Switching from classical to electric guitar

[Geometric]

DS has been playing classical guitar for a couple of years - chord based music / rock music than Spanish guitar, he can read music rather than just knowing the chords though. He’s moving to secondary, and wondering if the time is right to switch to electric for in-school lessons, that switch was always his broad plan at some point. I know nothing about electric guitars (was a Spanish guitarist myself), don’t know how hard the transition is etc. But at secondary, playing music in groups is really encouraged, and I guess electric lends itself better for this? Plus he has a bus journey to school, wondering how that works for electric? Any thoughts v welcome!

My son played 'plectrum guitar' - ie classical acoustic played with a plectrum (as that's what theyvtaught in school - seemed weird to me). He did grade 5 before leaving primary but couldn't play chords or read 'tab' but could read notation. Went to secondary and fiddled about with a school electric and then we bought him one. He made the transition quite easily and has since taught himself chords. His 'plectrum' playing made more sense in an electric. We bought him a padded case and he carries it to school. At home he can play with headphones plugged into the amp. Has had loads of fun! The school music teacher advised us in what to buy and we got a good starter guitar and small amp for about £200.

If he already plays and can read music and understand chords then he will be able to teach himself very easily. There are load of videos on You Tube.

Big advantage to electric guitar: headphones!

My daughter swapped to electric at about that age, she still reads music for her lessons, but so much of the other stuff she wants to play is available in tab, she had to work to keep up with the dots until she started her music GCSE. She's doing electric grades (Trinity loads better than Rock School), so the rigour for technique and theory is still there. Electric guitars are less bulky, but heavier. She enjoys it loads more and also has an electric acoustic guitar (more guitars than people in the house these days!) and we have a cheapo classical guitar knocking around too.

It's a really easy transition to an electric (or any steel string) guitar from a classical - the neck is thinner, so easier to reach round, the action is lighter too, so it's a physically less challenging way to play.
I might be biased, because I learned classical, doing grades/notation etc, but when I played electric it was an easy thing, and I associated with recreation/fun, and less skill required. It's really hard going the other way (electric-classical).

My son plays classical but added electric about 2 years ago when he was 14. He switches between the 2 now.