So excited - new school on Monday :-)

[sallythesheep73]

After a year of procrastination we have finally moved DS1 from local primary to a prep school and he starts on Monday! We have enough uniform to stand up in and then I am going to rush along to the 2nd hand shop to see what else we can pick up.
Anyone else in the same boat? Any top tips from anyone who has recently changed schools?

Congrats! May I ask, only because we're also considering this, why you made the change and the year your DC is in? Only tip I can come up with is get active on the PTA and try and set up some playdates.

He is in year 4.
We have been thinking about it for about a year. He is very happy where he is and the school is not bad but it focuses its energy on those who need most help and those who are more capable don't get any stretch. The school ethos is very laid back which is nice but lulls one into a false sense of security. Also sports etc are dire.
We do know one of the students there so I am hoping that will help us to 'get in'. So far the other parents have been very welcoming!
What are your motivations Nylon14?

I love his school now which is quite laid back, but not particularly aspirational. Anything extension wise needs to be done at home. It is so hard to get the right balance.

Ah it sounds like we are in similar boats!!

Good luck!

I will give you an example. DS1 was book band 12 at the end of Year 2 which I thought was pretty good and was one of the top readers in his year... a friend of mine her DD1 is in a primary in North London. DD1 (also Year 2) is book band 11 (now in Feb) and out of 5 reading streams is just one up from bottom!! Its quite demoralising for her. Her Mum does about 30 mins work with her kids each day but the other parents must be doing more (allegedly 1 child was reading Harry Potter in reception!!).
If I try to get DS1 to do 'workbooks' he kicks off because no one at his school does homework.
Personally I think the North London schools are too crazy and if the parents are busy teaching them at home what value do they get from going to school? But I think what we have is too relaxed. Something in the middle would be good!!