PearlPilot, may I suggest the 172, unless you've been in a 152 and still like it. If money is the reason why you are going with the 152 then I suggest you wait untill you can afford the 172. Plus most likely the instructors aren't going to want to train in them, I had an instructor who refused to fly the 152. I suggest you fly at least 2 times a week and it is VERY important to find an instructor who is available otherwise that 2 times a week is goint to turn into once every 10 days. You can ask the instructor but another way of knowing is to look at the schedules of instructors, when an instructor is booked from 9am-5pm for days that's the guy you stay away from even if that guys is the best instructor who has a 100% pass rate for all students. Trust me.

Secondly those rates are very overpriced. First the 152 should be around 70 or less not 80+. The instructor should be about 25-30, not more than that. You should be able to find an older 1977-80 model 172 plus the instructor for about 110. So your budget should be about 250 a week because maybe you might want to rent the headsets. I'd say go with that second school with no ground school because frankly you don't need to pay the instructor for that you can just do it on your own. Get that Jep private pilot book and the PPL written study guide and you're all set. If you do it 2 times a week or more you should be able to do it in less than 6 months. And remember to have fun! Sometimes it feels like you are so into learning/procedures that you forget to look at sights outside the plane!