Secondary school choice - quandry

[LisaEady]

DS just moved up to Y6 at small (150 pupils reception to Y6) RC school (although we're not RC), good discipline, shirt & tie for uniform.
2 possible secondary schools with a good chance of getting into either but just cannot decide

DS prefers local school - within easy walking distance (5-10 mins walk away) but big - annual Y7 intake 240 in 8 classes of 30. New build school v. nice but exam results not very good (below national average but one of the best locally), seemingly lax discipline, scruffy uniform of nasty looking polo shirt
vs
my preference -RC secondary school in neighbouring borough that is linked to current primary school. smaller school annual Y7 intake 130 in 5 classes of 26. much better exam results, "proper uniform" with shirt tie and blazer but old building and a school bus ride (15 mins) away from home - too far to walk.

current Y6 pupils likely to be split between both schools

finding it difficult to choose as I know Ds really wants to go to the local school but I want him to go to the one that offers the best education but I don't want him to be miserable there for 5 years.

DS is outgoing and makes friends easily and has friends from Cubs and Rugby so not too worried about that

Just need some help in making that decision. Any thoughts?

15 minutes on the bus is nothing - go for the better school.

agree,...go for the better school, 15 mins is nothing... my ds1 travels 45mins each way on coach..
but have you checked the admissions criteria carefully? will you get a place a secondary not being a practicing RC?

Can I respectfully suggest that the uniform should be so far down on your list of criteria it barely registers?

^^^ this

Sorry to sound rude but it's sounds like such a ridiculous comparison. I didn't even finish reading school 2 and saw it as the no brainer choice. The bigger question I ask myself is why you and your ds don't share the same values at his age? Why is he so keen to join a rough school that doesn't perform well and lacks discipline?

Unhappy for 5 years? He'll get over it. 15min is nothing and not even worth a mention either.

Dont beat the poor woman up. She is just asking for advice.

Having said that, I agree with everyone else. The RC school sounds much better. Take your DS to the open evenings and hopefully he will like it as much as you do.

The question I would ask is whether you have visited either school?
If you have not then you need to, because you might have your mind changed by what you see and hear.
If you have visited and the comments are based on this, then I think you need to dig deeper into why the local school is your son's preference. It could be typical male laziness taking the easy option or there could be another more fundamental reason. If it is more fundamental then you need to find out and decide whether it is a valid reason.
I would also have to say that you don't comment on your son's educational standards and you need to be sure that your decision is not based on every parent's belief that their child is capable of more than is realistic. Is the local school more appropriate for you son's education than the catholic school or vice versa?

All I have to add is don't be swayed by old vs new buildings, unless the old ones are falling down!

Will the coach journey be free?

I wouldn't send my child to a rc school it i wasn't as i always think that is weird.

Age of building doesn't even remotely matter.

What makes you think the local school has lack discipline? Im wondering if you are assuming that based on the kids scruffy uniform. Its not their fault if the uniform isn't as smart.

Children at the age of ten are not equipped to make this sort of decision. I really am amazed at the amount of people who do what their child prefers! How can they possibly have the experience to know what going to a certain type of school can mean when they his late teens/early 20s. Then the parent gets the blame for allowing the child to decide!

15 minutes by bus is nothing.