Which School should i pick? I only have 5 days to decide.....

louidog

If the Red school failed their OFSTED then that's the school to be at....they will get tip top help from the LEA from now on in with getting the school back up to the top!

Cherish999

beefcarrot wrote: »

Sometimes small is good for your children, but can the bigger school offer more to the children in terms of clubs, etc.
Chat to the parents of both schools if possible, look at the OFSTED report (with a pinch of salt and paying attention to how recently they were "got" -a lot can happen in a couple of years).

They both offer the same types of clubs and both offer swimming in year 2. All the parents at Green school are very happy, ive not heard a bad word. Red school 95% happy with the infant but all unhappy with the juniors. One parent said she had to teach her child fractions, as she was sent home with loads of homework and the teachers havent taught fractions yet! And the other day they did no work, it was a fun day apparently.

Red school does have more money, its a new building and they have own computer room. Green school doesnt.

sarymclary

As you have already placed your other child on the Green school's waiting list, I will assume that you have a preference already for this one. Logistically it sounds a bit of a nightmare, but as I have 4 children at 2 different schools, it can be done. I moved my 2 youngest children from a school that my older sons had been at since age 4 (so all toll about 8 years of history there) at the end of 3rd son's KS1, and end of DS4's reception year. I thought long and hard about it, and frankly was very disappointed with the performance and attitude of the KS2 teaching staff. The school was under a new headship, and desperately tried to get me to keep my sons there (for obvious reasons as my older 2 had gained places at the grammar by passing 11+ and attaining excellent SAT's).

It's been the best thing I could have done, and I lost many night's sleep worrying about doing it, and potentially making my 2 younger boys unhappy by taking them away from everything that was familiar and all their friends. They have excelled academically, especially the youngest who lacks concentration. The teaching staff are certainly on the ball, approachable and keen to see the children do well. The whole feel of the school is positive and friendly (unlike where they left, which was very much 'closed shop' and defensive).

They've made no end of new friends, are both extremely popular members of their year groups, and settled in really well. IMHO, KS2 is where so much of the important formative education takes place. If they don't get a good enough grounding here, then they can lack the enthusiasm and commitment to work hard in senior school. Unfortunately, with all the testing that the children have to endure these days, and with so much emphasis on getting the right results, we do have to bear it in mind, and making sure they are up to speed on the curriculum only eases the stresses of this.

A friend of mine regrets sending her daughter to a sub-standard junior and now senior school in a local village, and tried to move her last year without success. She's got predicted GCSE's of D's or ungraded at the moment, compared to my son's of B's andA/A*'s. She's not lacking intelligence, but her confidence is because the staff leave the kids to their own devices, but there is a history of teaching politics there, which have a knock-on effect.

Find out as much information as possible about this other school. Ask to do a tour, perhaps near the end of the school day, where you might get to meet some of the other mums milling around to have a quick chat with too. I think you're doing the right thing to consider an alternative, despite your older child already attending the Red School.

Good luck!

bestpud

Do you mean two classes of 30 children per year? And three at the red school? If so then they are both large schools. DD is in a class of 24 and that is years one and two - there is 15 in her year. I thought there was a limit on reception class sizes - is it as much as 30 children?

Anyway, it seems to me that your gut instinct is to go with the green school - simply because you are putting up strong barriers to any alternative suggestions. I think you have to go with this.

In my experience, smaller primary schools are better for less confident children and a lack of seperate dining room makes no difference to what they are able to do during the day. Teachers tend to have the clean up jobs well organised and it doesn't take long! I also think the building comes secondary to the teaching and other support available tbh.

Really though, I think you already know what you want to do.

It's hard being a parent isn't it?

Cherish999

bestpud wrote: »

Do you mean two classes of 30 children per year? And three at the red school? If so then they are both large schools. DD is in a class of 24 and that is years one and two - there is 15 in her year. I thought there was a limit on reception class sizes - is it as much as 30 children?

Anyway, it seems to me that your gut instinct is to go with the green school - simply because you are putting up strong barriers to any alternative suggestions. I think you have to go with this.

