Poll: What was your top priority in choosing your child's school?

Thunder Bolt said:

I didn't get a choice when mine went to school, apart from choosing where you lived carefully.

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DavidinSouthampton said:

I think most sensible parents can see beyond or through OFSTED ratings. Apart from anything else, they are in danger of being out of date as soon as the inspection is finished, let alone a year later.

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maffew said:

Other
Ours was a mix. The ratio of white people vs other skin colours/ethnics, cost, affluence (what cars the parents have etc) and academic results

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maffew said:

Other
Ours was a mix. The ratio of white people vs other skin colours/ethnics, cost, affluence (what cars the parents have etc) and academic results

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Moshe Gariani said:

Pretty much this. I think Mrs G was also quite swayed by how well dressed the other Mums were picking up their kids

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Guinness Boy said:

Looking at your location you're in South Africa. What you haven't said is what the desired ratio of white people is. I'd be careful with that answer. But it makes a little more sense given the fact that areas are segregated naturally and the crime rate I guess. However....



Again I don't know what your desired ratio was but personally I'd like a decent mixture rather than a ghetto. One of the great things about my son's school is that there really are all sorts there. More white British than anything else but plenty of other races and nationalities, a few same sex couples and every car from brand new Audis to clapped out delivery vans. I think that's a well rounded mix for the personal and social side of education and another reason we've no desire to move our kids somewhere "posher"

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Guinness Boy said:

Looking at your location you're in South Africa. What you haven't said is what the desired ratio of white people is. I'd be careful with that answer. But it makes a little more sense given the fact that areas are segregated naturally and the crime rate I guess. However....



Again I don't know what your desired ratio was but personally I'd like a decent mixture rather than a ghetto. One of the great things about my son's school is that there really are all sorts there. More white British than anything else but plenty of other races and nationalities, a few same sex couples and every car from brand new Audis to clapped out delivery vans. I think that's a well rounded mix for the personal and social side of education and another reason we've no desire to move our kids somewhere "posher"

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maffew said:

Oh bugger that did not come across properly at all. OK re-reading my reason please bear with its the opposite to how it reads ......

So the area we live in is a very affluent area in SA. There are some very very exclusive schools which cost an awful lot of money and every child is white and the parents all drive range rovers etc, they breed the best sports teams and every year get the best grades and only learn on Ipads and most expats want to send their kids to these schools. My desired ratio is not the amount of White students but the amount of non White students and mixed culture. So my eldest is at a mid to better range school, half government, half private. There are sponsored Zulu kids there, a whole heap of Indian community who we celebrate Diwali with and some stuck up people but my daughter learns Africaans, Zulu, and English. Its a wonderful mixed school covering all walks

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Guinness Boy said:

Fair enough

I'd hoped that's what you meant but didn't quite want to judge having no experience of SA outside of watching cricket, rugby and the 2010 World Cup on telly!

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Gwylan said:

I don't think that's wholly true. Yes, there's little difference between Outstanding and Excellent, but we did check that the school wasn't in special measures and I think you're wrong to suggest that most parents wouldn't be concerned about that

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