Moving towns and moving schools...

[minitigs]

We have just had an offer accepted on a beautiful house in the next town along (5-10 min drive).
This has been our second attempt to sell and move in two and a half years, but originally we were not entertaining a move away from our current town.
Over the past two and a half years, our disdain for the area has grown, and the next town along is much more desirable with less crime and less degeneration.
All good, but I have been adamant that we would not move our DD's school. This is largely down to my own experience; my parents split when I was 9 years old, we then moved 250 miles to the other side of the country. After just 18 months, I went to Secondary School alone. This experience had a profound effect on me, and as adult I still struggle to make friends and maintain relationships.
I know my DD is not me, she's outgoing and has always loved going to new places and meeting new people. Although I have noted in the past year or so, she has been a bit more nervous or emotional about new things. I was taken aback when she cried about being moved up a stage in swimming a few months ago, because 'she wouldn't be with her friends'.
We are thinking that in the short term, we will be able to drive her back to her current school so she can finish her current year. And look for her to start a new school in September. Giving her a few years still at Primary to make friends to go Secondary School with.
Can anyone share any positive experiences of this? How they supported their children with this transition?
Please send me some positivity, I know this move will be best for us eventually, and I know the circumstances are different to my own experience.

Move her asap so she has longest possible time to make new roots. 5-10 minutes is hardly 250 miles though. She can still go to same activities and see friends.

I really don’t think it matters. If you’ve just had an offer accepted, you’re likely looking at a move towards the start to maybe middle of summer term? There will be just weeks left of school. I think it’s fine to leave her til end of the year, but the advantage of moving her sooner is she can make friends before summer holidays, so she’ll hopefully have local friends around during the summer.

We did a big move (2 hours away) when our eldest was in Y4 and youngest was in preschool. They literally had new best friends within about a week. It really was no big deal at all, so I’d try not to let your own anxieties colour the experience for her.

As others have said if you're definitely going to move her then id probably introduce her to the new school and class before the end of the school year, she can get used to the idea over the summer, maybe even try to meet up with some of the parents for some playdates?
Children are very resilient and it will depend on how you present this to them, make it exciting and an adventure