Moving to private for year 4 or wait until secondary

[fishingforfun]

DS is in year 3 at a good state junior school and the long term plan is to move to a private school for secondary.
However he isn't very settled where he is now and doing average at best academically and I just wonder if we should move him to the private now (it's goes 3-18), no entrance exam and he would
Hopefully have a chance to catch up as if we leave him where he is now I worry he will be too far behind to make the move? Also if he goes now he could make new friends and become settled at his forever school. Has anyone moved in year 4 and regretted it and wished they had stayed in state?

We moved one in yr 3 and the other in yr 2. Both were spinning their wheels having been labelled as 'independent' learners..
You need to weight up the cost (£) v benefit (smaller class, more extra curricular, art, sports etc)

If I had the money and that was where they were going anyway at Yr7 I'd definitely move now

I went to state primary and private secondary. I flourished at primary and floundered in secondary. It might have been better if I had been at private earlier.

I would definitely recommend putting them into private sooner. The private junior school my son is at did a lot of work towards the entrance exams from yr 3 onwards.

I don't think my post went through!

If the extra fees are not a problem and he is not thrilled with his current state school, I would definitely look to move him for year 4. Or at least talk to the potential school, you can explore your options without committing.

Does the new school have no entrance exam at any stage? Or is there one for year 7? Because I would certainly consider moving early to avoid an entrance exam if there is one later and you think he is coasting now.

There is an entrance exam for year 7 but no exam if you start earlier and no formal assessment for starting in year 4.

I think after half term I might arrange a taster session for him and see how he feels. My other issue is his younger sister in year 1 who I was planning on keeping in state until 11 as she always seemed quite bright from early on but now it seems she is noticeably ahead of her peers and getting bored which isn't good. I have a gut feeling she is going to have to make the move as well. Best start saving!