It's hard being a parent isn't it?

Yours indeed are small schools......

I do want to choose green school.....i feel like a traitor. I know stats results dont say it all, but i do feel primary school gives the grounding and secondary school will have formed an opinion based on which primary school you went to. If you get what i mean.

Its very hard being a parent but worth it.

Mollymop5

louidog wrote: »

If the Red school failed their OFSTED then that's the school to be at....they will get tip top help from the LEA from now on in with getting the school back up to the top!

I agree with this.My dd's school didn't get the best ofsted report but I know she is up to speed with where she should be.She loves school and I do alot of work with her at home.Go with your instincts.

bestpud

Cherish999 wrote: »

Yours indeed are small schools......

I do want to choose green school.....i feel like a traitor. I know stats results dont say it all, but i do feel primary school gives the grounding and secondary school will have formed an opinion based on which primary school you went to. If you get what i mean.

Its very hard being a parent but worth it.

I agree primary school is important, which is why we have chosen a different one for our younger child. I'm very happy I made that decision now. It will become an issue again at secondary time as we are not in the catchment but for now all is well. I just wish I'd gone with my instincts and done the same for my older children! I almost feel I've betrayed them by not wanting to send their little sister down the same route iyswim?

Yes, I suppose the schools you are talking about are as big as my dd's is small.

Cherish999

sarymclary wrote: »

As you have already placed your other child on the Green school's waiting list, I will assume that you have a preference already for this one. Logistically it sounds a bit of a nightmare, but as I have 4 children at 2 different schools, it can be done. I moved my 2 youngest children from a school that my older sons had been at since age 4 (so all toll about 8 years of history there) at the end of 3rd son's KS1, and end of DS4's reception year. I thought long and hard about it, and frankly was very disappointed with the performance and attitude of the KS2 teaching staff. The school was under a new headship, and desperately tried to get me to keep my sons there (for obvious reasons as my older 2 had gained places at the grammar by passing 11+ and attaining excellent SAT's).

It's been the best thing I could have done, and I lost many night's sleep worrying about doing it, and potentially making my 2 younger boys unhappy by taking them away from everything that was familiar and all their friends. They have excelled academically, especially the youngest who lacks concentration. The teaching staff are certainly on the ball, approachable and keen to see the children do well. The whole feel of the school is positive and friendly (unlike where they left, which was very much 'closed shop' and defensive).

I do prefer the green school. If this was my first child i wouldnt hesitate. However when i was placing first child the Red school was having its best year to date. Then it got a new head. However the new head has been there coming up to 3 years and the results are going further down.

Green school had just amalgamated with no results. Its only a while later i found old results, which were good much better then Red School.

My youngest i think needs a good school he def. lacks concentration.


Even the receptionist at Red School is miserable. One of my friend said on that basis she wont place her son there, she went in to collect a form and was greeted with hostility.

Im not happy with nursery teachers, but reception teacher been good, and the current teacher year 1 seems ok. Nursery teacher did a excercise on friendship cards, and let my child out with none. whilst one got 4. If i was the teacher i would of had extra cards made by the teachers so all children would of got one. or made them give to the person sitting on the right. Its not nice to get none, means no friends!

My youngest wont talk, only speaks one words. The nursery teacher makes him say milk please mrs XXX. He only speaks in one words! that a long sentence. Ive taught him milk p miss X. he just about manages it, dont sound like it, but can hear milk, else they dont give him a milk and he cries.

Speech theapist says, its wrong as its putting pressure on him. Like force feeding wont eat, you cant force them to eat. Will eat when ready.

Im gonna phone Green school up and get a tour. Then decide. If i dont like green school, i can move him back, as red school tends to have places. Having said that they probably wont, for his year!

I have juggled 2 schools 30mins apart, with 5 minutes spare. When i sent youngest to preschool. It was hard! he didnt have to walk tho, as in pram!

I want to have a number 3 soon too......life is easy if i go Red School, can even carry the baby there, im almost opposite it.