I'm also a bit different to most parents in that I think that choosing a good primary school is more important than a high school. Your child's attitude to school/learning will be "set" in the primary years. If they get off to a bad start it's going to have a deeper impression. It's harder to fix a damaged impression of school when you get to high school. If they don't love being at school when they are young it's not going to change much by the time they get to high school. I don't mean to add to the pressure... I just don't think it's wise to say "it doesn't matter what primary school they attend... I'll make sure they go to a good high school".
I personally think that the parent's attitude towards learning and how they encourage that in the home has a lot to do with how well the children respond to learning at school. I agree that location and community has an impact on how happy a child will be at school - ie can they go over to friend's houses after school rather than be in after school care waiting to be picked up. I also think that being able to walk to school is not something to be taken lightly in the current economic and climate situation.
Luckily our local primary school has had good reports so it's a no-brainer for us. DD will go there with her friends and continue the bonds they have made at childcare and playgroup. If the local public school is good then I would definitely consider it. I went to the local (rough & bad rep) primary school but my mother was a teacher and instilled a positive attitude to learning in me. I ended up going to a private secondary school but only on a full scholarship. I guess I am a good example of how a child can achieve regardless of what sort of school they go to.
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