How did you decide on a school

[Mrs Doddy]

What factors do i need to think about

Closest is walkable and esablished from 3-11 ofsted report done this year level 3 - ok not great on quality of teaching and moving kids on once they can do something to the next keel

School 2 not walkable or easy to park a bit out of my way- currently having new buildings to accommodate from 7-11 will be ready by sept - ofsted report 1, and 2 so good school

Have seen both and first impressions happy but what do I need to consider ?

 

[RachA]

It depends in what is important to you really.
For us we needed a school within walking distance as we only have one car, therefore anything further than 30min walking wasn't even looked it.
After that we looked at how Christian the school was. Whilst that was preferable we wouldn't of ruled out a school just because it wasn't church based.
After that came how happy the children are at the school. I knew various people with children at the schools we looked at so talked to them about their feelings on the happiness of the children.

The ofsted report and what schools the children moved on to actually came down pretty low on the list for me. I believe that if a child is happy and relaxed they will learn well anyway. Plus I wanted the first few years to be fairly relaxed as I think 4/5 is far too young to be starting at school anyway.


With Esther we are having to re look at schools as we need somewhere that will support and encourage her with her speech and language issues.
We have just been to visit one school and met with the head and deputy and it was interesting to hear the head say that most people visit schools with a whole list if things they want or don't want but when it comes to the decision they base it in their gut instinct and totally disregard their check list.

 

[hel_5]

For us we chose the local school (country school) (3 min drive rather than 15/20 mins) it's a lovely small school, DD1s class has 19 kids, it's a mixed school, but also it's close to home, we don't really know many people around here, but her school friends are all close, one day my car wouldn't start so I popped down to one of her friends house and they collected her for me and most importantly she is happy there, so are all the kids there, it just feels like a happy place to be xxx

 

[Mrs Doddy]

The closest one is better location wise, it's likely some of the kids from nursery will go there so she will feel better, they have a swimming pool there are mixed reviews from parents

The other one is difficult to get parked but I don't know anyone that goes there for their comments

I've always had it drummed into me that education is important and lo is soon really well at the moment for her age I wouldn't want this to slip

 

[lindseymw]

Originally we chose the 'best' school when I put down my options. Highest Ofsted scores out of all the primary schools in our town (5 to choose from), really nice School too. Unfortunately, we weren't offered a place as we are out of Catchment (slightly annoyed as there are many childrens that got in that live way out of our town). Joshua got in our 2nd choice.

 

[Racheldigger]

For us, it was the proximity that mattered: the village school is ten minutes' walk away, down public footpaths and a couple of very quiet roads, so when she's a bit older she'll be able to walk to and from school by herself, and run round to her school friends' houses, or bring her friends home, without the respective mummies and daddies having to set 'playdates' and transport children back and forth.

 

[JASMAK]

Here we dont get to choose except this: french or english, private or public. We did English and public, so it is the 'catchment school' which is a 5 minute walk....down the road, through the park, accross the street. I would have picked French public, but it would mean driving my kids to school everyday. Sometimes I wish I picked french though. Oh well. Maybe with my littlest who starts in two years.

 

[JakesMummy]

We were in the middle of two schoolS, one outstanding and one good. We applied for the good as it was easier to commute too, what with my youngest attending nursery there. Guess what? We didn't get it, and were offered our second choice, the outstanding.

The ofsted report isn't often "all that". Often schools which are level 2-3 Eric ste trying harder to improve, I chose the school I wanted that would be easier for us to get too. We are lucky in the sense that most schools around here are good.

But factors for me, were: distance, we like to walk to school. Often is the case that a lot of parents don't get their first choice so definitely put three choices, otherwise you can end up miles away!

 

[JakesMummy]

Sorry for typos, it's this damn phone!

 

[jenstar]

Closest school for me, even though we do have two cars it felt important to be able to walk easily. And we do.

The only other school we considered briefly is quite a bit further, but does offer breakfast and after school club at very cheap prices, and can collect and drop you child home for very reasonable prices too. We decided against, as we need more flexibility with childcare ie sometimes before 8am or after 6pm. So we're keeping with a flexible childminder.

 

[Yo_Yo]

I looked at the ofsted, and liked what I read. Luckily we were in the catchment area, and had a place.

For me, walking distance was an important factor too.

