For those with school age children :) When picking a school what do you look at?
1. Ofsted Rating?
2. The academic rating/percentage/ achievement of pupils?
3. Location?
4. Atmosphere of the school
5. If your child has gone to the nursery attached to the school and had friends moving up within the same school?
School fees Having an intense debate on Facebook about school fees for public school. I'm in the "stop whining about school fees and stop having kids if you can't afford them" camp and there is the other camp of "free school is a constitutional right! It's bull s*** we have to pay anything at all".
graduate What year did you graduate high school?
I’m thinking of pull my daughter from her school and into home school because of the sex Ed coming to her school. How is home schooling.?
Ashleigh·
All 😂
Beth ··
Мама дочки (3 года)
Yeah the schools I’m looking at have all the same rating :)
There’s a school about 5 mins from my house
But the nursery Maya goes to is attached to a school... it’s a 20 min walk :) so if I did send her to the school there would be no change in distance :)
But my thought is that she’s made quite a few friends in nursery and I’m school most will move up to reception within the school... so my heart is tied
I don’t exactly want to split her up from friends! She has this one best friend in nursery she doesn’t stop going on about her and they are literally attached to the hip! Maybe I’ll chat to her mum and see what her decision is. I mean she can always make new friends! But I can see her being friends with this girl for years to come! Would hate to split them xx
Jessica-Louise ·
Мама троих детей
Location for me I did look at the ofsted reports but mostly location schools are schools to me x
Kate Bodell·
Personally I don’t think ofsted or academic ratings have anything to do with it for me. Our school doesn’t have great ofsted reports, always “needs improvement” and the academic ratings are slightly below average (though we do have quite a few statemented children)
Despite this Ellis is way way above the national expected standard for his age group.
I’m a school governor and one thing we’ve been looking at is if children have been maintaining standards. This is something ofsted doesn’t take into account.
A school gives and it’s what you and your child take out of it that counts. There are no “bad”’teachers. It’s all about the support they receive at home and the effort they are able to put in.
Kate Bodell··
@beebeejgill, my mum is a teacher and she’s been a governor for other school previously and she says the same. Look at location over everything. The easier the school is to get to, the less stressful her day will start x
Beth ··
Мама дочки (3 года)
Yeah there’s a school 5 mins from my house :) the nursery she attends is attached to one primary I’m looking at :)
So there won’t be much change in routine :) instead of walking to the back of the building I’ll be taking her to the front :) she’s also had a feel for the school as the nursery often take them into the big playground etc :)
My thought is that I should send her where she is already comfortable, her best friend from nursery is likely to move up into the school! I think she would honestly be heart broken if they got separated! They are attached to the hip! And when they see each other a mile away they both run towards each other and hug! It’s just too cute! X
Kate Bodell··
I’d put that one down as your first choice then if you know she will be happy there.
Genevieve ·
Number of pupils!
My son went to reception at an outstanding (Ofsted) school. They had 90 children in reception split between 3 classes. It was near where we lived at the time. He was a number. No one ever really knew him and I feel he was forgotten about.
Mid reception we moved areas.
For the start of year 1 we moved him to a closer school (not for distance as that wasn’t out priority) that had been rated inadequate by Ofsted. They had been taken over by an academy and changes had been made. There were 19 children in his year 1 class. It was much better for him. He developed so much more. Not just academically but in confidence and personality. It was the best move we made.
Sara-Louise·
It mostly came down to location for us. It's not the nearest. We have a school literally around the corner. Less than 2mins walk. The school we went for is a 15/20mins walk. But closer to my work. Which is where I am Monday to Friday. It also has linkes to our breakfast & after school club so it makes taking Morgan & picking him up easier. I did go visit both schools & had a lot of parents opinions on both of them as well. Working at the nursery we had a few that had children there. I'd suggest going & visiting them & just go with what one feels right. And best for your situation. When I was a kid we got sent to the nearest school for convenience & that was that lol
Sara-Louise·
I personally wouldn't decide on a school solely based on friends. 1. She's young, she'll make a ton of new friends. 2. They possibly won't stay friends anyway. There's too many factors you can't predict. Getting in the same school in the first place. Being in a different class. Even if they are children make new friends as they get older & friends change. Who Morgan moved up with he doesn't play with now which I found sad as they went through nursery together from 15months! They may stay friends regardless of schools & classes. You just never know lol
Beth ··
Мама дочки (3 года)
Yeah I get that :) still pulls my heart strings though because they are attached to the hip currently ha!
I’m not sure what school her mum will pick :) but yeah :) The nursery Maya goes to is already attached to the school so Maya knows the school essentially already and it won’t be such a big change for her in terms of routine :) she knows the journey :) and will say Mummy are we going to nursery?
Also I went to the play centre at the school so I know the school also! My mum was great friends with the former headteacher (which I still see)
There’s a lot factoring in :) Location is good, ofsted is good :) xx
Beth ··
Мама дочки (3 года)
But the second school is literally on my doorstep 😊 so it’s very convenient xx