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.

Can you check the secondary school admissions stats? Where I am, you simply will not get a place at the very desirable secondary school unless you are in a named feeder. Distance to school is never relevant. Is that the case where you are? It could you still get into the more desirable secondaries then I'd go for option 1. If not I would seriously consider option 2.

@Firenze12yes certainly for option 3 I think it would be hard to get into the middle or high school for this one without being in a named feeder. This isn’t necessarily an area we are likely to move closer towards but the schools are very good.

For option 2 secondary their policy is : those in a feeder school and within catchment, those in catchment but not in a feeder THEN those out of catchment and in feeder. If not full at this point then they consider not in catchment or feeder. Obviously this could change by the time we are applying for secondaries

@Throwntothewolves
based on what % their results are in nationally, on locating.

@IbizaToTheNorfolkBroadseveryone who goes three tier loves it. I think there has been pressure for these schools to switch to primary/secondary as they’re one of the only trusts left operating in a three tier but there was a lot of resistance. That said I do wonder if it will stay that way.

@Jk987that sounds lovely

@NerrSnerr
this is the kind of scenario I’m really interested in. What kind of area is that secondary in? The first secondary that option 1 is a named feeder
for has been terrible for a long time. It’s also absolutely huge. I’m not sure it will ever change. But the newer one may have a bit of potential . I’m just not sure if the area it’s in makes that less likely

@thismotherhoodthing which three tier system is it? Is it the Shelley Pyramid??

Option 1, no question. SO much can change in seven years, particularly if you’re planning to move in that time, you’ll tie yourself in knots with the “what-if’s” if you’re basing your decision for now on an unknown set of variables in 2032 (secondary school results, admissions criteria, friendships groups, where you’re living…).

Don’t underestimate the value of proximity to school, both for getting your child dropped off and onwards to nursery/work, and for facilitating play dates, after school clubs etc as they move through school, as well as good wrap-around care if you will need it.

Option 1 without a doubt. Do not underestimate how important it is socially for a child to have local friends they can pop over to when they're older, not to mention walking to school together in yr 6.

When we chose our primary several years ago, the feeder secondary was dire, the worst in our town. However all it needed was a change in head and joining an education trust and it's the best one that everyone is moving house to be in the catchment school. Just in time for our application this year.

My point is that a lot can happen in seven years. Live for the moment and what's best now.

Have you looked on the admission criteria for the High School? Our local desirable High changed the criteria from Feeder schools to pupils living within catchment. They did also change the catchment area to exclude some of the poorer areas and include some of the more affluent areas but I think that is pretty normal practice these days.

@IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads not sure where that is but no it’s Gosforth in Newcastle. They’ve come under pressure in the past to switch from three tier to primary/secondary but there was resistance from parents. They’re part of a trust. The newer secondary for option 1 is part of the same trust but it’s the only one that’s not part of a three tier system.

@triplechoci know what you’re saying and I think I do agree, it’s sensible advice. I just wonder if we’re cutting off our options but like you say who knows.

@Yellowsubmarine55this is what I keep telling myself. You do hear about secondaries making a turn round . I’m just not sure how likely it is given the area they’re in but I’m not sure if that’s a fair assessment.

@SleafordSodsyes I have - I’ve posted about it in more detail below .

I wouldn’t be concerned about secondary schools at this point just focus on primary. We chose a secondary school for eldest with our youngest in mind who has special needs. It was an amazing secondary when my eldest started with great results, when youngest got to year 9 the school changed head teacher and rapidly went down hill. A lot can change so I wouldn’t worry about the secondary option!!!

I’d chose proximity wherever possible, being able to walk in and out is really useful but even more important is the ability for the kids to socialise outside school. Once they get to around year 5 they’ll be wanting to go out after school and play with their friends and those that live further away really miss out. Before year 5 from about year 2 onwards there will be lots of local birthday parties and opportunities to go home with friends after school for dinner for a play date.

In terms of secondary they usually all split off at the end and the year group will have 2 or 3 main schools that they feed off to and lots of kids going to completely different schools, it’s a natural parting of the ways. You’ll also find that the schools will likely change a lot over the years, new head teachers will come in, one may become an academy one of ours decided to start offering up to A-levels where previously it had only gone to GCSE.

Totally agree with this. It’s worth thinking about secondary, but so much can change in seven or eight years - especially if you’re planning to move anyway! Our primary school went from Outstanding to disastrous and I’m sure it will move back up the rankings again within a few years.

Option one seems the obvious choice to me based on distance and wraparound (the impact both of these will have on your daily life can’t be overstated). You also speak more favourably about it, even if this is subconscious.

Have you actually checked how places have been allocated in previous years? Where I am, there is no way a desirable primary school would take children from 2 or 3.5 miles away, they’d fill way before that on siblings and then people much closer. Does your LA and the LA school 2 is in use set catchment areas or is the tiebreak on straight line distance? Really, ‘choice’ is a bit of a misnomer when it comes to school allocations, although with the falling birth rate options have expanded in a lot of areas somewhat.

Either way, I am also team school 1. Forever grateful we can walk the ten minutes to school on our none working days as opposed to doing battle with commuter traffic. Flexible wraparound is also a godsend.

@Keeponshiningyes I have looked at this. We have all the admissions data, catchment area etc. the school is in a village location which moved from three tier to primary/secondary so the schools were converted. There’s a few primary schools in the village including a church school. There are more school places than children who live in the village, also a lot of the parents send their children to private school. We are three miles away but it’s basically fields in between (and one v small
village). It takes us about ten mins door to door to drive.

the tiebreak is a straight line distance.

our neighbours have kids at option 3 and i hav e spoken to families who go to option 2 and live the same distance away as us (in a slight different direction) so I know it’s not out of the question as well as looking at the admissions data on catchment area

@Yellowfinfishthank you. Yes I do like it. I think some of my positivity also comes from trying to persuade myself by listing the positives. It’s a nice school but I would not want to be applying to secondaries while still at it as I know we’d have few options. As you say things can change and I have heard of that happening but looking at our area there doesn’t seem to be much change in schools status for a long time now

@thismotherhoodthingsomeone might correct me, but im almost certain that just because option 1 is a feeder school it doesn't mean she only has that as her option. Yoill
apply like everyone else.

it sounds like option 1 is your favourite primary school, and option 2 has a good secondary option. I think your answer lies in the admissions data for this school - would she get in based on where you live now/hope to move to? If so I'd go with option 1 as she would then get into the option 2 secondary school

Option 2 all day long.

We were in a very similar position for Reception entry this year. Local first school was fine but the middle and high schools that followed it are not.

We chose a fantastic village first school about 3 miles away that is a feeder to by far the best secondary school in the area.

The village first school is in a very desirable location meaning there are hardly any catchment children as property is so expensive. I think in my DS’s class there are maybe 4 or 5 who live in catchment.

Virtually every other parent has chosen the school in part because it gains them access to the excellent secondary school. As the areas we live in is 3 tier yet the school we use is 2 tier, the LA state they always expect to admit all pupils from feeder schools. They recently increased the PAN of the secondary school by 20 to ensure the continuation of this.

We’re so pleased not to be at our local first school.