Help! Choosing a primary school

[thismotherhoodthing]

I’m unbelievably stressed out about this. More so than I imagined I would be. All
primary options are good and I know daughter would be happy but I’m struggling when I take into account secondary options. Here’s the scenario:

Option1. Closest primary school to us. Lovely. Gets good results. Less than half a mile away. Very diverse school population. Masses of outdoor space, great facilities. Excellent head. Kids were all v pleasant and chatty when we looked around. Flexible wraparound. However is a named feeder to one undesirable secondary and another v new secondary which is part of a good trust but doesn’t have published results yet and isn’t in a great socio economic area.

Primary 2. Also v much liked it when looked around. Good results (some dud years). 3.5 miles away but has a wider catchment. Opposite direction to my work/baby’s nursery. In a different LA but can still apply. Wraparound less
flexible (have to book a month in advance). Still lots of outdoor space and good facilities. In a more affluent area (school population still v mixed). Feeds a secondary school on same site which is more desirable.

Option 3. Two miles away but a low traffic road. Opposite direction to my work/babys nursery. Is a first school in a three tier system which has a few desirable middle/high schools. Village location - feels slightly random. V flexible wraparound . Good outdoor space and facilities. Liked it but didn’t quite ‘click’ as much as the other two.

we are planning to move in 4/5 years (max) therefore it’s v unlikely we will be in the same house when oldest child goes to secondary. It’s unlikely we will move towards the area where the middle/high schools are for option 3. We may move closer to the high school for option 2 but it would be a significant jump so it depends what we can afford by then.

my dilemma is do I choose the option that works best now or the option that gives us better secondary options? The thought of moving schools does also fill me with dread slightly. My main priority is both children being happy, safe and settled and able to thrive however I don’t feel I can accept the secondary options which option 1 is a named feeder for, but I don’t know how much that should put me off given the above information.

Have you actually been around and asked lots of questions about how the school day and teaching style will fit your child? And focus on now. Secondary is a long way away and schools change!

Chose the school you want now. Admissions arrangements could change, schools can improve, or drop significantly.

When you say “named feeder” do you mean that anyone applying from that primary school is given priority on the application over children from other primary schools?

Which secondary do you think you’d like her to go to eventually? I appreciate it’s a long way away, but it seems you’re already thinking about secondaries anyway. Does the choice of primary school really affect the secondary school choice directly?

Sorry, forgot to say that I would go with Option 1.

@newsenmumyes we’ve been to all
of them twice. I’m v happy that she would be happy at them, particularly one and two. We looked at seven in total and have discounted four so this is the shortlist.
@TheNightingalesStarling thank you! the first secondary for option 1 has a particularly bad rep and has for many years, I’m not sure it will change much. But the new one might. I just worry I am cutting off our options.

a lot of our neighbours have loved the local school but not chosen it because of the secondary options, which has got into my head

@SilenceInsideyea that’s correct re: priority.

our area is a mixture of LA secondary schools and academies/trusts which have their own admissions criteria. If we moved, we may still get in to a different secondary based on catchment if we moved closer to a good secondary. I worry about the disruption of moving primary schools or alternatively being the only
person from her primary school at the secondary (if we moved a few miles away but kept her at the local
primary to finish there).

I like the secondary for option 2 but there are many others in the region that would be good if we moved elsewhere

But surely you dont have to go to that secondary school?

Option 1 seems like the obvious choice. But what does your gut tell you?

The fact that Option 1 is a feeder school for a secondary you don’t want is surely irrelevant? It doesn’t affect your choice of secondaries that you do want and doesn’t affect your application to those.

@newsenmum@silenceinsideno you don’t have to apply to that secondary but presumably most of her friends would go there. also some of the non LA run secondaries prioritise feeder schools > catchment (depending on the trust) so if they’re v oversubscribed it’s hard to get in if you’re not from a named feeeder

I think I’m struggling because I don’t have an overwhelming gut instinct - for the first time ever! I’m caught between 1 and 2. 2 would be a bit trickier logistically but could end up being v workable. I’d like to move closer to 2 but that’s not guaranteed.

Option 1. You’ll be unbelievably thankful for it being so close by. Don’t think about high schools yet.

@Jk987thank you that’s helpful. Is that speaking from your own experience?

Based on what you've written and the fact you hope to move before seniors anyway, my choices would be 1, 3, 2 in preference order.

It sounds like you want option 1 from how you write. Secondary is so long away and with a potential move id go for the closest and best fit now, option 1

Just seconding the secondary schools change point.

I didn't buy a house when I was pregnant as I didn't want the baby going to the catchment secondary school. It got a new head and lots of resources and now she goes there through choice!

So pick the best primary now for your circumstances.

