To ask for positive school move stories

[Kiddiewinks2008]

We are planning on moving to a new part of the country later in the year to get on the property ladder.
DS is 8 and will be in Yr 4 by then and DD just about to start reception.
Am not worried about DD as she is little and will be fine as will only have done a term in school.
Am REALLY worried about DS though- he has lovely friends and enjoys school and is happy.
Aibu to ask for positive stories abour children moving schools at 8 as am so worried about the impact on him- hes a sensitive soul too

[araiba]

i moved school aged 8 or 9

it was fine

[ClarkL]

I moved schools continually as a forces child and whilst it did me no harm I said my children wouldnt always be the new kid like me... then life got in the way!
We moved to where my husbands business was, when we daughter was year 4, then because the school was so rubbish (new area there's only so much you can tell from a walk around) we pulled her out and she started a new one in year 5.
Moving schools doesn't harm children, and actually it does them good to make new friends and have new experiences. Encourage your son to write to his old school friends and make one or two pen pals as well to help with skills like writing

[elQuintoConyo]

Nah, one move at aged 8 will be fine.

I was also a forces child and had attended 9 schools by the age of 11. That wasn't much fun! But children settle quickly and penfriends are great (if it isn't all chatsnap and whatsapp these days?).

[Alwayschanging1]

Moved both of mine at the start of Y3.
One wanted to move. The other was in floods of tears and distraught.
Both settled into their new schools very quickly - it will be upsetting at the time, but in a week or two everything will be fine.

[libertygirl]

We're about to do the same with our daughter in a month. She will be going into Year 3 and will be 8. I'm dreading it as she is really upset about it one day and excited the next. I'll be interested to read positive stories too.

[HereIAm20]

Our son moved to an entirely different school at that age and now aged 14 doesn't even remember going to his first school! they get over it and move on to new friends very quickly at that age. He just changed schools again last September (year9) and was only one from his old school. That has been fine too.

[Princesspeach1980]

We moved at the start of this school year, ds1 moving into year 4, ds2 into year 2. Wasn't worried about ds2 but was hugely worried about ds1 as he loved his old school and had a lovely group of friends. He's also really shy and sensitive.

We found it really helped that we were able to move at the start of the school year (meant driving an hour to school for a month until the new house completed).

Ds1 has LOVED it from day 1 and we've never looked back. He went to the transition day in the July and met a couple of friends so he had familiar faces on his first day, and now has a lovely little social group, I would say closer friends than at his old school. He adores his teacher too.

I would see if your DS can go and spend a morning in his new class (if travel distance allows), his old school can give him time off for this. I also found out things his new school offered like an allotment, forest school sessions etc, and used them as a selling point when talking about it. Same with after school clubs.

I would fully expect your DS to be sad about leaving his old school, and nervous about the new school but that passed in no time for us.

The only thing that's been difficult is me getting to know the other parents, which has then proved tricky when DS wants to invite friends for tea etc. I've joined the PTA though and volunteer for lots of stuff so slowly getting there. Otherwise all very positive and I'm glad we did it.

[alleypalley]

That's exactly the ages my two were when we moved. Youngest was fine, eldest was a bit anxious about it but actually settled in really well and made good friends quite quickly. She actually spent the last 2 terms of year 4 in another school and then at the start of year 5 she got a place at the school nearest to us that we wanted, and even with 2 moves close together she was fine. School work didn't suffer at all.

[jellyfrizz]

My children have moved schools (and countries) twice in primary and seem to be fine. They've still got friends from their old schools who they keep in touch with and have made lots of friends in their new schools.
There were a few moments of missing old friends and places but then I do too and I'm a grown up.
We have promised them we won't move again though until they've finished their A levels (itchy feet!).