New nursery school, no friends

[Natt]

We moved house recently and my nearly- four-year-old DS changed nursery school. He had been at his oldschool for over a year and was comfortable, sociable and had lots of friends. Recently he has been miserable in the mornings before going to school and has admitted that he thinks the boys and girls don't like him. It does seem quite a tightknit school and the other children seem to have all been there since two. I can't bear seeing him unhappy and am beginning to wish we had not moved. I am wondering what I can do to help him - half of me thinks perhaps just take him out of the nursery school and start again with primary school but maybe that would just dent his confidence more?

Recruit the other mums to speak to their kids and 'look after' your son. Children love feeling helpful and 'important'. DD is 4 and knows almost all of the kids bar 4 who started nursery this year. One of the new boys was having trouble settling so a group of us mums asked our siblings to look out for him and he's definitely looking happier now. Also ask the teacher if she has any ideas?

Oh, something else odd - sent invites to DS' birthday at the beginning of the week and not a single person from the school has RSVP'ed. Does that seem odd to anyone else or am I just getting this out of perspective?

Thanks cab, posts crossed. Will try to recruit some help

Natt, I wouldn't worry too much about the invites, not everyone RSVP's - they often just turn up with a present! You could always ask the mums/carers directly if they're coming.
Also, I'd have a word with the teacher about your concerns and see if they have a 'buddie' scheme operating in school, so that someone looks after your ds until he is more settled and has found friends of his own.

My DD moved nursery at a similar age. I found that inviting children (and their Mums) to play helped loads. I wouldn't necessarily expect many replies from invites out at the beginning of the week. I personally would leave it till next week then start asking some of the Mums, good excuse to get chatting to them. I think that when a group is quite tight knit, it does take a bit of time to break into it, it does get easier.

Natt ref the invites - I'm afraid that's par for the course - you won't know until the day how many are going to turn up (with or without siblings).
Oh and some will say yes and not turn up
Others will say no and then appear.

Thanks littlemissbossy, I don't do the school run because work f/t which may be why am feeling a bit cut off from the whole thing and worried. Party is at grim soft play place so need to know numbers but maybe i should bite bullet and call the parents to find out if coming. Finding it hard not to compare with last year at old school when had lovely birthday and v happy. going to take a day off and have a chat with teacher...

And thanks Cab and Kittypickle - bit slow posting there!