Accepting, declining with a view to later admission

[TheVanguardSix]

Weird thread title, I am sorry!

I have to make a decision today.

DS starts reception in September.
He got a place at DD’s school- big, impersonal but well managed 3 form free school, quite new so still has some teething issues and a weak SEN programme which is an issue, a distance from home (next to dad’s work, so a car journey of about 10 minutes). But it has an outstanding OFSTED and feeds into its own excellent secondary school which DC1 attends.

Little school around the corner, where DS went to nursery and thrived like mad, has lots of space in reception. It’s an under-subscribed school. Excellent, happy experience for infants but junior years leave a lot to be desired. Good OFSTED, not a great reputation locally- the junior years are, as I mentioned, problematic. But it’s around the corner, small, happy, friendly, and the transition would be emotionally far easier for DS.

We’ve accepted the place at the free school but have been offered a place now at the local school- which we thought would be the right way forward.

Our plan would be to send him to the little local school, transfer him by year 2 to the free school. But having accepted then rejected the free school, I worry that we’ll have an issue trying to get him in there later when he’s older and more ready for a big, 3 form school environment.

Any input would be so appreciated. I’ve agonised about this all summer.
I want him to go to the local school and move him when he’s a junior. Is it as big a deal as I’m making it out to be? I worry that the free school will not be accommodating in the future if we renege on their current offer and our acceptance of the placement then try and get him in there at a later date?

God, and they say this school malarkey gets easier with each child! His SEN colour our decision making. Thank you for your advice!

Just wanted to mention that if you might want your DS to start at the free school in year 3, check the admission wording of the sibling criteria carefully, our local schools word it so the sibling must be at the school when the dc starts in September not just at the time of application. If this is the case your DD will be going into yr 7 and not at the school when your DS starts yr3, he would then be further down the admissions criteria ie distance.

Given what you have said about the schools, if it was my DS I would be taking up the place at the local school. It is a long time until year 3 both schools could have changed in that time and you might even be looking for school 3 in a different area!