Moving my year 2 infant child ahead of time to get into a primary vs. local junior school

[CadburyFlake]

Got a year 2 infant school child. Doing really well in all areas. Teachers were very positive about her progress, only good things to say about child in areas. All in all, current infant school is excellent

Child does report not having friends to play with at times and doesn't have set special friends in the school.

The junior school we mostly likely will get isn't doing that great. It's a had low ofsted review and whilst it's getting loads of attention has a way to go.

Due to this I'm considering option of moving her now to a primary school nearby.

I can't get my head around making the decision since the current school is so good except for perhaps a friends issue (child reports this often).

Does anyone have experience to offer please ?

Think of this as a question of whether the primary or the junior school will be better at junior age.

Have you been to see the junior school or are you relying solely on Ofsted? And have you been to the primary school? Are you sure it is better? Why has no one else already snapped up the place (is there actually a place?)

If she goes to the junior school will she be mixing with mostly the same children as now, or will there be a new mix? Also bear in mind that's it's common to say "no one played with me" whereas they actually mean "there was 5 minutes when no one played with me" - have you verified the "no friends" with a teacher?

I've seen more of the junior school rather than just ofsted. Improvements are evident in many ways but will take time to shine through. I expect the year group to be largely similar with a few new faces.

Primary has also been seen and gave a good impression. Results are better.

Child has to move schools anyway it's just a case of when I guess.

It feels like a huge decision!

If she's infants she only has one more year (basically 2 terms) anyway and wouldn't be losing close friendships. I'd move her!

I have a year 2 child who is currently at an infant school. The local primary school has a better Ofsted report and better SATs results than the junior school he is due to attend next year.

Our reasons for applying for the junior school include the fact that the infant and junior schools help 60 children every year with the transition to a new school. They arrange the last term of year two around making the adjustment as easy as possible.

The junior school are brilliant with pupils who need extra support of any sort.

There is no guarantee that our DS would make friends at the primary school. Friendships could well be fairly settled by year 3 and he could be very left out.

We have an older child who has attended the junior school. We know the teachers and how the school works. DC2 has been going up to the junior school for collections and pickups, discos, school fairs, book sales etc since he was a baby. He is excited about going there with his friends.

It is a difficult decision, and I do worry about whether or not we have made the right decision for our bright and cheerful boy who hopefully has the potential to do well in school.

Good luck with your choice. From your description of your DC it sounds like (s)he will do well whichever decision you make.

We have a similar situation - except the primary option is Outstanding and recruits very heavily. I'm not moving my Y2 child - the transition arrangements between the infants (which is awesome) and the juniors (which went through a rough patch but is turning around rapidly) are exceptionally good and the schools communicate and work together so well I'm staying with her switching schools along with the cohort she's established in.

There's a side note that I really don't approve of some of the primary's pupil poaching and planting negative stuff on social media about our family of schools (they're part of a v. v. pushing academy chain) whereas the infant and juniors are still LEA maintained. - but it's the transition arrangements mainly, and the fact that my Y2 child is looking forward to being back in the same school as the "big kids" she knew who moved up in the last couple of years too (I had a child who struggles with change who moved up the other year and it was managed superbly well).

The one thing that a lot of our parents DO struggle with is how different the "feel" of the juniors is versus the infants... compared to the primary which still has that KS1 section to it - the juniors can feel quite a marked contrast to start with - but by the end of Y2 my eldest was definitely ready to rise to that (god knows if my littler one will ever be!)