School choice - parent or child?

[daughter]

I totally agree with eveyone that says parents should choose - I think a very important reason for this which hasn't been pointed out is that the parents then bear the responsibility of the decision. When occasionally a school doesn't work out it is a much more comfortable situation for the DC if the parent can say ... "sorry it didn't work out, my decision I take responsibility, I will now do all I can to make things right for you". For a DC to bear the responsibility of a decision that "goes wrong" could be a very big burden.

In the same way choosing Uni's has to be the responsiblity of the DC (now or nearly a DA) ...and the buck stops with them. With support from parents!

[P's mum]

My strategy was to investigate a far wider range of schools than I showed to my daughter. In the end I gave her a choice of three - I could see pros and cons to them all. She chose (as far as I can gather based on foolish childish reasons to do with the uniform although she also made some perceptive comments on the teaching/syllabus that I'd not spotted). It would now seem that she's in the 'ideal' school. Actually I suspect than any of them would have been 'ideal' - though different. Once there you take advantage of whatever the particular offer/strength of that school is.