Need a bit of reassurance about secondary school choice

[Zara110]

Ds got his first choice secondary school and we are elated as it’s usually very oversubscribed. But I’m having a bit of a panic that we’ve made the right choice.

There were 3 potential schools.

School A was first choice and the school he’s been offered. It’s the school that virtually every child from his primary are going to. It’s 1.5 miles away, a 30 minute walk and there is a public bus that goes more or less door to door. But I’ll be able to drop him and pick him up most of the time.

It’s always had an ok reputation, same headteacher for years. I’m just a bit worried that as most of the kids live very local it might isolate him from potential friendship groups and the whole walking with friends experience.

School B was second choice and is a fantastic school, very good academic results and in a lovely area, but it’s about 2 miles away and literally no one from primary would be going. Also a bit awkward to get to as no bus. We were in catchment though and it’s such a lovely nurturing school.

School C was third choice and is a 2 minute walk from our house. It’s got amazing facilities. However, it’s got a terrible reputation. There seems to be a new headteacher every few years, they turn the school around then leave and it all goes to shit again. I know a couple of teachers who have left and told me it’s horrendous.

But, they’ve just had yet another new headteacher every few and he’s come from an outstanding school, it’s got potential to be brilliant with the facilities they’ve got, plus, it’s so close. But again, no primary school friends.

If you’ve read that far thanks for reading. I think I just need reassurance that 1.5 miles isn’t too far. Ds is happy but he was tempted by the other schools for the benefits I have given.

I went with the school my children wanted to go to, that did happen to be my 1st choice too. If it’s his first choice too then I’m sure it’s the right decision.

Both have now left but they Walked the 1.5 miles each way to school every day in all weathers. I did drop them occasionally if it was heavy rain and I was off. It was good for them and they had their little groups that they formed walking home x

1.5 miles isn't that far for secondary school to be honest, and walking groups aren't that important for friendships. All ds's friends lived a bus or train ride away and he walked and that was fine.

You might well find you aren't wanted as a chauffeur too far into Y7, or you are asked to leave him round a corner!

1.5 miles is not far at all. It just seems a lot now because they are in primary but soon they will be doing the journey with no problem. From your description I’d have gone for your first choice too.

We have a similar situation but without the 3rd choice. We have outstanding oversubscribed school 1.8 miles away (so even further) where all primary friends are going because we were out of catchment feeder. Nobody from our area will be walking in that direction.

Our other option was 500m away but where she knows no one. School is just ok really. Nowhere near the reputation of the other one. It is known for having a very strict behaviour policy, lots of isolation and for things like removing your blazer without asking.

I left it up to DD because I think in this situation, there will be pros and cons of both. On the hard days, you don't want them to feel they were pushed into the 'wrong choice'. We've just said there is no bad choice here, there are pros and cons to both and go with your gut. She has opted for the one further away and will cycle. I'm secretly relieved !

Stick with school A. If it doesn’t work out in a year or two, sounds like school C may have space anyway.

Given that

1. the school your son's got into, has a much better reputation than the local school
2. your son has got into it (presumably not on priority crietera)

30 minutes is my son's walk to our nearest school. It isn't far, I mean I guess it might feel far if everyone else local opted for the nearest school or put the further school first, but failed to get a place. I think that's unlikely though, unless your son got in on priority criteria and none of his friends did so failed to get their first choice.

It’s always an anxious time and you are of course never going to know whether you have made the right decision until your DS has been in the school for at least a few months. However, from what are saying,
it sounds like you have made a good decision. A half hour walk is absolutely nothing - my DCs would have been overjoyed with that.

i would not consider primary school friends particularly because most kids seem to make new friends as secondary.

And actually, I also wouldn’t take him to school long term because it is very good for your DS to take responsibility for himself- indeed he’ll very likely enjoy it.

My dd has a 35-40 min walk; no bus available; I drop her a.m. in poor weather. We are also out on a limb despite being in a suburban catchment and there is no school closer than the 1.6 miles.

So for year 7 and 8 dd only had a choice of two girls to walk with; she disliked both so instead she met other friends half way. But in y9 she found some new friends who live nearby and now she walks with a group every day - it’s just the last 5-10 mins she is on her own.

It has not caused any problems at all - it only meant our house wasn’t the “hang out house” as we are too far from the rest of her friends

Thank you, school A was ds first choice but I think it was purely because of friends.

We took him to look around them all.

There were different bits he (and we) liked about each of them which I suppose is quite normal.

I know when I was growing up our closest school was at least 1.5 miles and it didn’t seem far at the time.

He did get in on distance only and it was 50/50 as we are always right on the end of the cut off distance. You do see a few children walking from our side though.