Is Year 5 too late to move to a new school?

[nickEcave]

My daughter has never been very happy with her primary school. The clasess are mixed up every year and she has never had a consistent group of friends. The school is in an area where people move frequently and most children she has become friends with have left the school. The school lost it's long term head teacher a few years ago and had a chaotic transitional year during which lots of staff left and loads of children. This year there is a new head who seems good but lots of families are still leaving. We couldn't move her before last year as we were getting ready to move house and didn't know exactly where we would move to. We have now moved a mile or so away and there is a closer school that we could probably get her into although she may have to go on the waiting list for a while.

She has recently become even more unhappy about the lack of friends in her year and she is generally dissatisfied with school and keeps begging to move but I'm scared i'ts a case of the grass is greener and that she may find it hard to break into established friendship groups at a new school in Year 5.

I'm really looking for people who moved DC in the last 2 years of primary when they didn't have to (ie. not bullying or the school being awful or moving far away). How did it work out and was your DC OK and make friends in the new school?

If she feels that strongly about moving school I think you should listen to her in this. There is nothing there that binds her to her current school and if she has a gut feeling that moving school is better for her then that is the thing to do. Making friends and settling down depends on the child and the environment there.

Not at all. My DD's friend moved from their primary school at the end of year 5 and settled well in a new school. Made new friends...it's fine, honestly.

Of course it's not too late.

I would phone up ask about spaces and go on a visit..see for yourself but yes I have a year 5 and if he was unhappy I would move him..

Another thing to consider is high school ..I think if she has no real friends in primary at least she has chance to get to know another group before high school. I always think a year is such a long time in a childs life and happy kids learn.

Sorry to drip-feed, she has a younger sister in Year 2 so I have to consider her as well. I work and don't drive so could not logistically manage them in different schools so she'd have to move too. DD2 is happy enough at school at present although has also suffered from the high turnover of children and friends leaving. An additional issue is that their current school is non-religious and we are athiests but the only school we can get them into that is closer and doesn't require improvement is a CofE school. The school takes 50% non-religious families in reception but obviously still has a religious ethos and I'm afraid they will find this confusing coming from a non-religious school.

We are atheists as well and our child goes to a CofE, there is no issues and it is one of the best schools in the area for us. They learn about other things as well when it comes to religion but if any comfort our society is built up around the Christian religion with celebrations, traditions aso which you will find regardless of which school you go to as it is a part of our history. If they get confused, answer their questions and discuss the matters which they find different. It all helps them to make informed choices later on if dealt with correctly.

Thanks shifty my husband and I were both brought up and educated as Catholics so we feel very strongly about non-religious schools. However I do appreciate that a Cof E school taking 50% non-church attenders will not result in our kids being indoctrinated.