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Would you move your Year 6 child to new school during summer term?

17 replies

AlmostAGrownUp · 12/03/2023 18:56

DS is Year 6 at local state primary. I have accepted a place at a prep school for September but they have said he could join in the summer term to help him settle in and make a start on their curriculum (and start paying fees, ha). DS really enjoyed school up until the Christmas hols in Year 6 when he suddenly announced that he was having a bad time with friends. There were a lot of tears and declarations of not wanting to go back to school after the holidays as his friends were excluding him (telling him to go away so they could talk and sending him on fruitless errands which wound him up).

I contacted the school, who said that they weren't aware of any problems with his friendship group and he has subsequently said that he doesn't remember telling me that there were any issues. However, every morning he says he doesn't want to go to school and he doesn't talk much about his friends anymore (all of whom are going to the same secondary school in September). I've also seen how he interacts with his friends and it all looks a bit strained (limited eye contact and little response when he trys talking to them). He seems a bit at sea socially so I am minded to send him to his new school after the Easter hols so he can start to integrate with his new class and get up to speed with the work. However, DS has said he wants to stay at his current school so he can take part in the end of year celebrations - a school play, a weekend residential, the leavers' assembly - which I can understand but I wonder how much of it he will really enjoy given that he doesn't seem to have any established friendships. And there will be end of year celebrations to join in at his new school.

Has anyone moved their child in the summer term in Year 6 and how did it work out?

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PuttingDownRoots · 12/03/2023 18:59

What "events" would he miss if he left at Easter? Residential leavers disco, hoodie, special trip...

LIZS · 12/03/2023 19:09

Friends successfully moved during year 6. Presumably he would be going to a different secondary longer term. What events and trips does new school run next term.

SquashesPumpkinsAutumnBliss · 12/03/2023 21:52

He would miss Sats in May. Might be good to miss?

would he like to “finish” with the others and enjoy a more relaxed last half-term?

Artsyblartsymum · 13/03/2023 12:04

My initial reaction was No don't move him because he's miss out on all the year 6 end of year stuff, but having read the details of your post regarding friendships and social aspects I think I'd move him if he is ready to go. He would be going to the school he is going to continue into year 7 and beyond, which seems to already have a co-hort. It's shame to miss the residential trips etc, but if he is already being excluded and everyone else is going on to the a different Secondary school together, my experience is that they will continue to shut him out and he probably won't have a good time anyway. Let him have an early fresh start. And who cares about the SATS. They mean other for him at this point, unless his new school uses them for banding, which they probably don't if it's a prep school.

Dodgeitornot · 14/03/2023 08:38

The fun stuff is really only a week. Once sats finish it's a lot of messing around and playing. It he's having issues with friends he may find it really hard.

jigsaw234 · 14/03/2023 08:41

Prep school is going to take him in year 6? assume they go to year 8, haven't they already done the pre-test for common entrance, so he's missed that - what's the plan for moving on? And no I definitely wouldn't move him to miss all the fun bits of year 6 - but I would get class list and do playdates over summer before starting in september

Piffle11 · 14/03/2023 08:49

I'd move him.The fun bits are only fun if you're enjoying them with your friends… If he's having issues, it might not be so great.

ncsurrey22 · 14/03/2023 09:04

I'd move him. Let him know that he will do all that fun stuff at the new prep and that's how children bond. I am sure they will have some form of PGL trip etc at the new school as well.

Mumsafan · 14/03/2023 09:08

We moved our DD at the end of year 5 to an all through private from a private prep that only went to year 6. Year 6 was spent doing basically nothing once they had all taken their 11+ in the September, until they went on a seaside trip in the summer.

At first she wasn't sure she wanted to go because she would miss the trip and a couple of other things, but she changed her mind as she wasn't taking the 11+ so even Year 5 was getting a bit boring for her.

I think within a week at the new school it was as if she had always been there. They moved to a different part of the school for Year 7 but they all moved together (apart from 2 who left) .

Abraxan · 14/03/2023 09:41

Find out what activities and events will be happening at the new school in the summer term. Likely there will be residential, school plays, special trips, etc too.
And presumably these are the children he will be with in year 7 inwards too, so might be nice to do those bonding activities with new friends - especially if the school are supportive of new pupils and help with the new friendships.

He may just be going back on his words and 'not remembering' as he feels a bit nervous about the new start. This is to be expected.

The nerves are normal and would happen in the summer, rather than Easter, if he stays I would imagine.

Can you arrange a taster day between now and Easter for him to spend a day at the new school? That might help him feel better about the move, especially if he was able to get to know some names. And if he really wasn't happy after the taster you could consider waiting til the summer.

Abraxan · 14/03/2023 09:42

SquashesPumpkinsAutumnBliss · 12/03/2023 21:52

He would miss Sats in May. Might be good to miss?

would he like to “finish” with the others and enjoy a more relaxed last half-term?

This might also be a positive for him - if the new school doesn't do SATs (lots of private schools don't) then he won't have to sit the tests in May. This may appeal to him!

TokyoSushi · 14/03/2023 09:46

I'd move him. I found with DS at a state primary that after the SATS were over, it was a lot of playing football, messing about, doing whatever you wanted. Great if you have plenty of friends to do it with, but possibly difficult if you're struggling. If he's going to a different school at the end of Y6 anyway then he might as well move.

AlmostAGrownUp · 16/03/2023 17:39

Thanks all - it's been really helpful to read through your different views. DS was able to have a taster day, I was very nervous all day but he was like a different child when I picked him up. Full of enthusiasm and excitement about his lessons, and he had a couple of classmates who took him under their wings so he had people to talk to and play with at lunchtime (it all seems a bit hit-and-miss at his current school) and it sounded like he was actually joining in with things and talking to classmates during his lessons! The decision to move for the summer term has been made and he seems relived (it really helps that he's done his first day as the taster day). I've asked if he would like to do anything with his friends to mark his leaving and he has said no, he isn't even sure he wants to tell them. I know there will be ups and downs at his new school but hopefully he will be a little happier and make some friends who include him.

OP posts:
Abraxan · 16/03/2023 18:11

I'm glad everything went well and you have made a decision that's good for you all.

DelphiniumBlue · 16/03/2023 18:15

Year 6 after SATs can be fun if you have mates and are into drama/arts etc. Otherwise there's a lot of hanging about while rehearsing for the inevitable school show, which can be very dull if you don't have a big part, or if you don't enjoy being in the chorus.
If he's not enjoying the school he's in, you might as well move him earlier.

ncsurrey22 · 17/03/2023 09:57

@AlmostAGrownUp that sounds great, so happy for him! Well done for making the move.

SUPsUP · 17/03/2023 10:04

Great plan. We moved from state to
prep midway through summer in Y5/6 and I’m so pleased we did. Gave a chance to get used to longer days, bus journey, homework, new routines etc with long summer evenings.
missing SATS was a huge motivator for us
they did loads of lovely fun stuff in final
term and had a vall
just be aware of longer school holidays to factor in!

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