Help!

[Yorkshirelady678]

My girl is about to go to first school come September next year. We live in an area where it’s a three tier school system. First, middle then high school. I’m torn between two first schools. Both have identical ofsted ratings (outstanding). Both are close to one another so distance won’t be a deciding factor. The only way they vary is I prefer let’s call it school ‘A’ school A is smaller, feels warmer, I like the staff and the head there, their play areas are fantastic, big green open areas and a part woodland! And they’re fantastic in teaching diversity, inclusivity, as both schools fall in a purely white British area. School B, the play area isn’t as nice, I don’t like the head she seems very cold and all about formalities and statistics and less about the children themselves. When I asked her about diversity and inclusivity she borderline scoffed at me. However, the school is larger, has better facilities and a big one; all of my daughter’s friends will be going to this school. There’s at least 8 children progressing there who will be in the same class as her, who we see regularly outside of pre school (each others houses, play dates etc) my daughter struggles with change and new environments. I don’t know if I need to put my distaste for school B aside?

The children, from what I’ve observed, do seem happy at both schools, but seem a tiny bit happier at school A - the smaller one. However if she attends there she will not know anyone and as I said, she struggles with change.

i really could do with some advice on what to seriously consider/do, im torn.

Your post doesn't sound very positive about B tbh. Don't ignore your gut feeling, as it is telling you what is important to you..

Kids are often more resilient than you realise. Dd started reception this year knowing noone in her school, and now she has a close circle of friends and loves it.

Agree with PP. It sounds like you are justifying school B reluctantly. I do understand the friends thing as I was in a similar position. I went for your school B over a smaller school A. I wanted them to stay with friends. However, while some of them are still friends, it all split anyway when classes changed over the years and they ended up making new friends anyway. It was a gradual process so they didn't feel the impact as much. For your DD she might do better in a similar scenario if she doesn't like change. However, again, kids do adapt much quicker than we give them credit for. Also I'm not sure if the fact they have play dates with these friends means you're friends with parents too? If so, this massively changes quite quickly even in the same school. The kids mine had play dates with in nursery and reception in the same school barely play at all now. Just think this is for 7 years so it's a long time and consider the environment that would suit her better, not the friends she has now at such a young age.

I would look carefully at the next stage of education. Some areas with a three tier system or a mix of two and three tier have plenty of places in Key Stage 1 (infants), but places are tighter in Key Stage 2 (juniors). I would advise looking at the admissions policies for the local junior schools to which your child may progress as there could be feeder relationships with named infant schools. In turn, junior schools could be named feeders for senior schools. I know of an area where parents often travel for preferred infant schools but then find issues later on when they are pushed back to their local area for the next stage.