It is true. Time really does go really quickly and I can't believe that we are now faced with choosing which school to send Isabella to.
We have a couple of months to decide and we are very lucky as we are in catchment for a good school, and there are at three more schools nearby that are considered to be very good.
However, deciding which school to put down as first, second and third choice is going to be tough. The school admissions operates on an equal preference system whereby you aren't disadvantaged at getting into a school just because you didn't put it as your first choice.
I wholeheartedly believe that the best school for your child is the nearest one so that your child can walk to school and easily visit friends. However that doesn't mean other factors don't come into play.
I visited a lovely school today which is out of catchment and too far for Isabella to walk, but a short car journey. It ticked all the boxes except being close enough to walk to. I now have my benchmark against which the other schools on our list have to beat.
I have two more appointments next week but they will have a tough act to follow.
It is easy to get very stressed. The school that your children attends is so important, from what they end up learning to the friends that she will or wont make.
We are lucky to live in an area where generally the schools are thought to be quite good, but that doesn't stop it feeling like a very important life changing decision that has to be made.