Moving schools

[welshdaisy]

Has anyone got any experience with moving a child in year 5.? We are seriously considering it. We live on a new build estate with a new primary school built on, where as the commute to her school is 20 mins each way. She likes school but does struggle in maths. Was supposed to have an IDP pre lockdown and it didn't happen and now when I ask they say at this time it's too hard with assessing them which I suppose is understandable. She doesn't mind the idea of moving but is a shy girl so don't want to cause any distress. However hubby thinks it may bring her out of her shell. I'm really torn... can anyone offer advice please?

Depends a bit where she plans to go for secondary and how she feels about moving?
If she’s really against moving, then it’s probably not a great idea. However if all her current friends are going to a big state school in your old area then it might be a good idea to move, so she can transition to secondary with some familiar faces.

I’m sure you’re tying yourself in knots but it’s only for a year, so not a huge deal! We moved when dc was starting yr6 and she settled in very quickly.
Do you like the school near you more than her current school?

@solittletime thanks for answering. That's the thing, she's happy enough where she is, but not too bothered about moving. She's in a catholic primary school so would automatically go to the feeder catholic high school, whereas the new school would be a high school near us. I don't want to do anything which would make her upset and also didn't want to do it for just my own reasons (commuting) its probably not as deep as I'm thinking, and perhaps worrying over nothing but it does feel like a huge decision xx

I think you really need to focus on your quality of life when she goes to secondary- and I speak from experience! Which secondary is better for her ? Which would you choose if they were both close to your new house?
If she’s not bothered x as bout moving then your dh is right she may welcome the chance of coming out of her shell.
We moved house again at the end of year 6 and dd went off to secondary close to our old area because I felt bad separating her from people she knew.
However it turns out that long bus journeys and no local friends really impacted on our quality of life. However this is London and I’m talking a 45 min journey and all friends living in other area on a bus each way V local school 15 min walk.

Maybe for you the difference isn’t so stark, and often catholic schools will have children scattered from from quite a wide area.
But try ignoring this year and think what would work for you in the long term!

@solittletime so basically the non catholic high school will be in our area. Having that independence to walk to school with her friends and having friends come to knock for her too is important to me in a way. My eldest two stayed in the catholic school and don't really go out because they have no friends in the area unfortunately. They also have to catch a coach to school at 7.30am... but given their ages they were dead against any change so I've never pushed them.. In terms of the better high school, both are green schools (the only two green ones in the city) so neither are anything to sniff at. I think I'm hesitant because of the what ifs. I'm scared she might not make friends. I am being totally unreasonable I know that, but it's still something I probably won't stop thinking about until she would potentially start and settle in xx

I suppose you can choose the school once you have moved anyway, as the deadline is October. So even if she doesn’t move primary you still have time to think about the secondary
If she stays in the catholic school you have more options.
She can start at the local secondary even not knowing anyone, it really is worth a bit of a bump at the beginning for that freedom of local friends.
The advantages of going to a local school outweigh so many other things to be honest.