Move dd in Yr 3?

[Schoolchoicesucks]

Dd is 7 & just started back in Yr 3. She's happy at school, has friends (is joined at hip with 1 girl but is generally popular) & doing well. School is 4 form entry split site infant & juniors. The junior site is 20 min walk from home.

DS is 3 & about to start nursery at a different, 2 form entry school 5 min walk from our house. There is no nursery at dd's school. We had planned that ds would move to reception at dd's school so they would be in the same school, though on different sites (5 min apart).

Dd has now been offered a yr 3 place at ds' school. This means ds would also get a sibling place there for reception. There would be 4 years of them being on the same site on the same school & then 4 years of ds being there in juniors once dd moves to secondary. No split site pick ups & drop offs and a 10 minute round trip twice a day vs a 45 minute one for the next 8 years.

Dh thinks I am crazy to be considering it. Dd is happy & settled, a move would be disruptive. The school she is at is good, very inclusive, runs lots of funded extra-curricular stuff, has great wrap-around care. The school she would move to is smaller & less chaotic (as it's less busy), a faith school (we are not religious so this is a negative thing), less socially inclusive & more pushy middle-class mums (not sure if that is a good or a bad thing!). Wrap-around care is less good but we know a childminder who could provide this.

What would you do - switch schools & risk unsettling dd? Or stick with the current plan & the current (known entity) school?

DS would be unlikely to get a place at local school without sibling link. Driving to current school is not an option (traffic & parking situation means would take longer than walking plus the stress likely give me a heart attack).

Dd does know (vaguely) a handful of kids who would be in her class & has actually been taught previously by the teacher.

Wwyd?

That's a hard one. What would pick ups be like? Do you work? Would your ds get into his sister's school on sibling link? When does your ds start school? Doesn't sound like you're hugely keen on the other school. Could your son go to a nursery nearer your dd's school? My two dd's go to the same school and there younger sibling went to a nursery that was next door to school but she has Sen and the nursery weren't great so we have recently moved her to a preschool a ten minute drive away. It's a push sometimes to get there but it's worth it. I'm not sure i would want to move my dd's. One of mine is also in year 3. They are quite flexible so if you were to do it i would do it now. But once you get through nursery your kids would be at the same school I assume.

Yes I work 2 days/week at the moment. The logistics of pick-ups & drop-offs would be miles easier if dd moves & they are in the same school, especially for this current year. DS would get a sibling place at whichever school dd is at.

It does feel like I'd be making dd leave her school & friends just for the sake of making pick-ups & drop-offs easier for me.

Ds starts school next September.

I'd do it. A shorter, easier pick up/drop off makes life so much easier and better for everyone.

Thanks sproglet. I think I am feeling guilty about trading her happiness for my convenience. But I do have to think that (in the long term) it will (might?) benefit us all.

I struggle with meeting new people so am possibly projecting some of my anxiety onto her. But it will be tough for her.

I don't think it's just your convenience. You'll be home faster so there's more time after school. The main one for me was clubs. When we lived closer to school clubs for ds and dd at school on different days weren't an issue but further away and they had to miss out on some that they would have enjoyed.

I've just done some sums - wraparound care at existing school for both dc will be £2k pa less than with a childminder at the local school. That would pay for a lot of activities/a family holiday. Unless I can find a job means ng I don't need the wraparound, not sure we'll be able to afford many extra-curricular. ..