Changing schools - what to expect

[Sallyssss]

My daughter (age 5 yrs old) is moving schools as we have moved. She seems ok at the moment, but how did your little one cope? Any ideas on how to make it easier? Is there anything I need to keep an eye out for?

(Think I am more anxious that she is!)

[Strawberrycornetto]

My DD is also 5 and moved schools over half term. She has now done 2 days at the new school and seems really happy. No particular advice other than get into a normal pattern as quickly as possible. I hope she is ok.

[midnightexpress]

Sorry no advice but marking my place as we're considering a relocation, probably in the first year after ds1 starts school. The school thing is the one thing that is making me hesitate...Anyway, hope your DD settles well in her new school. I think they are pretty resilient at that age, generally.

[minko]

I'm interested too. We're moving over the summer holiday and the DCs start their new school in September. DD is 7 and DS nearly 4.

DD seems very happy about it, overly so if anything. Am worried how she will fit in with a bunch of girls who have been together for 3 years already. She likes to have one 'best friend' and will no doubt try and pick one off and monopolise her... or be heartbroken when this doesn't work out...

[beagle101]

We moved DD (age 5 and in reception) school last half term (the March half term). She was perfectly happy in her last school but we moved house.

I was in absolute bits about moving her as she was so happy but DD was really fine about it - she has settled really well in her new school - the kids were absolutely great and made a real effort for her - I think it was a bit of a novelty having a 'new girl' half way through the year and so for quite a few weeks everyone wanted to sit next to her etc so she felt super special! That has settled down now to just normal and although she still mentions her old school periodically it is not in any worrying way.

I aged about 10 years with the worry but she has been Miss Skip-into-school and really quite happy - I think alot of this is down to the school and her new class teacher as DD is not actually very good with change generally (hence the worry!).

A friend of mine also changed her DS in reception (also March half term) as they were havign a really tough time at her DS first school - it was awful! Her DS is also thriving and a changed boy.

I think in short kids generally are very resiliant as midnightexpress says!

[minko]

Oh, that's very reassuring to hear! Any tips as to what you might have done to help her along??

[beagle101]

Well our obvious guilt at moving the poor little thing mid-year meant that we treated her an awful lot during the first couple of weeks she got one of those hideous hamster go go things at the end of the first week - I am a sap!

But in all honesty I think the things that helped her most were the kids at her new school and the teachers - even the parents - when the children in her class told their parents they had a 'new girl' a couple of the mums sought me out at the school gate to give me invites for DD to a couple of upcoming parties so she woudn't miss out and would feel included!

We also talked to her about it alot and explained why we were moving her etc. Her old school is still fairly close (ie we haven't moved counties or anything!)so I made sure that her best friend from her old school still comes over to play every couple of weeks or so and she is really happy about that. We weren't sure if having her old friend over would be a good idea but it really does seem to make her feel happy that although things have changed there is still some continuity.

[minko]

I hope the kids and parents are as nice as that at our new school Beagle, they sound great! The treats idea is something I've been thinking about, mainly to assuage my guilt too!

We're moving 15 miles down the road so DD will still see old friends too.

[caffeinated]

I feel for you.

We moved ds1 at christmas. We moved house not too far but out of catchment and there was a place at the new local school coming up and after changing my mind at least 8000 times we decided to move him because he'd have to move after year 2 anyhow because we wouldn't have been in catchment for old school anymore and that'd mean moving him and his sibling also who starts reception this year.

It was traumatic for me. I honestly lost so much sleep about it.

He went to meet his new teacher before christmas and she was very casual about it she said at this age they are so fascinated by a new face that he'd be bombarded with new friends and they also have a buddy system for new kids at playtime and lunchtime to be sure they're not alone. I had visions of him being the only child alone in the playground so that really comforted me.

He wasn't even noticeably nervous on his first day and settled without any problems. I was amazed. Such a relief.

We invited all his new classmates to his birthday party and so it gave us the opportunity to get acquainted with parents too.

I definitely think the younger they are when they move the easier it for them.

Hope the transition is easy for both of you.

[bumpybecky]

dd1 moved twice in nursery & reception due to a house move then we weren't happy with the new school so moved her when a place came up at the final school

she adjusted well to moving but after a term at the final scahool she did ask when she was moving again! she thought it was normal to keep switching schools...

hope the change goes well for you

[midnightexpress]

These are all v encouraging stories. Can I hijack slightly and ask if it was easy to get your DC into a new school? If/when we move, it'll be from Scotland to SE England, so the systems are different, and we hear such horror stories about over-subscribed schools and so on in the SE.

[minko]

Depends where you go. You will be offered the nearest school - as the crow flies- with a place available. And that might be miles away.

We nearly moved to near Reading where it was no problem and were handed application forms at the schools. That fell through and we're now moving to west Surrey and that was harder - and we only had one school age child. You have the option to take the place that is offered and go on a waiting list for the school of your choice but you never know how long that might take.

If you phone the school or the education authority they can give you an idea of their availability/ waiting list.

Oh and obviously the better the school the harder it is to get into!

[caffeinated]

We were fortunate that we were moving a street away from the school so it bumped up to the top of the waiting list and a child was moving at christmas. Incredibly highly oversubscribed school 120 intake with 200 applicants for those places.

Had spoken to mother at school recently and when they moved her child was allocated a place at the nearest school with a place and was 4 miles away where her dd attended for 2 years before a place was available in our now local school.

[emy72]

Hello there
just to say that we moved our reception DD after the Easter break from a school she loved/was very popular. I was terrified as she also hates change.

To be hoenst she has been fine. She had one wobble in the second week as the novelty had worn out a little but like everyone else said, everyone was so fascinated by a new face and the school were great with her.

I don't have many tips actually apart from - don't worry, it will work out fine as they are very resilient at this age. Big hugs!!!