Q about infant and junior schools

[FrancesHB]

I live in an area with infant/ junior schools and primary schools. My older children went to the infant school and then on to a junior school which had various feeder infants.

The infant school which we have always been happy with is expanding into a primary. That means when DD is in year 2 (and would normally move on) she will be going into a newish junior department which will only have been running a couple of years. They won't have a y6 class when she is in y2.

I'm finding it hard to decide where to send her. To a new infant school and thence the junior we know and like? Or to the old infants as it becomes a primary school?

Also I don't know whether of your child is at a primary school in year 2, you can apply to junior schools in the same way as children at infant schools, or do children at infant schools get priority? (Just in case we decide on the ex-infant school and it doesn't work out)

Thanks.

I looked into this because we had the choice between 2 infant and junior schools or 1 through primary. We went for the primary because I prefer the feel of them to separate infants and juniors. The yr 6s help look after the new Reception class and there is much more of a community feel than an infant school where the children aren't old enough to take on that kind of role.

I believe you can apply for a yr3 place at a junior but children at the feeder infant school have priority and it classes as an in year admission rather than an automatic place. So although we are in the priority admission area of 1 of the infant and junior schools, because DS goes to a nearby primary instead we would have to make an in year transfer request if we wanted to move him at yr 3 to the junior school.

We have the same mix of infants/juniors and through primary here. My DC went to an infants and then a juniors.

You can certainly apply for a junior school at year 3 (or indeed at any other point as an in-year admission) even if you are at a through primary school. You need to check admissions criteria for the junior school to understand who gets priority.

Until recently, priority to the junior my DC go to was on the basis of catchment, sibling and distance - with no mention of the school the children had previously been to. Now it has changed so that infants schools are mentioned - but in-catchment children still have priority!! So you do need to check (although my anecdote also shows that even if you check the criteria may change).

Can't help you re which school to choose from. Having a separate infants/juniors was great for DS who never found his place at infants and came into his own at juniors, but not so good for DD who loved infants school and has struggled to adapt to a bigger school. And of course in your case you have the unknown ...

Thanks both. It's a really hard decision. I probably need to check with the LEA re whether it'd be counted as an in year application. She'd still have a sibling in the junior school.

I think I would consider friendships too and the size of the schools. A friend did move her DC to a junior school although the village school became a school through to yr6 because he wanted the sport and more clubs at the junior school. Some people like the cosy feeling of staying put. If all your DDs fiends are going into the new yr 3, will she be upset if she alone moves? I would do a bit of research among the parents and see who is thinking of staying. If she would benefit from the junior school and what it offers then it might be sensible to apply for a place. Tricky to decide though.