I have found with the whole reputation thing, that rarely anyone can back what they say with any concrete. A lot I have found it based on pure snobbery.

When we first moved here, DH was insistent the girls would go to a certain with a good rep. To this day, I cannot find out why is has a good rep. Yes, it has gorgeous old buildings, but it is overcrowded (due to the "good" rep), there is virtually no outdoor area as they have brought in relocatables. School pick and drop off is a nightmare. The school with the bad rep, once investigated, was not so bad after all (the problems of the past had moved on) and due to it not being popular, has fantastic student teacher ratios.

As someone who has been both to the good and bad school, I can say that the bad school was the best for me and then going to the good school just about ruined my education.

I go with the suggestion of checking out the schools, go with what you feel. At the end of the day, if you choose wrong, you can always change.