11 or 13 - when best time to move?

[Butkin]

DD will be going into Yr 4 in September and parents, who are not already moving their kids to boarding school, are beginning to talk about when to move on to Senior schools.

Our school takes them to 13 (Yr8) and obviousy we're being encouraged to stay until then and for DD to sit Common Entrance.

However we both moved at 11 and wonder if we move DD then she'll be able to settle in better and make friends easier at her next school.

What experiences - good or bad - can you you give that would help us make up our minds.

Hi,
I think it all depends on what school you are hoping your DD is going to attend at 13. It is great to be the eldest at prep school etc However if the school she will attend at 13 has its main intake at 11 you may need to reconsider. Some schools have varying numbers. By this I mean that if they can fill their places at 11 with good students then thats what they will do up to a point. So as a result the numbers coming in at 13 will have decreased. We got caught out by this. Other factors that my DD found difficult was that she was at a hockey playing prep school and the senior school played lacrosse. So she had to try and catch up as the girls who started at 11 had already played for 2 years.

Thanks Going. Deciding between 2 or 3 schools now and thinking we'll move D at 11. Interesting you mention change of sports - something that we will need to take into consideration amongst all other thoughts.

i would say 11 too, let her start with everyone else and not have to go through being the "new kid". at 13 friends are the most important thing in girls' lives and she won't take kindly to having to start all over again and (possibly) be taken away from old friends...