regardless of where they are on the application form. Only if you qualify for a place at more than one school is the order looked at.

So always put schools in your genuine order of preference.

A if the Catholicism bothers your DH

You won’t be able to tell until he goes. I was a quiet type of child but thrived at a large primary with two classes for the year intake. The Catholic school in my area is regularly cited as better than the CofE so I don’t think it’s particularly about the religious element to it.

School B sounds like a better choice, and you can't miss out on School A just because you didn't put it first.

Check the Catholic school criteria, as some in our area include baptised CofE or Greek Orthodox in a higher group than non-baptised. So that could help if it applies to you.

I am an atheist but put down 2 CofE schools and 1 Catholic, as I felt they were better options for us in other ways. All schools are required by law to do a daily act of Christian worship, so I don't feel it's a deal breaker myself. I also feel that religion is an important part of culture that should be experienced and understood, even if we reject it later. But I appreciate not everyone feels that way.

When you say 'staggered start' for Teception children - do you mean half days?

If so, they shouldn't be doing this anymore - when the Admissions Code was changed in 2021, it stated that children should be offered a full-time place from the beginning of Reception.

If they aren't up to date with this, it may be an indicator that they are either not compliant and up to date, or quite rigid in their processes.....just a thought.