'Better' town or 'better' school?

[stickygotstuck]

We need to move. We like our current town but not our street.

We live semi-rually in small town A. The town is pleasant enough and has some services, a very limited bus service, but a decent train service, with a nearby village with a second station on a different line (important when you live rurally). Reasonable housing stock and you get a bit more house for your money.

The local secondary is OK. Ofsted rating is 'good'. It has 'required improvement in the past'. It's smallish - ar. 750 students. Reputation amongst locals is not unanimously good. But I know several kids who go there and both them and their parents are very happy with the school. I suspect that there is an element of snobbery as it's a more working class town - whatever that means.

Then there is another nearby small town, small town B, with another secondary.
I am not that keen on the town - fewer services, OK bus service, no train station. Not as pleasant (but bizarrely, better regarded locally). Very little choice of housing stock, more expensive than town A.

Their school's Ofsted is also 'good'. It has been 'outstanding' in the past. It's biggger - ar- 1500 students, and slightly more diverse, simply because it has a wider catchment and the majority children come from out of town. This one is very well regarded locally. It is a former grammar school, but currently it's just a comp that retains the name. I know kids who go there, both kids and parents happy.

I prefer school B, mostly on the grounds that it's larger and slightly more diverse (DC goes to small primary and we now consider that a mistake, so trying to get away from small schools if possible).
I prefer small town A to live in, DD has some friends here, goes to after school activities here, we know exactly what it's like to live in, and we could get a better house for our money.

The chances of DD getting to school B by staying in town A are very, very slim. That would be my ideal solution, unfortunatetly.

What would you do? Move or stay put? We need to make a decision and we are going round and round in circles!

I really wouldn't make any decision on the basis of an Ofsted rating.

Have a look round and go with your instinct.

But if your DD prefers a smaller school then I think you should be leaning towards that one.

Thanks Anna. Yes, I think visits are in order. I have been physically to both schools in the for some evening classes, but that's a long time ago.
We are definitely involving DD in the decision.

there is a certain insularity amongst many of the locals, for want of a better description. Difficult to explain, I wonder if anybody else feels similar about where they live?

One person's 'insularity' is another person's 'community'.
I know what you mean though. We used to have a very large employer near us. DD's school was the 'feeder' for this employer; they fell out of school and into a job without much effort. It was all a bit insular and didn't encourage inquisitiveness nor a broad mindset. Unsurprisingly, the employer has since folded.
However, it didn't hold back DD and her friends - they all went to University and are scattered to different locations now. Some of her cohort have stayed put - it all depends on the individual.

Thanks senua.

Yes, I must admit I don't do community very well. I'd like to like it but sadly, my experience has been that community soon turned to pettiness, nosiness and an 'us against them' mentality I have little time/inclination for.

Glad to hear that in your DD's case it didn't hold her back. I keep telling myself that home life makes a difference, but if the atmosphere is one of complacency /lack of curiosity that's hardly going to be encouraging for DD.

I do realise that I am projecting though...

How about staying in school/town A, and trying to sign up for extra-curricular activities in town B? I have a group of friends I met in uni who know each other from scouts, one has said he really felt he didn't fit in in his small and insular secondary school and meeting the others in scouts really broadened his opinion, influenced his decision on uni, etc etc. Things like that may be less strict about catchments, and a good way to ensure she's friends with different groups of people anyway.

Thanks reddress.

Town B doesn't have that much going on. DD does two long term activities at the moment, one in town A (where children form Town B and several villages go too) and one in a different, larger town at the weekends, so I guess that counts towards widening her circle and her experience.

I'd stay living in the town you like most.
I would investigate the exact entry criteria for school B - for example would living on one side of town A give you a greater chance?
Then apply with B top (worth a try even if unlikely) and A as second.
The worse that happens is you get school B.

But visit both schools first to see how they look and feel in practice. Lots of people I know actually prefer school C in my town whereas I was pretty desperate to not send my DC there but to school D; which some people don't like because it's "too big" or other reasons.

