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Closest school or best school

wobblegobble
Posts: 148 Forumite
Primary school dilemma. We live on a modern estate and our son unfortunately didn't get accepted at our closest school (We are in the catchment area but on the edge and we knew it would be 50/50). He has however been been accepted at an excellent village school about 5 minutes drive away. In many respects this is a better school (smaller, more friendly, feeder school for an excellent secondary school etc etc).
We are on the waiting list for the local school and might eventually get accepted there but we are now considering opting for the village school anyway even if he does get a place eventually at our local school.
The main sticking point is that most of his friends on the estate have been accepted at the local school and going to the village school will mean having to make new friends etc. Also practically he could possibly cycle/walk to the local school when he is older (it's about a mile away) whereas we would have to pick him up at the other school (we do know other people who could help out on the odd occassion where my wife would not be able to pick him up)
Any advice please? Our head says go for the better village school further away, but heart says opt for the local school where all his (current) friends go.
We are on the waiting list for the local school and might eventually get accepted there but we are now considering opting for the village school anyway even if he does get a place eventually at our local school.
The main sticking point is that most of his friends on the estate have been accepted at the local school and going to the village school will mean having to make new friends etc. Also practically he could possibly cycle/walk to the local school when he is older (it's about a mile away) whereas we would have to pick him up at the other school (we do know other people who could help out on the odd occassion where my wife would not be able to pick him up)
Any advice please? Our head says go for the better village school further away, but heart says opt for the local school where all his (current) friends go.
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My two (age 5 & 8) go to a school quite a distance from where we live, instead of the school a minute's walk away, simply because we wanted them to go to a welsh medium school (and luckily it does happen to be the best school in town too :-)). Also the nearest school is a Church in Wales school which I'm not massively comfortable with anyway.
As it happens, the two children who are living next door with their great grandmother at the moment, go to the catholic primary which is slightly further away again. Despite the fact they go to different schools the four of them get on like a house on fire, and it isn't an issue.
DD also has friends from her school and other schools through cheerleading and gymnastics, and DS is a very sociable little soul who will just march up to other kids in the park for instance and join in with their games. So although it did cross my mind that there are no children from their school nearby, it's not been an issue at all.
It's also a really big school (550+) so when they go up to comp they're at a distinct advantage because around 60+ from that school to go the welsh comp every year, so they don't have to worry about fitting in and making new friends.
JxxAnd it looks like we made it once again
Yes it looks like we made it to the end0 -
Personally, I'd go for the better school.
When my DD started primary school she didn't go to the catchment area one, she went to the next one over (much better school, and had been recommended to me by my neighbours). At that time, only her and one other family in the street's children went to that school, the other kids in the street went to yet another school (we have 3 primaries all within half a mile of home). They still all remained friends, played in each others gardens etc, and they've continued to do this over the years. Things change anyway- now almost every child starting school in our street goes to my daughters school.
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Depends on whether you have any transport issues. We currently use a nursery school some distance away and plan to use a junior school in that location. It means driving *all* the time - for school and playdates. If you feel able to do this, then go for the better school. (I really can't say at this point if the endless school run will become a major drag after a few years!) If his social interaction is a concern/issue (and will be hindered by transport issues) then go for the nearby school. Alternatively, a good compromise might be the better/further away school and joining one or two local activity groups (and thus acquiring some new local friends).
Remember, even if he went to the local school, his little chums might leave if their parents moved away. He has a reasonable likelihood of needing to make a few new friends at some point during his school life!0 -
Deffo I'd go for the better school
Transport/practicality issues last for the few years he attends the school and friendships at that age are transient. Poor education lasts a lifetime0 -
Definitely the better school.
My DD doesn't go to the nearest school, she went there for one term in reception then we moved her to the next nearest school. She has loads of friends, some that live locally and go to her school, some that go to her school but live nearer it and some that go to different schools that live locally. Lots of themare going to end up at the same secondary school anyway.Accept your past without regret, handle your present with confidence and face your future without fear0 -
I'm a teacher and a parent, and my view in both roles is go for the better school. (assuming you can manage the transport issue) Neither of my children go to their local school (for different reasons). They will make friends whichever school they are at, and in my experience my daughter is friends, both with pupils from her school and children who live more locally. The down side is there is more transporting them around involved, but in our case the benefits seriously outweigh this.0
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I wanted the nearer school for mine. I wanted them to make local friends that they could when older knock on the door and ask to play, and that they could start to walk to and from school with when they went from being accompanied by a parent to walking 'by themselves'. I find that the children in my village, and even on my street that have gone to the school in the next village, you just don't come across, they are not at the local brownies, beavers, cubs, dance classes or church groups. You don't even come across them playing in the local park. I can only guess that they do these activites in the village where the school they attend is because that is where their friends are.
How much better is the other school? If we are talking one is outstanding against the other being in special measures, then I would also be wanting the further away place. If we are talking only marginally so, then remember that things can change for better or worse within a few years at either place.
Have you also taken into account what has better childcare facilities if you work or intend to in the future? Not jsut if the school(s) have breakfast/after school or holiday clubs but if childminders pick up/drop off at them.0 -
Forget which scores best on paper but which did you like best when you looked round. Whose ethos suited your son best?Cogito ergo sum. Google it you lazy sod !!0
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There's two options in our village. There's an infants school and a junior school which are on separate sites with about 10 mins walk between them, or you can go to the Catholic primary school where they're all in the same building from 4-11.
There are various options with secondary schools with the Catholic one 12 miles away, nearest one 3 miles away, and two different ones in our nearest town about 4-5 miles away.
There's a selection of children in our street and surrounding area. They all go to different schools but they all still mix well in the street and play nice together.
My eldest has always been good friends with a boy two doors away who is six months older than him, so they've played together since they were toddlers. He went to the infant, juniors and nearest secondary school, but I sent mine to the Catholic primary and Catholic secondary. Even though they are apart in school, they are still good friends and see each other out of school. They also mix with each others school friends and have made new friends that way.Here I go again on my own....0 -
Excellent replies thanks to all. Both schools have very good OFSTED reports so in that respect it is marginal. The village school had a better "feel" for us though and seemed more friendly (180 pupils - one class per year group vs 450 pupils two classes per year group) hence the dillema.
Also the secondary schools in our area are not very good and the fact that the village school is a linked feeder school for a very good secondary school is another important factor for us.0
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