would you be too concerned with ofsted reports, or would it be more important that the school had a good feel to it when you walked around it. Also is it better to choose a “good” school with big class sizes or an “ok” one with small class sizes. (Dd isn’t great with lots of people). And should I even be thinking about schools when I plan to HE for at least this next school year, and so much can change in a year! Would you try to live in a specific area just to get into the school, or just see what happens when the time is right?

Sorry that’s all a bit of a jumble, I just have so many things I’m thinking about since dh got his new job and with our upcoming move (see my post on house hunting). Thanks for any thoughts

Well, when we were looking to move, we purposely looked at houses near to the school we liked (based on OFSTED)...however, we couldn’t manage to find a house in that area so we ended up near to a school we weren’t going to choose. This was about a year before we had to apply. When the time came to apply we looked at both schools and the one closer to our house (which had the worse OFSTED report) was amazing compared to the one with the good ofsted report. In me eyes there was no contest. Next ofsted report the tables were turned and our school is highly sought after now.

What I’m trying to say is, firstly, ofsted reports aren’t always too reliable (sadly ofsted is mainly about paper work and policies and results and they don’t really see the pastoral care that the school offer - which in my book is far more important) and secondly, schools do turn around within the space of a year so I would wait until you are due to apply before making a decision.

In my experience with schools/pre-schools - I think you need to just have a good feel about the place or else you’ll be forever thinking you’d made a mistake. Happy children is far more important than good results and policies.

Good luck! Choosing schools really is difficult. x x x

Thanks Skye-Blu, your response has pretty much summed up what I was thinking about schools, especially since we are planning to HE for a bit first. Thank you for confirming my thoughts

Funny you should ask about Ofsted reports… Our DD moved schools recently, as we were not 100% happy with her old school. Nothing obvious wrong with it, academically speaking, but the place never seemed right for us. It’s difficult to put into words, but it’s like the place didn’t have soul. Now she goes to another school where there’s loads of art, music, crafts, and parents are always welcome, and it’s like night and day. Two weeks after we moved her, her old school was inspected, and it got an outstanding. The new school is ‘only’ good. We don’t regret the move one bit, on the contrary, we understand perfectly why they got the outstanding rating, it was all about ticking boxes and meeting targets, and keeping the kids quiet, not about what’s best for the kids or how they learn, or if they’re happy…
Visit the school and get a feel for the place, and talk with other parents, see what they think and compare notes. Good luck!

Same here too and the same thing happened as Greenieboo said, the school we said no to has just got outstanding. This is the school in our village so I have a lot of snooty comments from the parents about it, obviously they are proud and we didn’t choose that school. We did choose a school that I have to catch 4 buses a day for so choose your house wisely. I don’t mind doing it but it is exhausting and long for the relaxed days off of having pre-school age children.

I personally prefer small schools over big ones - especially where it is so small you have a range of ages in the classroom, that seems like more natural socialisation to me and the big ones raise up the little ones in terms of their socialisation.

Ofsted is always an interesting resource but it’s not the be all and end all. I looked at the reports for the local schools before we moved back from Spain and that helped me make my decision - the larger school also had 40% of the children on the special needs register which, as an ex-classroom assistant, suggests to me a culture of labelling - I’d bet a fair amount of those children “have” ADHD. There’s no way I’d put my child into that situation and it was a fairly easy statistic to pick out from the report that probably wouldn’t have been mentioned if I was being shown round the school by the head

When Freya was younger we looked round all the schools in the area we had moved to, having been told that we wouldn’t get her into the ‘best one’ as it was so popular and full.

We narrowed it down to two alternatives, and then let Freya decide which she would prefer, knowing that we were happy with both (even though neither were ‘outstanding’ with Ofsted). Both very friendly, a bit untidy, but with happy, busy kids.

Freya made her choice and was very happy at her new ‘school in the woods’!, and then two months later, we were told that a place was available at the ‘best school’ and would we like to look round. We duly went along, and were shown a spotless school with amazing facilities, and well-behaved children.

Then we looked more carefully, and saw the Art room that was mostly used for maths, a ‘Child of the Week’ chart, a sign telling the children that they must do what the staff tell them at all times, and - and this is what did it for us - a member of staff looking at all the paintings that the kids had done for a competition to have their painting as the school Christmas card, and telling the lady who was showing us round that ‘they’ll have to do them again - none of these are good enough’. I will never forget that! In fact, even DH hasn’t forgotten and that’s saying something!

In any event, Freya’s chosen school was good to outstanding by the time she was in Y6 due to the arrival of a brilliant and with-it headteacher.

I would go with what makes you and your children comfortable.

Not in the U.K so I can’t comment on ofsted.  Maddy goes to the school which is considered the best primary school locally.  It is a gaelscoil so it teaches all subjects through the Irish language.  Both these aspects attracted us but when we went to visit the school, we were sold.  I convinced it is because of the laid back atmosphere.  The children thrive in it.  The school is ran by 2 men, who both take time to get to know the parents & the children by name.  All the teachers & the principal are called by their first names & they say “muinteoir” (teacher) in front of the name for respect.  The one negative is the amount of homework they get but the positives out weigh it.  I just don’t put pressure on dd to complete her homework & we do no extra curricular as I don’t see them as necessary.

As greenieboo said really….I very much go with the feel of a place and I totally get the comment about whether the place has ‘soul’. Id look for happy, engaged children, who are actively learning rather than sitting facing a teacher who talks alot. Id also look for a community atmosphere where parents feel genuinely welcome. Meeting the head usually tells you everything you need to know! Green space would be important to me, and smaller class sizes would be nice but not my top priority if I otherwise liked the place. Look around them first and get a good feel for whats out there, and then check ofstead reports afterwards. I wouldnt want a highly academic school personally, because I think the arts/sports etc are just as important, but I equally I wouldnt be keen on a school in special measures. It is true a lot can change in a year, but as youre moving it might be wise to check schools of areas youre thinking of moving to. Sorry I havent seen your other thread so excuse the last part if its not relevant

Thanks everyone, that’s all really helpful Greeniboo - you hit the nail on the head - I would want a school with soul. MountainMama, that is my thought about smaller class sizes. Hmm, lots to think about, in whether we take schools into consideration too, although I guess when the time comes to consider them, if they are that bad we will just keep HE!

ofsted doesn’t measure children’s happiness, and in my opinion that is the most importnant factor to have !!!

Just a thought, schools are having their summer fetes around now. Certainly here they are open to the public and might be a way of getting a feel for a place if you can make it to them?