Moving from Scotland to England and considering holding DS3 back

[EllenA27]

I could really do with some advice/views.
We are moving from Scotland to England next summer. DS3 is currently 10 and in primary six. His birthday is in June. Our move should see him going into Year Seven next September and starting secondary school.

We are considering putting him into Year Six next September which is effectively keeping him back a year. This feels like a gentler transition from one primary to the next and allows him to move up to secondary with a new group of friends the following year (September 2021). IT also means he would have the option of the local selective school as well as the comprehensive, which wouldn’t be the case if he goes directly in to Year Seven (too late for entrance exam).

Are there any reasons why this might be a bad idea?

Thanks very much.

Can you see how over subscribed the secondary is? You may not get a place if you go for Y7 after a summer move.
Equally, you may not get a primary place where most of the kids go to one secondary - so he will be making new friends anyway at the new school.

One big attraction for us moving for Y7 was to avoid SATs. (We moved for y6, but not holding back).

Will the local comp/LEA take him out of year?

Is 2 new schools in 2 years really a more gentle transition?

Just some of the things we considered - although for us holding back didnt feature, it was more should we move last summer, for Y6 and secondary applications, or should we stay abroad one more year.

I'm not sure you have a choice to consider?
I have only known one child held back to repeat year 6 and they had SEN and a physical disability- and was borderline special school/ mainstream. The parents and LEA decided it was in their best interests to mature for a further year in an attempt to stay in mainstream.

Thanks ColdRainAgain, we have checked and all the schools agree that it’s possible to do the holding back and would accept him (subject to entrance exam in the case of the selective school) if we do that.
I hadn’t thought about SATs, I’ll need to find out about that.
Good question about two schools in two years and an excellent point. I suppose I’m trying to mitigate the stress of moving house and going from middle sized primary to huge secondary all at the same time which DS3 is already anxious about.

BellaBattenburg, thanks I’ve heard of cases like this. In our case, all the schools involved say what we are proposing is possible and that it’s up to us.

As you mention an entrance test are these independent schools? You need to check that any seniors would also accept him out of cohort, at year 7 or 9 entry.

I can't help feeling it would be very much easier to find a niche in a new secondary cohort than it would be in the final year of an established year group.
Secondary is daunting but it is for everybody, they're all in the same boat and the initial weeks and forms etc are designed for this whereas being the only new kid in primary can make a child feel very singled out and all eyes on them.

I have to agree with museumum. It's better to go into a secondary school where everybody is finding their feet at the same time, than to try and make friends in Year 6. Secondary school is big but I think in that 'bigness' it is easier to find someone like you, rather than try to join 10/11 year olds who have formed friendships in a smaller setting most likely since reception. He will probably spend all year trying to settle in and you will find yourselves expending more energy on him settling in than making sure he is prepared for the exams. It is for this reason that many primary/prep schools will not take a child in Year 6 even schools that go through to 18, except of course in exceptional circumstances.

As a parent of a child who has just started a new school in Y6 (along with a new country), dont worry too much about him settling into Y6 if that us what you decide is the best course of action. DS (and his younger brother) have been warmly welcomed into the school and existing friendship groups.

As mentioned above, several things to consider - and one more I've thought of, how will he find repeating a year? I know England and Scotland follow different curriculums, but are they really different enough to make repeating a year enjoyable for a child, unless he is really struggling already, but since you mention sitting exams for independant schools, I assume this isnt the case.

I wouldn’t have thought your son would be happy to be a year older than everyone else, when he is 18. Unless he is very behind, why wouldn’t he want to be leaving school at 18 like everyone else?

Holding him back a year will not delay puberty by a year. And can cause issues.
Also year 7 is a great time for a fresh start. I have known students arrive from overseas (including Nepal) for year 7 and seem to settle in and achieve quite well.