Would you move schools (year 5/6)

[motheroreily]

I wanted to ask some opinions.

My daughter is in year 5. She's a bit unhappy but majorly and says she wants to move schools. She isn't being bullied and is popular. I think she just doesn't like some of the children or her teacher.

Up to now I've been saying there's not long left of year 5. Then you have a new teacher and then it's one year left and it will all change when you start high school.

However, I am starting to reconsider this. We live 4 miles from her current school. (This is because we moved a couple of year ago). Although a couple of children from our area do go to this school and it has a big catchment area.

She won't be going to the feeder high school connected to her primary school.

So I am considering moving to a school half a mile from our house which does feed into the high school.

Is this a bad choice in year 5? Would it better to just wait a year as things aren't that bad.

So the school she is currently in she wont be going to the associated high school?

I would move her to the school thats linked with the high school she will be going to. Is it closer to where you live hence the change? I probably would have done it when you moved - secondary is a huge leap and far easier to do it with the cohort going and associated transfer days and visits etc, especially if there's no real ties with where she is. I don't see wh you wouldnt.

I would move her

Thank you for your replies. I didn't move her at the time for a few reasons one was that I have a shared care plan and her father lived close to the other school. The other was that she was settled at the 1st school, we had childcare arranged and it's a better school (I moved primary schools myself and hated it so I think that influence me a bit).

At the end of year 6 the children tend to go to one of three schools. So it's not like the whole cohort move up together. A couple will go to the school we're considering but most will go to one of the other 2.

If you know she's not going to the connected high school then changing for year 6 could actually be a good opportunity for her to get to know some of the kids who will go to her secondary school.

I would check the curriculum and what they have covered in Y5 at the new school vs current school, but really year 6 is all about SATs and most schools do really similar things in year 6.

So if she's happy socially to change schools and wants to, I don't see a problem with it.

Change for September though, not for the last month or two of Y5.

But it isnt you - she wants to move schools to the closer school so it makes sense on all levels doesn't it? Çould she walk to school ? Round here most year 6s walk to school or walk home independentĺy to prepare for secondary and it would be a good way to integrate into the new area to have local friendsfrom school.

Does the local shool have space? If so these things can move quite quickly and you could get her settled for the last half term/able to start year 6 knowing the routines /do the residential etc.

I would def look into moving her soon.

Definitely move her. It will help to set her up for secondary. Otherwise she is going to spend her remaining time in primary worrying about whether she will make friends or fit in in secondary, on top of not being happy where she is. Is she feeling a bit "stuck with" the one or two kids who will go to the same secondary?

I think it would be easier to move now than September as midterm you get welcomed into the class and the routines are already stable. Especially if she is keen to move. A summer holiday can be a long time to get anxious about "a new schools" and wondering if shes done the right thing especially as there will be a chmage again the following year. Now eould be a nice time as you get sports day and the summer term activities and a gentle introduction. Particularly as the child is keen to move.

I would say the opposite if the child was very attached.

Has the local school got space?

This is the time many kids are starting to branch out more. walking to school alone and local friends is part of that.

Thank you. Sorry I should have said 'a bit unhappy but not majorly'

That is all very interesting. My worry was it will disruptive and moving schools in year 6 and if she moves she may find it worse than her current school where she isn't really unhappy just a bit 'meh'. But It's really helpful to see everyone saying 'move her.'

I will see how she feels at the end of this week. I could consider one of the other high schools children go to.

The hard thing will be getting her dad to agree!

She can walk to school. But 3 days she will need to go to a childminder or before and after school club.

What does her father think?

I am not sure. It's a bit complicated at the moment and she isn't seeing him. (Which is my worry too there's a lot going on at the moment).

But he still has parental responsibility so I will have to discuss it with him. Although he is adamant she isn't going to one of the feeder high schools. So maybe he'll understand.

Defo move her. It's tough going to high school not knowing anyone.
Perfect time to start afresh and get ready for next chapter

Year 6 is also a year when they start to hang out independently after school, walk home, go the park etc etc This is all prep for next stage.
4 miles prevents this

We will probably be looking to move our daughter from state to private at the end of Year 4.

If you haven't already done so, take her along to visit the primary school/schools you have in mind to get a feel for them - that might help with decision making. In your position I would probably move her.