Schools and housebuying

PasturesNew

Dird wrote: »

I don't even have a girlfriend and yet I was discarding houses based on the likelihood of not getting into good high schools

They probably find you "too intense". My suggestion for first dates isn't to take them house-hunting and comparing OFSTED reports.

ed67812

PasturesNew wrote: »

They probably find you "too intense". My suggestion for first dates isn't to take them house-hunting and comparing OFSTED reports.

Very good
:T

jjlandlord

Don't forget the map and GPS to measure exact distances!

Davesnave

My experience is that many parents just rate schools on their academic results, rather than taking an overall view and giving sufficient weight to their child's character and abilities.

Most would plump for a grammar-school type education if they had the chance, but not all youngsters would get the best experience from that.

Some do think out of the box. For example, when I expressed surprise that she had chosen an OK middle-performing school for her gifted son, a parent told me, "They don't get too many like him, so he'll be well looked-after, and their pastoral care is excellent."

She wasn't wrong!

DRP

Hoploz wrote: »

Ofsted changed their method of inspecting in 2013 so many schools which performed well under the previous framework ended up doing badly under the new criteria. My area has great schools but a number have gone directly from Outstanding to Requires Improvement in one step. Every primary school within 3 miles of here is currently RI but it's a traditionally good area and the schools are fine - they are all now under constant scrutiny to get the bit of paper that says they're ok again.

A classic and transparent government (any govt!) ploy of moving the goalposts that crops up in all sectors from economic growth, hospitals, child poverty ... and especially schools.

Davesnave

Hoploz wrote: »

My area has great schools but a number have gone directly from Outstanding to Requires Improvement in one step. Every primary school within 3 miles of here is currently RI but it's a traditionally good area and the schools are fine - they are all now under constant scrutiny to get the bit of paper that says they're ok again.

Being 'fine' isn't good enough now.

Being 'fine' means that the staff relax a bit, so the school de-stresses and becomes a nice place to be. Teachers who are happy and secure may question the latest dogma and, heaven forbid, start to do their own thing.

That's not what governments want!

ViolaLass

jjlandlord wrote: »

Note also that good schools are usually in good areas, while poorly rated schools will usually be in (much) less attractive areas.
There is a very strong correlation.

Under the new system where 'coasting' schools will be told off (once the government have decided what 'coasting' means), this could affect schools anywhere. After all, if you get good results year after year, aren't you coasting?


If you're going to take the schools thing seriously, you have to visit them IMO. I have worked in schools that were 'good' but to which I would never send my daughter and I image it works vice versa too.

Mummyisbeauty

To be honest if you are moving based on catchment areas I'd also check the local council's website to see how places were allocated in the recent years. Not sure about anywhere else but I know in Solihull some school's whole intake for reception in 2015 were siblings so even if you live next door you won't get in.
Also near to where I live catchment areas are getting smaller as they are building more houses and knocking down schools to join two together (using the more expensive land to build housing) despite a baby boom in 2010 onwards that led to a problem with maternity care.

Absolutely barking IMO that there are now areas where you won't even get into your 'catchment area' school as you are too far away.
Councils knew this was coming but don't care.

Lungboy

I thought they'd abolished catchment areas for schools a while ago, precisely to try and stop people wanting (having?) to move to specific areas just for the schools.

Mummyisbeauty

Lungboy wrote: »

I thought they'd abolished catchment areas for schools a while ago, precisely to try and stop people wanting (having?) to move to specific areas just for the schools.

There's still catchment areas and places for most schools are still done on distance from school.