Just been offered first choice primary school but torn what to do!

[Jellybabiex]

Hi all, looking for a bit of advice!

Thursday I had an email from admissions saying there's a place available for my DD to start reception class at our first preference school. I never thought it would happen, we went from 10th place to 4th place but it has always been an oversubscribed school and I heard last year only one place became available. So now my DD is super excited for our second preference school and her best friend plus a few other children from her forest school nursery are going there too. She's done all the stay and play sessions so started to get familiar with everything, whereas she has missed all those events at the 1st preference school and won't know anyone starting there. I have briefly brought it up to my DD but she starts to get upset that she won't be with her best friend (mum guilt is hitting hard!)

I have nothing against our 2nd preference school, they do a day in the woods a week, lovely teachers and also didn't fill up their PAN this year, I think it's around 24/25 a class. I've always had my heart set on the 1st school as it's had outstanding Ofsted reports, much more modern, slightly bigger and feel there is more choice for extra curricular activities there. I also went there as a kid!

I've only got a week to decide and I am terrible at making decisions!!

Anyone else been in a similar situation?

46/60 is quite low... thats a risk of combining year groups in future sort of level (which is fine when the school knows what they are doing, would be weary when they are getting used to it)

I’d stick with your 2nd choice/ the choice you have been allocated.

@SunnyCycling yeah I have thought about doing this but won't this be too disruptive to her settling in and learning?

@Smallgnomethingy Ah, very interesting. When and why did you change your mind about the preference of schools? Had they already started at the 1st choice before swapping? Yeah this is what I'm leaning towards. She will still get to learn but at a more laid back pace to the 1st choice school.

@overweightteacher Well I've actually found out that allocated school has had 3 different headteachers in past 10 years and a high staff turnover. The 1st choice has had a new headteacher 2 years ago and has mixed views from parents with kids there currently - most raving about it though! We went from 10th place to 1st. I do wonder if people had just been declining the places or whether there's been a few places become available?

@LurkThenPost yeah I have thought about that but wouldn't it be too disrupting to her learning and settling in?

@Sortoutthehouse we are in Cornwall. Sandy Hill academy Vs Charlestown Primary school

I don't think it would be that disruptive. I'd go with your gut instinct and choose first choice. You chose it for a reason.

We moved our dd from her first primary school after year 1 (she couldn’t get in a local school initially as they were so oversubscribed).
For year 2 they expanded the class size and it was round the corner from where we lived compared to a 30 min journey, so we thought it was no brainer at the time, it was rated the top primary school in the county, it was lovely and modern and seemed to offer a lot more on paper compared to her initial school.
Within a term we were regretting the decision, it may have been rated outstanding but she had thrived far more in her original school and progressed better. It sounds as if it was very similar to the school your DD has been allocated.
We moved a couple of years later and the school she went to then was very similar to her first one. She came on leaps and bounds again. Wasn’t rated outstanding but they nurtured the children and pushed them in a less blatant way.

I wouldn't wonder too much about why it is undersibscribed. It's almost certainly because the birthrate has fallen significantly, particularly in certain areas. It's not an unusual picture this year.

Yes, years ago only 46 places filled out of 60 would be concerning but now it's very much the norm. It's exactly the same where I am. The only schools which are full are the outstanding rated ones, and that's because parents are drawn to the label. People are naturally more likely to apply for something they perceive to be better (some even do so without visiting other schools). An under-subscribed school is not necessarily a sign of a bad school. It's simply a sign of the times.

Just had a quick look at the statutory info available. Pupil outcomes are poor at CTP There may be reasons for this that would not affect your child (eg large SEND cohort).https://www.compare-school-performance.service.gov.uk/school/136760/charlestown-primary-school/primary But most recent progress scores are also ‘well below average’

The results of the Ofsted parent survey would concern me though with so many not recommending the school to other parents (last question). https://parentview.ofsted.gov.uk/parent-view-results/survey/result/23805/15

however, this is a just a quick ‘on paper’ look. You will know more from your visits and local knowledge. Trust yourself - you know your child best.

@JellybabiexThe allocated school is missing out on a hell of a lot of money if it’s losing out on 14 pupils. That’s half a teacher. That alone is worrying and I’d bet parents are going elsewhere as you wanted to. 46 in a year is 1.5 classes. Not 2. Funding won’t permit 2. So how will they arrange classes in future? Thats what will really matter.

DC don’t make friends for life at nursery. They settle very quickly into new surroundings and teachers are adept at handling their transition. I’d take the newly offered place. You can get the other one back if it goes pear shaped.

@Jellybabiex what did you decide in the end?

As a teacher I would always choose the one with smaller class size. Unless it has a terrible reputation, small class sizes are always beneficial and it sounds like it's a decent school and she's excited!

@Sushiqueen I find that so interesting! Do you think it was just a case of her already being settled at the first school? Did she really dislike the second one?

So I've accepted the first choice school. I have to at least try it out. I've been in contact with a couple of mums who have kids starting there in September and they seem nice - they've given me some starting info they've received so that's helpful (while I wait to hear from school!). The school hasn't actually done any stay and play type sessions apparently but they have a great settling in scheme where it's very small groups and short sessions for a week while they get used to it. So sounds like there will be a lot of other kids in the same boat not knowing anyone.

Also spoke to admissions and this was the only space that became available so I got pretty lucky with 9 families before me not accepting it!

But if it all goes wrong I know I can put her back in the other school.

If the school with the forest is two form she might not be with her friends anyway

It is two form and the school had already asked who she's friends with and been put in her class with best friend and two other girls she's friends with! 🙈

Totally over this stage but with hindsight their happiness at primary is pretty much based on their peer group. Dd1 got lucky and had a cohort of friendly non dramatic girls and had a happy calm time.

Dd2 who is actually an even easier personality than dd1 was unlucky and had very dull quiet girls and a toxic group of very difficult personalities who kept leaving her out. When she got to secondary all her now friends and boyfriend had coincidentally gone to the next primary down the road and she often says how much happier a time she would have had if she had gone there.

She was settled at the first school and really liked it there, but wanted to go to the second school so she would be with children who lived near us.
She did settle in but had a few issues there which we had to bring to the attention of the school. Her first school were a lot more on the ball if any issues arose in the class and most of the time, they had a plan of action before parents were even aware of the problem.
I also got told off by one of the teachers for telling her to check her spelling in a piece of work. They didn’t think it was important. I carried on anyway which was lucky as her 3rd primary school (like her first), were really strict on spelling.
Hope your DD enjoys her school.