Easier to make friends in Secondary rather than primary

This was completely the case with our DD too. I was concerned about it and when I mentioned my worries to her Yr 6 teacher (who had also taught in secondaries) he actually used the phrase about her 'finding her tribe' at secondary school precisely because it was bigger and there would be more kids like her.

IME yes. Bigger pool of people and I in the 90s and DD in the 2010s, found our respective tribes.

DD actively chose to go to a high school where she knew nobody and made the best of friends with a group who were just like her.

I think this is the case for many children. Primary schools are usually smaller and kids who don't fit in with the main crowd are often sidelined....much more scope for friendship in secondary

My DS who is quite nerdy is in yr 7, and has found it MUCH easier to find a gang of mates. He just needed a larger pool of people to find his tribe. He was a bit of an outsider at primary but is absolutely in his element now, and full of confidence.

My DD was in a similar position going in to Year 7 this year. It was reassuring to at least know someone from primary to walk in with on the first day but although still friendly, they've all gone on to make their own friendship groups. It wasn't immediate, in fact I'd say the friendships are just starting to become firmer friendships now we're approaching the end of Term 4, but the foundations of lasting friendships are there. Meanwhile, we really worked at keeping connections with her primary friends so she always felt secure that there was a friend in her life even when not knowing many people at school.

Probably depends on so many unknowns ....I lived in two different towns for my primary and secondary with granny going around renting for both of us, due to specific health/climate requirements. In primary had many friends and then we left the whole area. In secondary - hundreds of miles away in a new town, again a choice of my father and again granny shipped with me to be a cook and a nanny. First year was situational mutism but everybody in my class ( kids and teachers ) was so so nice and all from nice families ( three exams to get in ) that they all talked to me and I was just saying only few words.

Was auditioned for choir, had a friend with new age hare krishna obsessions and few other interesting individuals and from second year had the most interesting friends. You never ever ever know

The best thing you can do is work on his social skills / confidence before he starts.

Absolute opposite of my experience.

My dd had a few friends at primary but was limited by numbers...a boy heavy class and didn't gel with a few of the girls.

She is secondary now...she has a much bigger pool of friends to choose from and it has been easier...I will also add she's quite shy so I was very worried.

Honestly no it's really not. I went to a different school from all my friends at primary, I was in the popular group didn't think it would be that hard, however I never made any friendships like I had at primary. I was an acquaintance and the kids that had gone from primary together all stayed in their little groups and met up outside of school. I was very rarely invited and took a huge hit to my self confidence. After I left secondary I wasn't in touch with anyone at all from the school. We lived rurally and the school I went to was a grammar school in a town about 15 miles away I'm sure that also made a difference as I couldn't just hang out after school or anything like that as there was only one bus home.