reassure me I'm not letting my DC down

[maxpower]

It's time for us to apply for a school place for our DD. She's fabulous little girl (ok I'm biased) but everyone comments on how bright and articulate she is.

There are 4 schools near where we live. 3 of them are only satsifactory according to ofsted. the 4th is rated as good, but is RC. We're not, so we'd struggle to get her in there.

There's a lovely school a bit further away that always gets massively over subscribed, so it'd be a miracle if she got in there.

We're not in a position to consider moving house so realistically, she's likely to be given a place in one of the 'satisfactory' schools.

Please tell me I'm not letting her down? It's really playing on my mind.

no, you aren't letting her down. and ofsted results really aren't the be-all and end-all

go and visit the schools, and choose the one you think feels nicest. there is a lot to be said for gut-feel IMO
likewise, there is a lot more to schooling than what is written by ofsed (incidentally are they all recent reports?)

i think it matters a huge deal what a child's parents are like, and the support they get outside of school- and in your case i think she's probably ok, because otherwise you wouldn't be worrying over this!

Thanks yesterday I needed that. I've seen the really nice one, but need to organise a visit to the one I think she's realistically going to be given a place at. I know that we don't get a choice as such, but it's such a huge responsibility and I want to give her the best possible start. Isn't being a parent fun....

I agree with everything thisisyesterday said.

I went thru similar worries with my dd1 two yeas ago, so I do feel for you.

I would also say that if your dd is bright (and despite your stated biased, you
really are best placed to know!) she'll thrive wherever you send her.

visit the schools

nemna do you mind me asking, how's your DD1 getting on? were your worries founded or is she doing well?

Agree with everything thisisyesterday says. Definitely go and visit them all - it might turn out you prefer one of the satisfactory ones to the outstanding!

There is one school in our town that is Ofsted outstanding and much in demand among the middle class families but I personally wouldn't choose it for my DC (even if we'd stood any chance of getting a place!) as I think it places too much emphasis on academic results and piles on the pressure even in reception. I was more concerned about finding a school where my DD would be really, truly, happy and free to be herself than a school that produces the best academic results. I think (well, hope!) that if a child is happy and confident then all the academic stuff falls into place later on.

Also, don't give up hope yet - we got a place for our DD at a school I didn't think we stood any chance of getting into - I'd only put it on our form as it was my dream school for her and I thought it was worth a shot. We had a horrible time as we originally didn't get a place and it felt very bleak for a while but it did all work out and she is now nearly one term in and is flying.

You are most certainly not letting her down - your support counts for everything, and having a mum who knows how fabulous she is gives her a great start. Good luck, it is a very stressful time but I am sure it will all work out for you and her.

ofsted, nofsted, f**kofsted; How can the opinions and observations of a couple of people looking at a school for a couple of days POSSIBLY know how that school works? Go with your gut instinct and bugger the league tables/reports; i am a great believer in the idea that if you have a child who is motivated and supported at home then it really does not matter which school they go to. Rant over.

Ofsted reports are a bundle of...crock...my DC's primary is rated as 'good' by ofsted, yet they brush bullying under the carpet, amongst other things, but when I moved here the 'gut feeling' wasn't right, I was just given no choice as nowhere else had space. Go by your gut feel, you are the parent, you know where YOUR DC will thrive, and where she wont. A school can be classed as 'only' satisfactory by ofsted (like my DC's previous primary) and yet they may take the time to make sure each child thrives, yet at an outstanding school, often they will actually send the 'difficult' children home on some pretext (I kid you not, my school does this, even my DS1's little RECEPTION age step brother was 'excluded' for the 2 days of the ofsted inspection for something extremely trivial yet the same school are refusing to investigate a serious assault against my own son) so that it doesn't affect their precious ofsted report. Go by your gut, Ofsted reports ONLY show what the school is like on 2 particular days of the school year..

I am of theOfsted reports are bullshit brigade.

I think that in Primary school the thing that matters is that dcs are happy.fit in with peers,and learn to some degree,without hot housing .

I would visit each school unannounced and go by the 'Feel' of theschool.This was my very uscientific criterion.

I think you get a feel of the school like this,and talking to other parents.I looked at 3 local schoolsand the 1 I chose did not have the best results but it was by far the most friendly and approachable.This may be bullshit but I felt that it was right for my dc.
9The school is rated good by ofsted standards but there is so much more to it like parental involvement which is massive and a friendly staff and ht and lots of support.

I would drop in unannounced and see how you aremet by staff and how your gut instinct reads the school.