moving school within same area in reception - urgent decision needed

[Eggfrog]

DS is in reception and has just been offered a place at another school locally that we had as first choice. The other school seems better, esp later on, but he loves his friends at existing school and it's not like we are moving house so he will still see them but know that they are all at the old school. I'm worried he'll feel left out or hard done by. Has anyone done similar? Are children ok when they move school but some of their friends are still at the old school?

oh and the school want me to decide today if we are taking the place. I think we probably will but struggling to get my head around the upheaval for DS and whether it will be upsetting for him.

Personally I think it's early enough that I would move him if the school was definitely significantly better. Have you been happy with the current school?

How well does your settle? Is the first school closer?

This happened to friends of mine and they stayed with their second choice.

Their son had found it hard to settle and had a good group of friends by Jan. They didn't want to go through it again. Their first choice school had a good rep but its linked junior school was very similar in rep to the one the second choice was linked to. Distances were similar.

I wasn't offered my first choice. But my first choice was much further away. If I'd been offered it at this stage I would've said no as I didn't realise until we began school how convenient my given choice was!

If first seems best for you in every way and kid will be okay... go for it!

I think it depends on the child, and on what spin you put on it. Moving schools but staying in the area can mean gaining lots of new friends, while retaining the current ones - there is nothing to stop you from still seeing them! And having friends who will then be 'outside of school' can be a great balance when there are friendship issues IN school.

So if you focus on what your child is gaining, rather than worrying about what he's losing, it can be a really positive thing.

I would hesitate if my child struggled to make friends; and if there was only a marginal difference between the school. But it sounds like you really do like the other school better; and if your DS already has good friendships ('he loves his friends' ) in his current school, then he doesn't seem to be one who struggles! My DS was only just beginning to establish friendships at this point in reception. And he is quite a sociable kid. In your place I'd be quite confident that he will manage to establish new friendships easily and quickly and at the same time he can retain his existing friendships out of school.

I did it. We moved into the area after admissions so had to take what was offered. It was a good school but not the local one. So eldest started at that school but I had another in the year below who I had to apply for schools for following year. We put her down for the local school in hope that eventually a place would come up for DC1. It did at the end of Christmas term and we moved DD1. Never regretted it. She is now at senior school and has ended up in classes with kids from her very first school - they find that connection amusing as they have not seen each other for years!

I think it depends on your DC and what you think the new school would offer the old one. I'd also weigh up distance to new school and if your child would cope with the move.