Would you move one DC and leave the other at present school?

[lovecheese]

Or move them both? They are Yr1 and Yr4, and the problem is with the younger. Older DD is happy and doing well and is motivated to learn, but after months of increasing dissatisfaction we are at the very early stages of thinking about changing school. The next nearest schools are about half a mile walk in either direction (I do drive but dont have a car). Has anyone/is anyone going through this traum? Thanks.

traumA!

Yes we recently moved one child to another school. It was quite something to get the head round as we had assumed that our 2 would always go to the same school but as it turned out what was good for one wasnot good for the other for various reasons. We didn't have your logistical issues but don't regret it for a moment and now I feel quite foolish having been so entrenched in my views previously!

What year are yours in? How did the one not moved react? And did it cause any kind of bad feeling in the old school ie. did the teachers treat you or your child differently post-move? I have another DC to go through yet and dont want any kind of bad feeling created before dc3 even starts.

The one that moved really wanted to move (to the specific school, not in general IYSWIM)so no trauma

No different treatment at all - they totally understood the reason and in fact some of the teachers have since said to me that it was the best move we could have made for her. To be honest I think teachers have enough on their plate to bear grudges about someone who has left!!

She moved at end of Yr3, other is in Yr7

We moved one child in Yr1 and left their sibling in Yr 3. Definitely a good move for us.

We explained to both children why their chosen school was the best one for them, so they had a good idea as to what they would miss out on if they were desperate to move to the school of the sibling.

In terms of logistics I do drive between the schools, and most of the time the pickups are staggered so work well for me. Both children are thriving in their schools.

Downsides: 2 lots of sports days, plays, fetes, raffles etc - with the potential for clashes. Limited chance to hand down uniform. If dc2 were timid then it may be odd for them to have to reappear at their old school which happens fairly regularly at pickup etc. I was also quizzed a lot by parents as to why I had made the change so it is worth having an answer that is about the child rather than the school (esp if you wish to keep on the right side of the head).

In terms of walking will one child bear the brunt of the additional walk?

No, Ladymuck, older one will walk with a neighbour or one of many friends who live 2 minutes away. Just would seem odd going the other way with DD2. Really hope it doesnt come to it.

My sister and I went to different primary schools. Went to the same secondary for a while (until sis got thrown out!) and then different. Never caused any problems but I always walked to and from school myself so my mum didnt have the issue of being in two places at once. My mum also always worked FT and rarely made a sports day or went to school fetes (wasnt her thing) so she didnt have that problem of doing everything twice over either. You have to do whats right for the individual child.

I am thinking of this too, my problem is with my older child. dd seems to have settled well, so far. Now in his 3rd year there ds has few friends and is not thriving academically as he should be - he is just not v happy

We moved DS2 at the start of Y3, leaving DS1 in Y5 and DS3 in Y1 at the original school. It wasn't a problem to continue at the original school, though with hindsight we should have taken DS3 out as well, as we ended up moving him for Y3 as well.