Which school year is best if you have to move schools?

[alittleteapot]

We didn't manage to move before the deadline to apply for schools and as luck would have it got a place at a really lovely school. But it doesn't solve our long term housing issues and we will still have to move eventually though could manage here for another five years. I really didn't want to have to move her, hence the rush to try and move, but now we'll have no choice (probably) so i'd like to plan in a way to cause her as little disruption as possible.

Is there any particular year that dd would be most likely to get a school place at a preferred school if we moved? Both in terms of her and in terms of school movement. I've heard that in some schools the posher kids leave to go private at some point, freeing up some places. That would be ideal because then presumably she wouldn't be the only new girl and would make friends more easily.

Any tips gratefully received.

Also, does the sibling preference thing work both ways agewise. i.e. if ds got a place at a school when he starts in three years, would she get sibling preference to get a place at the same school?

presu,mably people will leave at the end of KS1 (yr 2) and end of KS3 (yr 9)

Thanks. Is it after KS1 that some go private then? And she'd be just seven(?) so not too old to find it tricky to fit in?

I would say anytime between yr3 and yr5, so that you avoid infant class size issues and also have them in school for the time when you need to give preferences for secondary school (autumn term of year6).

thanks admission - i didn't know there were different class limits for infants - what's the difference? and ds will start school the year dd goes into year 3. If i got him a place at new school would she get sibling pref or does that only work in the other direction?

Infant class sizes are legally held at 30. So no more allowed.

I moved my child at the end of Y1 without any problems. As with most things, it is largely dependent on your circumstances and how your child will feel.