School advice

[PrettyTiger]

DD goes to a school thats 30 minutes walk away, or a bus ride away (we usually take the bus as it’s a very hilly walk with lots of hills to walk up and down) there is a school literally on our road that is about a 3 minute walk. I want to change her school to that one but she doesn’t want to move schools, would you change it anyway? Would make life so much easier. (She is 9) Didnt initially apply for the school shes at it was the only one that had space when I first moved round here for my children but the others have left the school how so just her there. I know it might not seem far but it is an extra half hour onto the morning when we have a school literally at the end of our road.

Surely you know which secondary school her current primary feeds into? That would give you a good idea of where her friends are likely to go.

Nothing to do with that, we live in a rough area as already mentioned

No it’s her first

Theres two??

I'd actually move her. It's a shame that you didn't do it before term started, but we're not long into it. 2 years is a long time to go to a school that's a bus ride away that's in an area where the child can't travel independently. Doesn't sound like she has a huge number of friends. If it's likely that there won't be (m)any children from her primary school going to your local secondary, then moving in Year 5 is quite a good point - it's the age where typically the girls have started maturing at different rates and many will have outgrown earlier friendships. So a new girl starting will (hopefully) be welcomed and find friends.

With a local school she will have local friends and be able to walk. She'll also likely get to know lots of children that will go to her secondary school.

You haven't mentioned how good the two schools are, so I'm assuming from a school itself, and not school location perspective, you consider them to be equal.

Yes both are ‘good’ school so not much difference in it, thanks for understanding rather than just calling me selfish like PP. it would benefit both of us as the mornings wouldnt be so rushed and we never see any of her friends up here and it’s hard to maintain friendships when she doesn’t live near them, at least if she changes she would have some local friends.

We had this situation and I kept DD where she was as she was very settled and happy. Slightly different as I do drive, but it's still the hassle of parking etc and the school is about 15mins drive away...to far to walk. Could you take your DD on a tour of the new school...see what she thinks?

If she is happy you should leave her . Don't disrupt her for a couple of easier years travel. She will be going to secondary school in a couple of years

It’s a tricky one. There are clear advantages to both. Take her to look around the closer school? Changing school now might ease her into secondary more if she’ll know more people there from her primary. On the other hand, it’s only a couple of years left at her current school if she’s going to be devastated by moving.

As for whether she travels independently, I don’t understand why some people can’t respect a parent’s decision and knowledge of their own child and the area. My school won’t allow independent travel until year six and those that do travel in live really close by. There’s lots of secondary kids at the bus stops, but never unaccompanied primary children.

Get a bike? I know you said there's hills but maybe you could go the way the bus goes, if it's safe and you teach her how to cycle on roads. That would cut your time in half and keep you both fit as well. Just get buses the days it's really awful weather.

No that wouldn’t be suitable no one rides a bike uo those steep hills i even see cyclist dismount and walk up

It’s year 6 here too and even then it’s a no go, too many nutters on the bus and I speak from experience

Obviously it’s your decision whether you move her nor not. Personally if I was going to move my child would have sorted this out over the summer. The question for me is if you do move her and she doesn’t settle at the new school and tells you she hates it. are you going to keep her there for your own convenience

Where will she go for secondary? Is that going to be on your doorstep? Unlikely I suspect. Surely it’s not worth all the upheaval to move her for just a couple of years. Why are you saying she’ll never go on her own?

Yes it is, we actually have one very close.

It isn’t just about my benefit, it will also benefit her not having to do half an hour walk to school and then she could make some local friends she doesn’t have any friends around here.

I think you have some good reasons to move her, but wouldn't it have been better to do it before term started?

Leave her. She has two years left. Why unsettle her because it will make life easier for you?

It will make life easier for her too! If there was no benefit i wouldnt consider

Why now? I don't think you are wrong to move her necessarily, but how long has she been at her current school? To be honest, if your child has the opportunity to move but still prefers the walk to school, I think that speaks volumes about how happy she is at her current school and that maybe leaving her be is best.