Thanks Beka.

Theoretically, it is possible for DD to get into school B, but it depends on how many other applicants there are who live closer to us. At the moment we are closer (just a tiny bit!) but this is the area we want to move out of. DD's is a high birth rate year, so I doubt half a mile would make a difference in this case.

We will apply for school B on the off chance though. Will go and visit both, but we are leaning towards staying in town A. Might as well move soon. DD is only in year 4 but we don't want to hang around much longer.

I wouldn't judge schools on ofsted. Instead look at results over several years - you can see how they do for low, medium and high attainers - decide which your DC is and how they perform for that type of child.

Also look at raw results - GCSEs, A Levels. Look at the kind of subjects taken to get a sense of their typical cohort - are they all taking academic GCSEs or mostly doing vocational stuff - think if it would suit your child. ALso look at X estimations after school - is the typical destination somewhere you can imagine might be suitable for your child in a few years......so basically look for a school which has a decent number of children of your child's ability or likely academic path, and one which does well for that type of child.

If you want more data, email the school and ask for it. Yes to visiting too but

If you do go for school A then would n't your DD have the option move to the larger school for sixth form?

Thank you Chocolate, those are very useful suggestions.

send, yes, I think that would be an option. But in any case the two schools work closely with each other and pupils can take some courses in the other school if theirs don't offer them. Although we are more concerned with everyday school life straight after primary, about the outlook of the place, and about DD feeling she is among (many) like-minded children.

In that case I think you need to go for school B and move to that location.
School A may be ok educationally but diversity and lack of insularity is a priority for you for early secondary and you already know that won't be happen there.
Of course that is with the proviso of you still liking school B once you visit it.

Difficult to choose between insularity for your schools or restriction of lifestyle from your location.
Although a school of 750 with mixing for classes when needed with the other larger school does n't sound that insular?

Going back to this idea of insularity ...

It really does depend on the person. From experience, I know that some people are happy with their lot and never leave their estate. This can have its upsides - it's great to have babysitters friends and family on your doorstep. Other people look outside a bit more: they go camping with scouts/brownies, they visit the big city for museums, they play away matches or tournaments and, when they get older, they roam the county going to far afield parties. It's a version of "we had to make our own fun."
The funny thing is, when both DC went to University they found that some of the most insular people were those from the biggest city (London) where everything was laid on and they had hardly moved outside the bubble of the M25. So, counter-intuitively, it can be that some people from larger communities are the insular ones.

You were right in your perception that "home life makes a difference." Trust your parenting. If you are questioning your actions then you are doing it right.

Thanks again, send and senua.

senua, I totally agree with you on the oddity that is that people from large cities can be more insular. I have noticed that. I come from a touristy small town, and I was alwyas taken aback by the attitude of many from great big cities. I guess the point comes when a place is so big for you that you need to find your own little 'island'. It boils down to the individual.

send, it is a difficult choice. Perhaps at the bottom of all the dithering is the fact that this whole area is a bit too quiet for me. Both towns A and B are small and far away. I suppose you could describe them as villages that have become dorm towns. Unfortunately, money and work mean we need to stay put. Also, DD likes continuity. Perhaps I shouldn't push the 'oh but you must make your own way, stand on your own two feet' idea, she'll hopefully get there by herself.

So you don't think 750 is not too small for a secondary school then? That's interesting (you can tell I am trying to talk myself into school A, can't you? ). I guess1500 (school B) is much larger than average though.

Staying in Town A is the easier, cheaper option. So if feels that we are not doing enough/the best for DD if we stay .

IMO year sizes of about 100-120 are not claustrophobic and in fact expand friendships as there is more chance of knowing most in a year group by Year 11.

Sixth form is another matter and whether larger is better depends on the DC including how much they want a change.
I agree with senua that you can influence and facilitate your DD's exposure to diversity and encouraging curiosity to compensate the downsides of smaller communities from 'country' living.