"My" school or local school?

[creativeusername]

I'm a teacher and my DS starts school in September. I live about 4 miles from my school, but its city miles so a 20 minute drive away. Do I send my son to my school, which would mean that I get to see his assemblies and plays and have no issues with the school run?

Or send him to the local school, which would mean organising and paying for wraparound care (£8 per hour) but means that he would make friends locally?

The local school. He needs to have his own friends, and speaking of the child of a teacher whose school I went to, it was really, really hard socially.

We are planning to move in a year or 2 so he will be changing schools after his first year anyway - would that change your answer?

Local school.

Let him be just him and not “Mrs creatives son”

Let him build friendships near home for parties etc.

If you’re changing schools in a year or so so anyway, might as well be your school. He can still go to parties 4 miles away. Kids have no concept of distance and he won’t be having many after school play dates if he’s in wrap around anyway.
Might you even end up moving closer to there?

Punk - we are currently 4 miles north east of the city and looking at moving 6 miles South West of the city. My school is in the city centre so distance is negligible. I'm basically weighing up convenience vs a year of local friends.

I would send him to your school. It wouldn't even cross my mind not to.

This idea that chlisten can only have friends if the love next to each other is a particularly British one. Where I grew up private schools were common and mostly in town so children would cone from all over the city and male friends without any problems. At my sons (rural school) some children travel up to an hour to get there. They are all fine. You don’t have to live next to someone to be friends with them. If anything id think it was better for children to socialise with kids from all over?

Obviously moving schools will be more disruptive to friendships than livingfutyger away anyway.

Your school.

Your school.

Your school

Is your school a private one? Would it be within catchment to get a place there if you live 4 miles away?

Friends are a red herring at that age. They don't go calling round without parental intervention anyway, so if he can go to your school, I'd send him there.

Your school. Both DC went to the school I worked at and it just made everything so much easier. They weren’t known as ‘Mrs X’s children’. I didn’t make a big deal out of them being mine - I’m pretty sure quite a few members of staff didn’t even know.

Do you plan to stay at that school Lo g term? Would you keep him there the whole school time regardless if the moving? I also find like one of the Pp's the notion that u less you are next door neighbours you can't be friends odd. I drive the DC to play dates/park dates as friends are spread out.

Your school. It's more important that his mum is able to watch him in school plays and sports days than possibly go a theoretical party with a kid from the next street. There'll be plenty of parties with kids from your school.
Secondary school is a different matter.

You've all made me feel loads better as logistically, it would be so much easier and cheaper to have him at my school. It's not a private school, and we aren't in the catchment area but teacher's children is one of the priority criteria in applying primary places so should have no problem getting him in.

I plan to stay working there long term - been there 5 years so far and love it. I'm 50/50 as to whether to keep him at my school or move him to a local one when we buy the Forever House in a year or 2. We'll just cross that bridge when we come to it!

I'd definitely say 'local school' under normal circumstances - give him the chance to be 'him' and not 'MrsX's son'.

If you are moving in a year of two, that puts a different slant on it. Would you try to get him in to his local school when you move ?

How come the wraparound is £8 an hour ? That seems steep. Have you checked out different options - CMers, Local Nurseries, Out of School club ?
You will of course still need out of school care if he comes to your school, when you are in meetings and so forth.

Oh my word why make things hard for yourself? Your school with no hesitation.

If he goes to your school then at least when you move you won't need to rush to move him to a local school straight away but can go on lists for your preferred school. Does he get priority as your child? Would siblings get the same priority if applicable? Can someone get him to school if you are ill?

Sorry interrupted posting! I would go for your school and then decide when you move dependent on which schools have places.

£8 an hour is the out of school club. I agree, it's steep! No childminders with availability and their nursery doesn't provide wrap around care. I would still need after school care at my own school but its so much cheaper - £15 for a full week 3-5.30.
Husband works down the road from my school so could drop off if I was ill. He would get priority, as would DD when she comes to start school, but that's a few years down the line and we will have hopefully moved by then.