Three tier system now but want child to move the two tier system locally.

[Hospitaldramaaddict]

Hi,

Where we live we are on the edge of a county. In our town we have a three tier school system and my DC is in the first school which finshes in year 4. In year 5 they would go to local middle School. I don't like the local middle school or upper school and they are the only ones locally and this is the only town that has a a three tier system near us.

So my question is when would you move a child to a two tier system? Would you move in year 4 to primary school for last two years? All other pupils would be settled and in friendship groups but then they would be a part of the transition work in year 6 and move with friends.

Or would you put them in middle school for two years and in year 7 move them out of middle school to a secondary school so they would be new with everyone else and probably not the only year 7 who didn't know many people but would be leaving people in middle school they were friends with.

I have a couple of years to go to ponder this and I guess schools could change in that time but it's something that really worries me.

Thanks

It would probably depend on where I was moving to. If I was confident of which secondary school my child would be going to I would probably move them to the primary which would likely have lots of children going to that school.

Also, if you're absolutely certain that the upper school where you are now is out, then what will you do is your child is really happy at the middle school? They would likely be very resistant to the idea of moving and then not going to the same school as her friends at 14 (presumably).

Always hard to advise people when obviously I don't know your child or the schools involved but there seem fewer issues if you move when child is young and try and get a primary/secondary combination when there will be a few kids doing the same one. Hope that makes sense.

Hi, thanks for your reply.

Your right I think if we decide that we really don't want the upper school we shouldn't do the middle school either. We would be moving him from middle school at 11 for year 7.

This is probably very outing but there are currently two middle schools and one upper school all the same academy owned. The plan is to close one of the middle schools and merge the middle school and upper school to one big school for kids from year 5 to year 11.

The alternative we are in catchment area for is in the next county and different LA. Fairly certain we would be able to get DC into but I guess it's a gamble. They are more likely to get a place in the secondary School if they are in the linked primary according to their website

I guess we have two more years before we have to decide so I'm worrying unnecessarily now cos who knows what might happen with school then. I guess my DC struggles with lots of things ( no diagnosed sen and would be below threshold for any intervention I'd imagine) and I worry about the future and want the best supportive fit for them

Anyway thanks for trying to understand the waffle

If you are sure you don't want the middle/ upper schools, I would move ASAP to the 4-11 primary. Go before DC's friendships are too settled and give them chance to have a long period of stability at the primary.

I too would move ASAP to a primary.

You say you have 'a couple of years' so I am guessing current child is in y2? I would get on and get onto waiting list of primary and consider finding a reason to appeal in y3 if a space hasn't come up half way through that year.

If they give priority to linked primaries, then you really do want to get moved to a linked primary!

Hi OP, what did you decide to do in the end? I’m looking at the same situation that you were in.