local school or the better school.

Mimi_Arc_en_ciel

Sorry – it’s a longy

DD is 4 in Sept – Starts Infant school next year but i need to apply this year for her placement. We live in a small village – the local school falling into our catchment area. Now, we went and seen the local school and I wasn’t impressed (and neither was OH). We also went to see another school which is 7 miles away which we do like the look of.

The problem I’m faced with is this – My parents REALLY don’t want me to send DD to a school which is in another village – They’re worried about getting to and from there (esp in winter when the weather is bad as the villages get blocked off) plus if DD is ill etc it would be my parents who would need to fetch her as I would be at work (they live on the same street as the local school but do drive so it’s more of an inconvenience) and DD wouldn’t mix with the local village kids (as none of them go to the other school)

It doesn’t make a difference to me dropping and picking DD up from the other school – She goes to a private day nursery now where I can drop her off at 7:30am and they will take her to school and collect her until I finish work and pick her up at 16:30. If DD went to local school, I would have to either change my work hours to suit her or my parents would need to drop her off and collect her.

My heads telling me I should send her to the other school as it’s better academically but then I worry that she won’t interact with the “local” kids and it may cause problems when she’s older (I remember kids being horrible to other kids who went to a school outside the village!)

Local school ofsted report said Overall 3/5 (satisfactory), capacity for sustained improvement 3/5 (satisfactory) School needs to raise attainment in English and maths. Challenge pupils more rigorously, particularly those of high ability. Those pupils joining the Early Years Foundation Stage are well below nationally expected levels for their age. Rest of ofstead report was either a 2/3 – parents comments said bullying is an issue. Report was in 2010.

Other school report said Overall 1/5 (outstanding) effectiveness of Early Years 1/5 (outstanding) School needs to extend the new and outstanding assessment practises throughout the school. The rest of the ofstead report is all grade 1 (outstanding) There are no parent comments and the report was in 2009 (it now has a new head teacher who we got on with quite well)

I don’t know how I can explain it to my parents that the other school will be SO much better for DD. I know it seems daft – after writing this I KNOW I’m right in wanting DD to go to the other school. (Obv that’s if we get in – the other school IS out of our catchment area but head says if we apply early enough we should be fine (she said they’ve never turned a child away in past 3 years who has been out of catchment) I also know a lot of people will say it has nothing to do with my parents – but i look to them for a lot of guidance (DD is first child, have flump on the way – am terrified of messing up her education) Is anyone else having the local/better school debate ?

dehaani

What the hell kind of a name is DD?

silvercar

In my mind its a no brainer, you send your children to school for the education they receive. All the other stuff like playing with local children you can make an extra effort to make sure it happens at the weekend or holidays.

I can't believe you will be the only parent in your village making this choice. Go with the better school.

Amanda65

dehaani wrote: »

What the hell kind of a name is DD?

It stands for darling daughter but a bit rude if that was what she had called her daughter lol.


To OP, I think you need to bear in mind that schools can change quite quickly, for better or worse, when there is a change of Head or staff - all three of mine went to the local infant and junior schools and with only a 5 year gap between the eldest and youngest and the school had gone drastically downhill by the time the youngest left .

All I would say is ask lots of questions from other parents at both schools (OFSETD reports don't give the whole picture), watch the children coming out of school a couple of afternoons - do they look happy and as though they've had a good day? And don't be swayed by your parents but if you are relying on them for childcare, their thoughts should form part of the equation.

And finally, with mine now aged 20, 18 and 15, you will always question every decision you ever make about their education and feel guilty about something - it comes with the territory

Mimi_Arc_en_ciel

you havent seen the other parents in the village lol :rotfl:

I only know of 2 kids that have gone to an "outside" school in past 2 years and in the end their parents moved them back to local school (not sure why - trying to find out)

DD's nursery is near the other school so she will more than likely know most of her class when she does go up to infants so not too worried about her mixing.

dehanni - DD was better than CC :-P (amanda65 - ignore Dehanni, they're a troll lol see their other threads!)

I can see it from my parents view - the village we live in got snowed in last year and no one could get in/out - and that's their worry. My dad asked "what if you cant get the car out to go fetch her from school" to which i replied "i'll walk if i have to" lol

balletshoes

there was another thread here recently debating this -

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3205374

scooby088

I always say go with the local school, if the child is bright then she will shine through and do well. I for one would never move or travel less than a mile to take a child to school plus the extra cost and everything else mentioned.

Mimi_Arc_en_ciel

balletshoes wrote: »

there was another thread here recently debating this -

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3205374

ooo i didnt see this!! Must of been lurking elsewhere - THANKS!!

scooby088 wrote: »

I always say go with the local school, if the child is bright then she will shine through and do well. I for one would never move or travel less than a mile to take a child to school plus the extra cost and everything else mentioned.

Local school ofstead says they dont push the higher achievers enough lol definatley never move but the travel isnt any different to me (I'd still drop her off at the nursery and they would take her - its on my way to work)

DON79

Hi OP, I had the same issue with ds1 and we chose the better and further away school which means we drive to it rather than being able to walk. But I don't regret it at all - he loves it and is very happy there. Same situation - further away school is a 1 with ofsted and closest school was a 3 overall (4 in some areas!) so it was a no brainer for me really! Just to say though that the nearer school has now improved and they are continuing to improve.

peachyprice

Mimi_Arc_en_ciel wrote: »

I can see it from my parents view - the village we live in got snowed in last year and no one could get in/out - and that's their worry. My dad asked "what if you cant get the car out to go fetch her from school" to which i replied "i'll walk if i have to" lol

This is a moot point TBH.

If your village is snowed in the local school will be closed anyway because the teachers can't get in. If it snows while she's as school and your village is snowed in you will be on the 'other side' and will be able to get her, just means you would have to leave work early.

You can't even book a holiday based on the Brithish weather, it's sure as hell not a reason to choose a school

Oh, I chose my local school for my DD, she lasted there a term, after which I moved her to the school I really wanted. The positives of the further school far outweighed the negatives of the nearer school.

emsywoo123

scooby088 wrote: »

I always say go with the local school, if the child is bright then she will shine through and do well. I for one would never move or travel less than a mile to take a child to school plus the extra cost and everything else mentioned.

I for one totally disagree with this and would vote for the better school rather than where it is!!!!