Advice on moving 8 and 6 year olds to new school?

[ParanoidAnnie]

After a horrible year for my oldest DD in Year 3 and a very bad start to Year 4 (bullying, exclusion, no friends, school taking a long time to deal with it), I have finally made the decision to move her. This will mean moving DD2 also. She is 6.

I know this is the right decision, but I can't help being hesitant.

Has anyone any experience or words of wisdom to share if they have been in a similar situation. I feel that DD2 will fit in well and 6 is young enough to adapt. I worry about DD1 though. Her confidence is already low. I want her to run into her new school and make friends and be happy! I worry though that 8 is a difficult age to make new friends and break into already formed friendship groups?

I have posted in AIBU before about DD1 and had some great advice.

I don't have any direct experience of this. But do have a friend who moved her DS from School A to School B (because School A was affecting him really badly) and then from School B to School C (because they moved house) all in the space of 18 months. I was horrified when I heard this, but she was very sanguine. She said that children are incredibly adaptable and her DS (who is very sensitive and easily upset) had managed really well. Clear and confident explanations seemed to really help. So perhaps positive vibes from you, a visit to the new school (get the new school to suggest how best to help her integrate), invite some children round for a play date quite soon after starting maybe, join the PTA (so that you have positive experiences and know people as well). Good luck!

I moved DS mid yr2 due to unresolved bullying. The new school was fab, assigned him a different buddy each day for the first week and just has a completely different approach to pastoral matters. DS was just happy to be going to a different school and luckily he didn't assume all schools would be the same. We had made efforts to build friendships outside school eg through sports and I think that helped with confidence hugely. Not looked back from day one. Hope all goes well for your DDs.

You have to consider the issue of DD2 as much if not more than DD1 as she will be in the infants and therefore in many schools the infant class size regs will apply. In effect you cannot win an appeal in such situations as the LA will not make a mistake on an in-year admission request.
Please do ask the LA admission office for places at your preferred school (s) but expect that finding a school with places for both daughters may not be easy. If the LA cannot offer places in your preferred school then ask then to confirm where places would be available for both.