Been given choice 2 - can I swap to choice 3?

[rainsbows]

choice 1 - 2 form infants only
Choice 2 - 3 form through primary
choice 3 - 2 form infants only

Weve been given choice 2 but I’m really panicking about how enormous it is. How do I try and move to choice 3?

We applied in this order based on distance. Birth rate means that according to the council website they offered 57/60 for choice 3.

You need to accept 2 (or you won't have a place anywhere) and go on the waiting list for 3.
That's all you can do.

Accept choice 2 and go on the waiting list for choice 3.

However I would actually encourage you to stick with choice 2. Your child won't be a tiny 4 year old for long and whilst it will seem enormous now it won't when they are actually there. Additionally a school going all the way through will give your child consistency and reduce the risk of them not moving to a juniors with their friends.

If school 3 had spaces, yes you can switch.

But echoing others, I think 3 form intake primary schools are the sweet spot between large enough to find friends and have facilities, but small enough for everyone to be known.

The larger school will also have more staff and probably more resources and expertise.
It’s an extra transition from an Infant to Junior school. Sometimes the Junior can have a very different ethos.
Transition to Secondary is less of a shock when moving from a larger primary. Just some things to consider.

Really? 630 pupils seems terrifying to me. I’m so worried he’ll never be known as an individual in a year group of 90.

We have accepted choice 2 on offer day but I’ve been agonising for two weeks

He will be no less of an individual in a year group of 90 than he would in a year group of 60. He will be in a class of 30 like he would at either of the other schools. I appreciate it seems daunting when they are 4 but honestly it really won't be a problem. We have several 4 and 5 form schools around here and they are all just as nurturing and inclusive as the tiny one form entry schools. Some are actually the most sought after in the area.

It’ll be fine, OP. A year group of 90 is not that big. Your DC will take it in their stride.

This is taking over my brain.

Option A - 3 minute drive, through school but huge (in my view)

Option B - 10 minute drive, infants only but lovely and small. Historically we wouldn’t get into the juniors from where we live but this low birth rate will obviously follow through.

Both have great wraparound etc.

DS is in an infant year group of 120 he's Y2 but when he joined in reception all the years above him were 150 5 form intake, it's been 4 form intake from his year onwards. The headmaster knows all of them by name. They also have great resources 2 full time TAs in each class etc there is an economy of scale. He also won't be bothered one bit by the transition to secondary

So the infant school is further away plus you cannot guarantee that they will get a place at the juniors?

I can't see why you wouldn't choose the through school that's closer.

It's normal to have a wobble, but you put option 2 above option 3 for a reason. Try to remember those reasons before you make a rash decision.

There are some big positives I see.

• not having to move again for juniors
• more local to you (if it's only a 3 minute drive I assume it's walkable if needed? This will be a huge positive when your child is in upper KS2 and wanting to walk themselves too and from school with their friends for greater independence.
• more scope for friendships
• an easier transition to secondary, if they're already use to a larger school.

A good school treats all their pupils as individuals, regardless of size. A child is no less of an individual at a large school than they are a smaller school. Class sizes will likely be similar, there will just be more classes. It's highly unlikely all the classes will be on the playground together. They usually have separate areas for different age groups.

Personally I'd stick with what you have. However, if you are sure you want to switch you'll need to be considered against anyone else who would now like a place after offer day. You wouldn't get preference because you originally applied for it as third choice. It sounds like they currently have 3 spaces, but they could be wanted by many so you'll just have to wait it out and see if you get a place.

Can you walk instead of a 3 minute drive?? That would be a huge plus point for me.

I agree with everyone else - the bigger through school is better. DC were at a single form
primaeyy and the transition to 210 kids in a year at secondary was horrendous.

Small is nice when they are little but can be claustrophobic when they are older. Also they gst used to o e school, then move to another...

Its 10 minute drive, plus morning traffic, plus finding parking, plus then walking to school

(We used to beat our neighbours who drove to school 5 minutes drive away walking due too all these extra factors!)

I agree with all the positives. It’s a 3 min drive but along a 50mph bypass so a 40 min walk.

Is the junior school linked, does it give priority to the infant school pupils?

If that's the case and especially if most children go from one to the other, I love separate infants and junior schools.

It does give priority but you also have to live in catchment for the juniors which we don’t - nor the infants! It’s just the low birth year that’s on our side.

I’d go with the bigger school too. There’s more scope to move classes if any issues between children. I agree it seems big when they start but by juniors one class can feel too small.

Interesting so many are saying the 3 form primary school.

Id have thought a two form infants would be much more nurturing and individualised.

I still can’t decide

The school I currently work at is the biggest school I've ever worked in, but also the most nurturing. Ofsted commented on the big family feel, and our pastoral team is second to none.

I've worked in much smaller schools too. The small school = more nurturing theory is is myth. It's school dependent. It's the staff and the ethos from up above which makes a nurturing environment and you can get that at any school (or not, as the case may be).

I advise you to visit both schools again if you're so torn but, honestly, I really would advise sticking with what you've got on the information you have provided. Your child will be fine. They'll soon settle in and will know no different in terms of the size of the school. That will be what primary school looks like, in their eyes, based on their experience. They won't even realise other schools may be smaller. You'll be glad of it when they don't have to move again at the end of Year 2, which can be unsettling. Also when they move to secondary school, where the size difference won't be such a big leap as it would if they attended a smaller school.

Do watch out though, if the school anticipate not being able to fill both classes fully they might start looking at ways to reduce their PAN to compensate. No school wants to run 2 three quarter empty classes while still paying out for 2 full time staff. They could look at combining classes, or even drastically going down to one form entry.

Thanks all. I think my head needed the airtime to really explore options but on reflection, we have got the best school - through primary.

It’s usually highly over subscribed (ie commonly 300-400 applications for 90 places), wonderful grounds, a feeder into the best secondary in the area. Yes it’s large but the low birth rate (literally only reason we got in!) means they’ll likely only be 26/27 in each class.