Choosing a secondary school with not much to choose from

[claretandamberforever]

How do you compare schools when one of the schools doesn't have a history to compare.

We live in an area where there are no decent high schools Both my DS's are baptised catholics and this gave them the guarantee of a place at the single sex catholic school which is around 2 miles away in a nice residential area. DS1 has completed his education there, did really well, got good results and has now gone into the mixed sex 6th form which is based at the girl's school. I feel kind of emotionally attached to a catholic education as I was raised and educated in catholic schools all my life and to press so have both DS's. (although I went to this girl's school and hated every minute of it, couldn't wait to leave so maybe this is clouding my judgement)

Unfortunately the final intake for single sex was this year's year 7's and the school will become mixed sex for next year's year 7's and for each year after that. So DS2 will be one of 135 boys in a school where the rest of the pupils are girls. Although DS1 is there for this year, for some stupid reason they are moving 6th form up to the boy's school for next year and that was my only reason for being happy to send DS2 there, as his brother would be around to keep an eye on him for the first year at school.

I have quite an uneasy feeling about it - I don't know why, I can't put my finger on it, I just don't like the girl's school building, I think the sports facilities are poor. I don't know whether the existing teachers at the boys and girls school will be teaching there, or whether it will be new teachers. I don't like the area the school is in, there is a massive secondary school next door and the kids there are known for bricking our school buses - and that's a bus of girls, so what will they be like when they know there are boys at the school.

However there are no real alternatives as far as established schools go. A Free school run by a charity opened up this September and I am planning to go and look around there. He may not get a place as he appears to be down in the bottom of the admission criteria. There is an open day but other than a website which isn't very informative there's not a right lot other information. I put a message on twitter asking if anyone knew anyone whose kids went there but didn't get a reply. Even if I did, the kids have only been in school for less than three weeks which is hardly enough time to form an opinion.

DS2 isn't as 'clever' as DS1 was at lessons. DS1 is (and always has been) very self motivated whereas DS2 needs pushing. I can see him being one of those kids left to his own devices because he's 'middle of the road' as happens at his primary school, because he's neither mega bright or in needs of lots of support he gets pretty much ignored.

I'm not looking for answers, I'm just hoping someone can give me some ideas to think about.

Well done if you got this far.

Have you been to look around? How does your DS feel?
Is it just that you hated the school and those feelings are returning?
Who is taking over as the overall head? Are many teacher's leaving?

Thanks for the replies

Tiggytape - I do understand about the catchment area and just have to hope as it's a brand new school that they might not be oversubscribed.

My older son won't be classed as a sibling as he is in the sixth form, which is a separate school in its own right (although it is based in the girl's school until next year when it moves to the boys).

DS2 can't go to the boy's school because all of next years year 7's (boys and girls) have to go to the new mixed school (also opening on the girl's school site). It's all very confusing. When he gets to year 10 he would then move up to the boy's school as the younger age groups are being educated on the girl site and the older ones on the boys once all the year groups are mixed. DS2 would be in year 11 before all the years are mixed. If you have chosen to have your child educated in a single sex school pre-2014, they are honouring that but unfortunately we're the cut off point. My nephew who was 11 on 27th August will get to be taught in the single sex boys school.

Mummy time - no, not been to look around yet. DS2 is scared of going from a small school to a big one (aren't they all) and he liked the sound of the free school. He was okay until he found out his brother won't be on site for his first year. DH is dead set against the free school as he doesn't see it as a 'proper school'.... No idea who the new head is going to be or the teachers - I will ask that at the open day.