Its only geographical differences surely that make the difference from a failing school to a great school, isn't it? After all if you have disadvantaged children, *with parents who don't really care, then the school can only do so much, right? (*sorry, sorry, I was very ignorant at times)
What a shock I was in for!
As soon as I got pregnant I started obsessing about schools and when I just had the one child I was pretty sure I would be sending her to private school (number two daughter put paid to that idea though). Why private? Mainly results but not only do they excel in Sats/GCSE's/A'Levels but they actively encourage children to be competitive and goal orientated which in my humble opinion helps them to succeed later in life. Children have to realise that to get ahead in life they have to work hard for it and I would be devastated if my girls succumbed to the Jeremy Kyle generation.
Anyhow Private has gone out the window so my local primaries will have to do.... (joke)
First thing I did was ask around a bit, and the funny thing I discovered is that every parent thinks their school is THE BEST! EVER! regardless of ofstead, sats, locality etc etc... So I promptly disregarded peoples opinions
I then researched like a demented person (really I went like some obsessive nutter) I looked at Ofstead, sats, local council information, intakes, Googled the schools, Googled the head teachers, read all their newsletters, dissected their websites (I did stop short of following any teachers home). I even (I can't believe I am admitting this) yes I even checked birth rates for the year Amelia was born to see what our chances were for the over subscribed schools ( I told you I went BONKERS).
Eventually I narrowed it down to 4 schools, we looked around them and I was the annoying one who asked a million and one questions. Again funnily enough, I discovered from talking to other mums, that a head who I thought was fantastic, they didn't like and vice versa. Its obviously a very personal thing choosing schools.
We narrowed it down to the three but then of course you have to put them in order of preference and this is probably what surprised me the most. Two of the schools are very results driven and disciplined, whilst the third school felt.. well.. warm and fuzzy, nurturing... they even had chickens and an allotment for the children to look after. Not the sort of school I thought I would even consider but I really liked it and in all fairness their sats results were not much different than the other two schools. It's such a hard decision to make, do you go for the outstanding school that will push your child or the nurturing school that cares the utmost for child's well being?
Today is D Day and I have submitted my choices but I do have a niggling doubt that I haven't chosen right, that I may have chosen the right school on paper but maybe not the right school for my child, not even just Amelia but I also have to think about Isobel as well. Someone said to me, go with my gut but in reality my gut feeling school is in third place, so what does that say??
But if I changed my choices would I be happy then? No probably not...
And then we may not even get the school of our choice as they are oversubscribed... Argh
See.... I am going demented!!
I know I am in the fortunate position that all three of my local school choices are good schools and regardless of which school she gets into, I will be pleased (unless she doesn't get into any of them.... then, Panic). So I do thank my lucky stars and I feel for those that do not have good local schools.
Now its just a waiting game, roll on the 16th April when I will get put out of my misery.
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