I am wrong?

[sereka]

I have the choice of 2 primary schools for a reception place for my daughter.

The first one is in a borough I use to live and then i also have a place at the borough that im currently living.

The first school is in a nice area,good reputation school. the second school which is nearest but still not walking distance is improving but in a deprived area and people have mixed views about it. Ofsted said good.
The first school i will have to get on the trains in the morinigs if i dont pass my driving test soon.
I went to visit for the parents day at each school. the first one the kids were polite and very friendly and it had a good feel. the second school was so disorganised. they were running around trying to find stuff when this evening was planned. 90% of the parents there could not speak english and all they seem interested in was their childs free school meal as they were on income support(sorry to cause any offense).

sorry to go on, but my question now is: would you choose a school that was far away for your reception starter. My DS is quite bubbly and bright not shy. i dont know if im being crazy but i will not feel like im doing the right thing by sending her to the school in this borough.

Any feedbacks welcomed

[rainbowfizz]

Friends of mine in RL say that the local school is always the best option regardless of the actual school!!!

Personally I will always travel for best school for my dc needs. My dd travels an 1hr and a half to school each way each day, and my ds travels 30minutes to school each way each day.

[annh]

I'm not entirely sure how you managed to get two school places but assume that you applied in the first borough, then moved to the second borough, applied there again and have been awarded a place in both? If that is the case, you are very likely not entitled to the first place on the grounds of distance so I'm not sure you should even consider it as when you provide your current address to the school they will surely tell you that you are not entitled to the place?

If you are in fact able to consider both places then it sounds as if the first school is the one to go for. The only negative you mention is having to get a train but you cannot walk to the second school either so that will also involve some form of transport (bus?).

[clam]

I can't think of any circumstances where you would be eligible for two school places, unless one of them (or both) is private.
How come?

[sereka]

Thanks for your responses. The reason why im eligible for two places is I applied in the first borough which I was living in. I then moved address and it was still within the admission deadline so applied in the current borough as well. At the time of allocation.I got a school in the first borough. they advised they will have to use my previous address i.e the adress i was at the time of the application.

The second borough did not offer me a place at all. its a bot complicated as even though i know i was moving i had to use my address in the first borough and hence was way outside catchment. they then had me on waiting list for my choice of schools.

On the second round of offers i got a place at a primary school that wasnt even on my list. thats how it works. obviously i will let them know i will nit be taking the place. also the ones in the first borough know i have moved house. they are fine though they did point out i should make sure i can get her there in the mornings.

They are not allowed to withdraw a place just cause youve moved house. furthermore the house in the first borough is still owned by my family. i just moved out.

hope this clarifies it. thanks

[titchy]

I'd willingly travel to get my kids into what I regarded as the better school without a doubt, so yes if you prefer the school in your original borough it is most definitely worth it IMO. They will lose out by it not being as easy to socialise with children locally but you can make up for this by sending them to local out of school activities. You can't (easily) make up for 7 years of crap primary deducation.

[smee]

sereka, sounds very much like you've made up your mind already ('i will not feel like im doing the right thing by sending her to the school in this borough.'), so go for the school you felt comfortable with.

Though have to say, your comments re: the parents of the non-English speakers and free school dinners, seemed a bit catch all to me. My son's at a school with a very high proportion of children who have English as a second language and I've never met a more motivated group of parents.