 

[alicecooper]

For me, ofsted report was the most important, second was distance

 

[Cat lady]

We visited 7 schools! The closest school to us has an outstanding at Ofsted but there are 500pupils! For me, that was way too many, so we went and looked around and I'm glad we did, it was awful, the kids were running riot and the teachers didn't know all of the children. They hardly did any sports, it was just way too big, I am sure within the next Ofsted inspection will see them losing their outstanding. This is the only one within catchment.
So although both my dh and I work full time, we decided to look at some village schools, we live right on the edge of the city so fairly lucky as it opens up some other options. So our first 2 choices are village schools, the classes are smaller and the teachers and the head teacher knows each child individually. They are both very sporty, which for our energetic little boy is important, we feel he needs space to be able to burn off energy before he can learn! It will take more effort getting him there and back but it is worth it for the correct education for him.
xxx

 

[LaDY]

We went first to look at schools with the best reputation...we also wanted a school near us however the closest one had poor ofsted reports and not a very good reputation. One thing i did learn however was that only because they had really good ofsted reports it didn't necessarily mean i liked the place...i liked a school which fel welcoming, homely and where the teachers felt approachable, also when i took my son around i wanted to see how they interacted with him...i think sometimes you just get the feel for a place iykwim...goodluck with it all! xx

 

[mummy2o]

When we picked DS's school we picked the one closest to my mum as she would pick him up after school and good Ofsted report etc, etc. But once he actually started attending the school its gone down hill in the 3 years he's been there. They had a new headmaster who really has no idea what he's doing. So we're currently trying to get him into a new school for the next school year. So just because it seems perfect at the time, it might change once your son starts, so don't be scared to fight for a new place later on.

 

[Dragonfly]

you dont get options like in England here. You choose the closest school and thats it schools here are all catholic or mixed. So I didnt have an in between choice, my area was all catholic. Closest as they work in catchments too. There are other schools in area but word of mouth they are not good.

 

[lindseymw]

you dont get options like in England here. You choose the closest school and thats it schools here are all catholic or mixed. So I didnt have an in between choice, my area was all catholic. Closest as they work in catchments too. There are other schools in area but word of mouth they are not good.

You don't get options here per se. In my town, there are 5 primary schools. In the application, you can choose 3 and state your reasons why you want to go to that School. You are not guaranteed to get in any. I put one Primary School as my first choice, has the best Ofsted, excellent facilities etc but was not in my catchment area. Joshua did not get in there! The rule of thumb is places offered in this order:

Catchment area
Out of catchment with siblings in school
Out of Catchment

I think Children in care may come first?

Once thing that annoyed the shit out of me was Joshua was not offered a place in the School but there are 20 pupils not even from the town that got places?! I know people in catchment area that did not get in due to lack of places.

Joshua was offered my second choice as we are in the catchment area.

 

[aimee-lou]

I didn't choose. I just put the catchment school as that is where his friends will all go, and it's close so we can walk there. Not a good school but makes sense as we are moving in either 2014 or 2015 so he's going to be moving schools then anyway. That place will be more important as we plan on staying there at least 5 years and his brothers will follow him up. Also need to keep secondary schools in mind as to me these are a bigger decision.

 

[Dragonfly]

you dont get options like in England here. You choose the closest school and thats it schools here are all catholic or mixed. So I didnt have an in between choice, my area was all catholic. Closest as they work in catchments too. There are other schools in area but word of mouth they are not good.

You don't get options here per se. In my town, there are 5 primary schools. In the application, you can choose 3 and state your reasons why you want to go to that School. You are not guaranteed to get in any. I put one Primary School as my first choice, has the best Ofsted, excellent facilities etc but was not in my catchment area. Joshua did not get in there! The rule of thumb is places offered in this order:

Catchment area
Out of catchment with siblings in school
Out of Catchment

I think Children in care may come first?

Once thing that annoyed the shit out of me was Joshua was not offered a place in the School but there are 20 pupils not even from the town that got places?! I know people in catchment area that did not get in due to lack of places.

Joshua was offered my second choice as we are in the catchment area.

That would be the same here. Although William was out of catchment area as the school is in another town but right beside us if you get me. I did look at admissions looks like no ones ever been turned down. Not a big area this probably thats why. Its a rural school. But on a road thats not even walkable but then no where out of my place has actually got a footpath.