I agree with the close by school if its good. We went for the further away school and those journeys really add up. We have two kids at the school now and they do after school activities on different days. Its 3 x 30 minute round trips a day and exhausting. Plus my eldest wants to walk alone in year six like his friends but the distance is further than I feel comfortable with.

In seven years time you will have only just applied for Yr. 7 at secondary if you are still living in a two tier system. A lot can change in seven years. Ofsted ratings can rise or fall, KS 2 results can change, admissions policies can change as can designated feeder schools. Look at your options for now and for the next few years. Have you looked at results over time at KS2, including for a child such as yours (boy / girl, EAL, FSM etc.), have you read all the Ofsted reports and checked whether the school has changed hands or a new head has been appointed? How many pupils are on roll - could one of the schools be at risk of closing? It sounds like option 1 is your favoured school, but take a look at the data.

Another thing to bear in mind is demographics. In many areas birth rates and pupil numbers have plummeted. Not so elsewhere. This may mean previously undreamt of secondary options may become available in the future.

Do come back if you have more questions,

It's an absolute no brainer from what I can read. Always go for your most local school if you like it, you'll be so glad of the convenience on cold, dark, rainy mornings. Your child will make local friends and be able to walk themselves there and back when they're older. Good outdoor facilities and a major plus, and great wraparound options aren't easy to come by either so that's a massive bonus if you need it.

So much can change in 7 years, before you need to apply for secondary school. This new secondary school could achieve great results and gain a great reputation. The not so good secondary could really improve under new leadership. The better secondary schools in the area could slip in standards/reputation. You also plan to move anyway so could easily do the local primary you like now, then move them when the time comes.

You cannot base your primary school choice on secondary school factors. That's 7 years of inconvenience you could be setting yourself up for.

Absolutely go for the lovely local school which you really like. It ticks all your boxes in the here and now. That's all that matters right now.

Thanks everyone. I think the fact that a lot of our neighbours have sent their children to different schools (due to the secondary options) has got into my head a lot.

@LadyLapsang yes we’ve look at all the data on loc rating . Option 1 has consistently good results. 1/3 of the kids have EAL. Our children won’t qualify for FSM. There is a lot of diversity at option one - the are we live in has a really mix of housing types etc . I think this is a good thing and will also mean the school received some funding. The head has been there a long time and is well respected. She may retire but the deputy head has also been there a long time.

option 2 also has good results with some dud years which I don’t think can be helped sometimes. The head is also v good. Neither school is at risk of closing.

@DustlandFairytaleBeginningrhis is my worry. I love
option 2 and can see my daughter there but I do wonder if I would begin to resent the journey at peak times

@MerryGuideI did like it. I also love option 2. I think my daughter would probably be happy at either.

@TheNightingalesStarlingthank you. One of the feeder options has been consistently bad for a number of years and is a huge School. It’s in a fairly ok area but takes kids from a huge catchment area and a lot of families actively avoid it. I just don’t think I would ever feel comfortable with it. The newer one could get better, it is in quite a low socio economic area and I wonder if that lowers the chances of it improving.

An additional thought on option 3, the first school in a three tier system.If your nearest primary is in a two tier system and you either live in a local authority that has a mix of two tier and three tier areas, or the three tier school lies over the LA border, take care that the admissions policies of those desirable middle and high schools may mean you don’t get a place and have to revert to a primary with a place elsewhere (& option 1 & 2 could be full by then). Take especial care if the recent tax changes regarding independent schools are likely to be a factor, e.g. if that first school usually attracts lots of state until aged eight families, then in future pupils may stay in the state system and you may be pushed back to a school nearer home or that has vacancies. Sometimes, the issues occur a bit later in reverse in that some primary pupils are diverted to middle schools where there is place pressure in Yr. 7 in the secondary schools.

My daughter went to secondary with quite a few children from her primary school. Within the first few months the friendship groups had changed and she had a different set of friends so I wouldn’t worry so much about going to the same secondary as her friends.

When my daughter started primary there was not a chance we’d send her to the local school. It was in special measures and was utterly awful. She’s just started year 7 and it’s really desirable and is hugely over subscribed. So much can happen in all that time.

Go for the primary you want, from your options I’d go with 1.

Yes. Our child is in a lovely primary a 5 minute walk away. We can walk in all weathers and have a little chat. Her school friends all live close by. If I’m wfh, I’m easily home before 9am to start work after the drop off.

Go for the three tier system!
We have it, and it has been marvellous (our middle school was Y6-Y8). DC are now in High School and College but middle school allowed them to
1- move away from and environment that also included 4 year olds a bit sooner than a traditional primary school.
2- kept them away from the big, smelly teenagers until they were one.
3- Brought in independence gently and gradually, rather than overnight.

They both absolutely thrived.

The school itself was fantastic too.

I'd say do what is best for your family and your child now, particularly as you intend to move before your eldest starts secondary school.
As an aside, how are you measuring 'results' from the primary schools?