Are we worrying too much about our son's schooling?

jackyann

Not too early, and here's my 2 penn'orth:
Don't look at private schools, you will be running to keep up with "extras" and the stress won't be worth the advantages.
Do go (yes, this early) and really look at your local schools. Walk in to make an appointment. It's not reasonable to expect to be shown round without an appointment, though some will, but just by calling in you will get a "feel", and can make an appointment to go back.
Do look carefully at what Ofsted actually says. I have spent a lot of time (sometimes working, sometimes living) in "deprived areas" and often find that the teaching and care is excellent in schools that care for children from difficult backgrounds. If there are enthusiastic & caring teachers, they will create space for your child to flourish.
You won't be the only worried parent - there will be other families for you to bond with!
For young children going to a school with the kind of kids you describe is not brilliant, but it's not that bad either. They will pick up words, or tell you about films that you would rather they didn't (tbh, that happens everywhere). They will usually be taught well enough & supervised well enough for it not to be too big a problem. They will also learn to sympathise with children who do not have the advantages they have.
You can make sure that they go to clubs, play sports, attend groups etc. outside of school and mix with other kids as well. You can talk about your own feelings about education and its importance as well.
By the time you are thinking about secondary school, you may have other options.

princessdon

Ofsted for deprived schools in my area are often higher than the affluent ones that get little if no extra funding.

In all honesty I'd advise this

1) look at historic admission numbers, appeals etc. if a school has 100 applications for 30 spaces then forget this if over a mile from catchment. Your local authority website will have all schools info.
2) select schools that are not full or just over the excessive applications
3) investigate their out of schools provision including after school activities like sports or maths club (childcare is important)
4) when you have your short list visit them. Look around, watch other children and their behaviour etc.


Many parents assume oversubscription where there are none and also some rule out provision on their doorstep without comparison.

Eg my child's primary school has 30 in each class (31 in my youngests as appeal overruled the decision). There are no teaching assistants and its a large class size , a school I used to "advise" at professionally had 12 in a class and 2 hlta workers too, so 1-4 ratio but many had social or behavioural issues.

Counting_Pennies_2

Have you checked with the Council what the catchment areas are for the schools. Being near to them or indeed far away might not mean a thing.

There are schools near us and we don't feature in the catchment

pollypenny

Another vote for moving to the catchment area for a good school, if feasible.

Although I agree it's parents who should instill good manners, schools play a part, and sometimes fight a losing battle in a rough area.

skintchick

Yes. Move to the catchment area of a school you like, as close as possible, and if you can;t get within a nile of it, look at your next favourite, and so on, till you find a school you like in an area you can afford.

I've just applied for my DD's school place. Our nearest school (which actually we didn't like but is well regarded) is about 1/4 of a mil from our house.

This current school year, a boy two doors up from us didn't get in. There were so many siblings that pretty much only people within 50 doors of the school got it. It can be that crazy.

Visit schools, read the reports, talk to heads and other parents, then move.

Or consider home education.

claire16c

I would move house. I'm not sure how you can afford a private school on just one wage & it won't just be the fees there will be extras.

gingin_2

My daughter goes to a state primary school in probably one of the most privileged areas socially and academically in the country and we are having huge problems. She's being bullied, cannot concentrate because there are a number of children with behavioural problems who obviously need more support than the school can provide. I'm weeks away from taking her out if it doesn't change.

The Ofsted will tell you here that the SATS results are above national average and the are fewer than average taking free school meals but the reality is whether a child comes from an affluent household or a poor household, they might still be a bully, come from a broken home, have ADHD, or other behavioural problems.

I would go on the gut feeling you get from the staff, see the school in action and most of all try and find someone who else's child is already there, even if it's a friend of a friend of a friend to give you an honest review.

newgirly

Hi, we moved area to get our eldest into a good school and it was the best thing we could have done. Is it possible to get your child a place at a nursery thats attached to a good school, as they often give priority to those children, even if you are out of the catchment area. However going down this route may mean getting on a waiting list now, our dd's nursery waiting list had babies of less than a year old on their list.

jackomdj

newgirly wrote: »

Hi, we moved area to get our eldest into a good school and it was the best thing we could have done. Is it possible to get your child a place at a nursery thats attached to a good school, as they often give priority to those children, even if you are out of the catchment area. However going down this route may mean getting on a waiting list now, our dd's nursery waiting list had babies of less than a year old on their list.

Think it depends on area as the allocation of a school place in our area is down to the council and has no bearing on your nursery or lists.

Personally I would find out your council's allocation criteria, probably on their web site, then based on this I would make your decision. Our school has something like children in care, catchment with siblings, catchment no siblings, out of catchment siblings, out of catchment no siblings. Then if needs be they do as the crow flies to a point at the school, ie if the year is full then the criteria which fills it will be closest people get in.

Good luck.

I also agree with not going the private route due to all the extra expenses.

Ms_Chocaholic

Are you currently renting or do you live in a mortgaged property.

Can you move to an area that has a good/better school?

You mention emigrating to Australia but surely they have problem areas there too and if you lived in a deprived area you would have the same sort of difficulties.

Just to add, if you are able to move into the catchment area of a good/better school, try and get as close as possible to the school as schools can often be over subscribed.

Also it is worth considering secondary schools if you are moving. I know your son hasn't even started primary school yet and a lot can change in the intervening period but I live in an area where our local secondary school is pretty dire and I think went into special measures at some point. What did I do. I moved to my siblings home to enable me to get my child into the better school. I am aware you can't do that nowadays as the LEAs are clamping down on this, but I got away with it then.