Dd1's (6) best friend leaving their state primary and going to private school in September - how would you break the news and deal with it?

[Enid]

dd1 will be devastated as they are inseparable. She has no idea that M is off in September.

Don't really know how to broach it - or what to say when she says 'can I go?'. (she can't - we can't afford it and also I think the village school is fine).

Trouble is, her class is TINY (16 in year one, they are divided between two classes, so there are only 8 in her class in her year). So it isn't as if she is going to have a load of new people to choose from.

Its such a bummer.

thanks robin thats a very helpful post

Several of dd's close friends emigrated which was very sad and caused a lot of tears.

Others are at different schools. We see them in the school holidays only and they are still very dear to dd, even 2 years on. It is really nice for children to have friends outside of school, so these friends are still an important and valuable part of her life.

I would say just be sympathetic to your daughter, help her stay in touch with her friend and actively help her make new friends at school by inviting other children home etc .

I wouldn't personally enter into a lot of dicsussion about why children go to different schools, other than it's because parents choose what they think is best for their own children, for their own reasons.