School,help

[Kickhimwhilehesdown]

We are relocating back from overseas after 9 years and trying to find a school for my DS having checked out all the good state schools they are full. We have now been looking at private. he sat an entrance test for a very academic school for year 8 they have come back and said he is not up standard for year 8 (possibly from all the school moves he has had) but they will take him for year 7. He is young in the year being an August baby We have also been offered a year 8 place at a very small private school which is not as academic but I worry will lack the extra ciriculum element. and small numbers (2 classes of 13) . Would you consider either of these ? There is not a lot of choice other than whichever under achieving state school we are offered.

[toolatetobed]

If you plan to keep your son at the same school all the way through his secondary education then taking up the offer of putting him in Year 7 sounds ideal. It will probably be easier to make friends starting in Year 7 as there will presumably be children moving up from lots of different primary schools all looking to make friends. Where problems might arise would be if you were to move schools as any new school would probably (or pretty much certainly if it's a state school) insist on putting your son in the "correct" year group, which would feel like one year too far on for him.

[ThreeLannistersOneTargaryen]

If all other factors were equal, I think I'd probably go for the Y7 place in the academic school. In my year group (very academically selective school) there were a couple of students who were old in the year because they had transferred from other school systems.

However, it depends on what sort of person your son is, and what each school is like. You know him best, and you know what would be the best fit.

[EverythingsDozy]

I would also go for the yr7 place. I would be concerned that he wouldn't catch up in the less academic school if he's put in a year group that are ahead of him anyway. If he's august born then he won't be loads older than the September born in the year group either.