Should I change my DC’s school? Is it that important to move to high school with primary friends?

[Awcw1234]

Recently moved house. Moved into a new area, 7 miles away from where we were. I have two children in Years 1 and 3. Despite being 7 miles away, the school they attend is only a 10 minute drive away. It is a rural school. The children are happy there, they have made some wonderful friends, I love everything about the school and it has fantastic results. Also, the class sizes are small as it a semi rural school.

Local primary school near to our new home is about a 10 minute walk away so in terms of travelling time, not much difference. The school is oversubscribed so chances are, my DCs would be put on a waiting list if I was to apply for places. Class sizes are big but results are good.

I’m very happy to keep my children where they are as the school they are at is much better as a whole. My issue is, if they stay where they are, they will be heading to Secondary without any friends. How important is it for children to move up to High School with friends from Primary??

What would you do? I honestly don’t know what to do for the best.

I should add... we are in the catchment area for the local high school and according the the current admissions criteria, applicants don’t need to attend a feeder primary school so keeping them at their current school shouldn’t be a problem. That is assuming the admissions criteria doesn’t change over the next 3/4 years

Perhaps ask if the secondary fun a summer school? (Its usually activities)
Dd is the only one in her class going to her secondary but she is having a ball this week at summer school, and will now go in knowing loads of people.

*run

I would move them now. Walking to school is hugely beneficial as in having school friends within walking distance, when they get older.
Moving school will be easier when small.
My kids have largely kept their local friends from primary school, while at secondary.
I would apply for local school and see where they are on the waiting list.
I moved village at 7, and stayed in old village school, but they shared the same feeder secondary school.

I would move them, they will adjust and they will benefit from local friends

If it were me, I would disassociate the primary decision from the secondary question. I don't think it matters if they have friends from primary going to secondary - our primary never had more than two or three children heading to the same secondary as each other (there are loads of secondary options locally), and it's just not an issue. Neither of my children knew a soul going to the same secondary as them (as it happens we went private, but the situation would have been the same if we'd taken up the state offer - they would have been the only child going to that secondary from their school). They make new friends at secondary, and they've continued to see some of their old primary friends outside school. In some cases children really thrive on the opportunity to make a bit of a fresh start, particularly when they've been at a small primary where friendships are often determined more by circumstance than by common interests.

Personally I would see the choice of whether to move primary school as a separate issue. Yes, it's nice to be able to walk to school, but I don't think it's the be all and end all - plenty of kids at our school had a few miles to drive. If you and the children love the school, then it might be best to stay. Also, if it's a waiting list situation, then you could potentially be doing two school runs for quite a while (I've got a friend who moved into our area and had to start her children at different schools, and has been waiting nearly two years for a second place to come up, in spite of sibling priority). On the flip side, I would slightly question the advantage of a small rural school with small classes. What's lovely when your kids are really little can become a bit stifling as they get older. Ours went to a tiny primary and it was a lovely environment, but by Year 5 or 6, it was quite limiting in terms of friendship groups, sports opportunities and so on. Moving to secondary came as quite a relief in the end.

I wouldn't worry about secondary school. Having friends is a bonus, but not a necessity.

I would be concerned about

• pressure to continue driving to school (have you driven the school route in rush hour in post Covid traffic, is it still 10 minutes?); ideally you'd want primary school aged children to walk to school. 10 minutes walk is not the same as 10 minutes drive. If nothing else you will not be parking exactly next to school.
• as they get older, not having friends locally. Are you happy to keep driving round to facilitate playdates? Even if you are, your DC will miss out by not living locally to other children (they'll miss out on the ad-hoc "playing out")
• as they get older "small" is not necessarily good - bigger tends to mean more resources and less claustrophobic (what if your DC fall out with their current lovely friends which is very common as children move into juniors - do they have other children they can befriend instead?)
• small class sizes. Schools are funded per head. Small class sizes will be unviable long term or will mean the school simply has less money for "stuff" for the children

I'd leave them where they are if you're happy and they are too. I wouldn't worry about secondary school, unless they're particularly shy or find making friends difficult. My ds only knew two kids from his primary when he moved up to secondary. He made friends really quickly

I agree that moving up to secondary is not really a factor in deciding which primary they attend. You can get them signed up to cubs/brownies/other activities in your new area, and they'll make friends - even if not close friends, enough that they'll have familiar faces when they go to secondary. Friendships always shift at secondary, and there are likely to be others not from the feeder schools.

There are definitely advantages to attending your local school in the shorter term, but obviously you need to weigh this against a school that you obviously rate very highly, plus the possibility of having a while when one is in each school if they're dependent on a waiting list place.

As a parent with kids who have gone through Yr5-6 I'd move them. They can walk to school then & all the freedom that gives them. Local mates they can walk to see also etc - afterschool and at weekends etc. Small schools are often very stifling for kids age 10-11 They benefit from much wider friend circles.
Nice re High school but high % move to high schools on own

I would move them soon. My children ‘outgrew’ there small village school by the time they were yr 4/5/6. A bigger school is much better preparation for secondary. The transition is also so much easier when they go with friends.