Moving a reception child to a new school

[Shf1234]

Our child started school 6 weeks ago. It’s the local Catholic school, we are not Catholic and it wasn’t one of our choices and we weren’t able to get our son in another local school at all.

We have given it a go and know now we are not happy with the school he’s in for various reasons. He’s quite happy though.

I’ve found out recently he’s number 1 on the waiting list for our preferred school which has a 60 child intake (so possibly a space could come up).

The only thing is we have found a lovely village school about a 5 minute drive from our house that has spaces. I’ve viewed it and it’s somewhere I could see our son going,

So now I’m in a dilemma, do we wait to see if a space comes up at our preferred school but means him becoming more settled at his current school. Or do we move him now to the village school.

would love some advice!

Hmmm yes I see the dilemma. Could the village school become your new preferred school? Or is it just the availability of place that’s swaying you? What are the benefits of your original preferred school? Think going term, he’s going to be at his next school for years whichever you choose. My advice would be go for the school that’s right for him and your family… if that’s means waiting a bit longer so be it.

Why is the village school not your preferred option?
I live in a village with no more than 70 in the whole school we chose to keep our kids in a larger school in the next town over when we moved. It's a better fit for them but is 3 miles in the wrong direction to work and has meant we've never integrated into the village as fully if we were part of the school community

If your preferred school is popular, then another application in a higher category could push him off the no 1 spot.
Bird in the hand and all that, perhaps the one with space should be your choice?

If you’d be happy enough to stick with the village school and take your name off the waiting list for the first school, then I’d go for that.

I think originally we ruled out the village school because we can’t walk there as to get there you go on a main road with no path and a small dual carriageway you just can’t walk by. They do a drive by ‘kiss and drop’ system where you drive in to school and don’t have to get out the car so that works.

We have to drive to his current school so don’t mind the driving so much anymore but we did like the idea of being able to walk to school which our preferred school we can.

Our preferred school is 60 kids per year, the village school is 15 per year so a lot to weigh up.

We were number 1 on the waiting list for our preferred school but didn’t get in. We stuck with the lovely village school and haven’t regretted it. Move your child to the village school because a place may not become available and if it does it may not go to you.

I would move to the village school. One member of staff to 15 kids is really good for a primary school, smaller class sizes often benefit the pupils.

Is it 1 teacher to 15 children or mixed year classes though? I personally wouldn't be keen on mixed year classes, there's enough of an ability spread in a single year as there is.

My daughter started at a village primary 15 intake but only 11 started. Mixed classes nursery/reception 1/2 etc. Issues with making friends only 3 other girls which went to 2. Outdated books and resources as less funding. Moved to a 2 form intake school with great resources, lots of friends and never looked back.

Move him to the village school. One of my daughters did all these moves📧

1. Age nearly 3 morning nursery school.
2. Age nearly 4 a private pre-pre school
3. Age nearly 5 a private school that goes up to age 18
4. Age nearly 6 Kensington Prep (private girls) - was there two years.
5. Age nearly 8 North London Collegiate to age 18 - private all girls.

So despite all those changes she was absolutely fine and there were good reasons for all the moves although not ideal (which had been getting into her sister's school a year young as her sister had done aged 4 - Haberdashers, herts 4 - 18)

If you aren't Catholic I would move, you would be surprised how much learning time is lost to teaching religion & when the children get to the age of communion your dc will feel left out. I made the mistake of leaving ds in a Catholic school as a non Catholic & it was the biggest mistake I made. Take a place in the village school if you can, that way your dc can mix with local children.