My daughter prefers the state school

[londongirl1]

We switched our 7-year-old from a prep school we were happy with to the local middle school - (for financial reasons) and I have to say, she is definitely happier at the state school. She skips into school now, where before she wouldn't let go of our hands until she absolutely had to. I don't think they work her as hard (I feel I have to make up for it out of school - doing maths, supervising reading etc) ... but she is really enjoying school, she's made lots of nice new friends, and that counts for a lot. Think we'll still go back to private for secondary - but for now she's fine. The only drawback is the lack of clubs - she had many to choose from at the prep school; very few here. And I would prefer her to get more homework than she does - though Im told that starts up in December. Anyone else had a similar or different experience??

I can't see why anyone would want more homework!

I'm glad she's happy - we found with our state school and clubs that we really had to do the running with them. You'll probably have more luck finding out what clubs some of her friends do and then getting her on the waiting list to join them.

Hi Londongirl, glad your dd is happy...that is the main thing. Why don't you join her up to some after-school clubs such as swimming club, brownies, gym, dance class, sports classes erc or ask other parents her schoolfriends which clubs they attend.

they reckon homework is actually a waste of time until about 9 anyway so I wouldn't worry. i am so thrilled for you that she has enjoyed the transition. it is weird for us parents when our kids find something positive in a decision something worried about.

We basically top our DD up with after school clubs for swimming, rainbows etc. Personally i'm not a fan of homework, a bit of reading is just fine until senior school imo.
Just being nosy, have you got a selective senior school in mind ? I'm worried sick my DD won't pass the entrance exam due to being at state school, probably silly but it prays on my mind, a lot.

Hi everyone - and many thanks for your replies and suggestions. She already does Brownies and really enjoys it - but I'll put feelers out for something else too ... Hideehi - yes we will put her in for several selective and not so selective senior schools -as well as looking round the girls' comprehensive which tops the borough league tables and is well thought of ... a lot of the girls coming out look nice too (which I often think is a better test than purely going on results) ... I'm not too worried about passing the entrance exams for the selective schools - everyone just gets tuition from year 5 to prepare (my sister's daughter has just gone into year 6 and all her friends are being tutored to prepare them for the local selective girls schools).