Please help me decide what to do about my my ds's change to junior school in September

[lostittoday]

Hi
I am in such a mess about this atm.
We moved house a couple of years ago and even though my ds's school was going to be further to travel too I decided to keep him where he is.

He is due to start the juniors this September and I do have a place for him at a school within walking distance.
However I am feeling more and more desperate about whether I am doing the right thing moving him.
I realise that I am taking him away from his mates some of whom he has known since nursery.
I am starting to feel really awful about it as September draws closer.
I am worried that he will not settle into his new school.
He has made many friends at his current school.
All of his mates are going to the juniors that is federated with his current school.
He will not know a soul at his new one.
I am not even sure if he would get a place at the juniors near his current school, has we are actually out of the catchment area.
Please help me decide if I have done the right thing, or if I should try and get him in with his mates.

You have done the right thing. Honestly. Children are so resilient. Meet with his new teacher and discuss your fears with him/her as soon as you can. Most teachers would assign a child/children to 'show the ropes' to a new child and the start of the year is the perfect time to move him as the teacher will be new to all of the children, not just your son. Lots of luck - don't be afraid to speak to the school about it, they have dealt with this sort of situation many times before. CB xx

Thanks ChipButty
I must admit I am feeling like the cruelist person in the world atm.
I just hope it all turns out okay in the end.

I moved DS2 and DS3 to new schools (not the same one) to start Y3. Neither of them knew a soul at the new school and both had been at school with the same friends from playgroup.

They were just fine and made friends really quickly.

You will find that not having to drive will be a huge bonus and he may well find he can eventually walk to school with friends who live nearby.

I work at a junior school and although about 90% of our Year 3 come up from the associated infant school, every year we have 5 or so from other schools - and they always fit in perfectly well, make friends quickly - in fact I'd say they often tend to be more popular as they have a 'novelty value' to the children who have been together since reception.

If you are worried, could you find some activities near you which will involve children from the new school, so he is familiar with some of his new classmates?

Also if the new school is a junior rather than an all-through primary, they probably have an induction day when the children from the infants go to spend some time there -ours do this the Friday before the end of the summer term- perhaps you could find out when this is & your DS could go too.