Moving to prep school y4/y5

Seahorseraces · 2025-01-27T17:17:54+00:00

Does anyone have any experience of moving a child from state to prep for y4, y5 or y6? Our child is doing really well academically at state school but social opportunities aren’t great as very small school. He seems ok but as we are considering private for y7 I wondered if it would be worth moving for last bit of juniors /prep so he’s settled for secondary (run through school). Or would it be better to wait for y7 and natural transition?

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twistyizzy · 27/01/2025 17:36

We were in same situation and debated moving to prep for Yr 6 but DD wanted to see the end of primary out with her friends. She settled to Yr 7 indy really quickly and apart from being behind in sport and MFL, waiting to move in Yr 7 didn't disadvantage her at all. Most indy schools see an influx in Yr 7 so the established prep school friendships can tend to quickly dissolve anyway.

Save your money and keep to state until end of Yr 6!

Labraradabrador · 27/01/2025 17:41

At our school a number of children join in the later part of junior school. Starting in year 5, but especially in year 6 they start to have bridging days where they take classes in the secondary school and a lot is done to help ease the transition which many parents find beneficial. There will be lots more new faces from y7 though, so don’t think there is a right or wrong answer.

Original poster

Seahorseraces · 27/01/2025 18:00

twistyizzy · 27/01/2025 17:36

We were in same situation and debated moving to prep for Yr 6 but DD wanted to see the end of primary out with her friends. She settled to Yr 7 indy really quickly and apart from being behind in sport and MFL, waiting to move in Yr 7 didn't disadvantage her at all. Most indy schools see an influx in Yr 7 so the established prep school friendships can tend to quickly dissolve anyway.

Save your money and keep to state until end of Yr 6!

Mine isn’t very good at sport so will definitely be behind with this!

I wondered if the move would be harder in y5 than y7 as friendships established at that point and y7 a natural mixer or whether they would be open to newcomers at junior stage.

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Original poster

Seahorseraces · 27/01/2025 18:01

twistyizzy · 27/01/2025 17:36

We were in same situation and debated moving to prep for Yr 6 but DD wanted to see the end of primary out with her friends. She settled to Yr 7 indy really quickly and apart from being behind in sport and MFL, waiting to move in Yr 7 didn't disadvantage her at all. Most indy schools see an influx in Yr 7 so the established prep school friendships can tend to quickly dissolve anyway.

Save your money and keep to state until end of Yr 6!

Well money is a very good point and this plus the commute is what has kept us in state really. Just recently he’s been a bit less happy so wondered about taking the plunge early.

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PuffinLord · 27/01/2025 18:03

Totally depends on your local schools - at one of ours there’s a massive influx for year 5 (they go from 2 classes in year 4 to ; for year 5, so it almost doubles) at one the big surge of new arrivals is year 7. Maybe talk to the school and ask how many new joiners they expect at different stages?

Original poster

Seahorseraces · 27/01/2025 19:36

PuffinLord · 27/01/2025 18:03

Totally depends on your local schools - at one of ours there’s a massive influx for year 5 (they go from 2 classes in year 4 to ; for year 5, so it almost doubles) at one the big surge of new arrivals is year 7. Maybe talk to the school and ask how many new joiners they expect at different stages?

Good point thanks. I will clarify with them. I think the main influx will be at y7.

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GildedRage · 28/01/2025 02:52

my grand daughter goes to a london prep, her best friend joined in year 5.
grade 5 was a relentless, full on year of hard core testing testing and more testing. art was aimed at putting together portfolio's and somehow even choir was stripped of any fun, all pe was timed. no playdates allowed type parents. the first half of year 6 involved more testing/exams and portfolio work. from february on i get the impression the girls will be doing only fun stuff as offers come in and the stress of the 11+ is behind them. oh and the best friend, her mom pulled her from the school at christmas not at all what she was aiming for for her daughter.

Labraradabrador · 28/01/2025 07:28

If it is an all through school, the 11+ will not be a big focus. Our school pointedly markets itself on being SATs free because some state schools in y6 becomes all about SATs test prep. So it will vary by school.

GardensBooksTea · 28/01/2025 08:00

Our son moved for yr 4. No issues at all settling in and making friends, and although his school has a bigger intake in yr 7 than other years, there are a good handful of new children every year so I think school are very good at helping them settle. His school is all through, so there's no big 11+ focus (some have moved from other schools locally for that reason), and it's been good to escape the increasing SATs prep in his old state primary.

Original poster

Seahorseraces · 28/01/2025 11:10

GardensBooksTea · 28/01/2025 08:00

Our son moved for yr 4. No issues at all settling in and making friends, and although his school has a bigger intake in yr 7 than other years, there are a good handful of new children every year so I think school are very good at helping them settle. His school is all through, so there's no big 11+ focus (some have moved from other schools locally for that reason), and it's been good to escape the increasing SATs prep in his old state primary.

Do you mind me asking why you moved him? This would be a similar situation for us I think. I guess the culture of accepting new children into friendship groups probably varies at different schools.

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GardensBooksTea · 28/01/2025 11:29

Seahorseraces · 28/01/2025 11:10

Do you mind me asking why you moved him? This would be a similar situation for us I think. I guess the culture of accepting new children into friendship groups probably varies at different schools.

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I'm sure you're right that it varies, just like anything from school to school.

We only moved because of the opportunity for him to become a cathedral chorister - they all have to attend the school, and it was too good an opportunity to miss.

We were happy with his state primary and wouldn't have moved otherwise. I'm a governor in a state primary and have worked with schools in various ways for years, so I know there are so many fantastic state schools.

But, he has really thrived with much smaller classes, teaching styles that suit him better, and a culture that's a bit more accepting of the quirky kids! If we can manage it, I think we'll try to keep him at the school even when he's no longer a boy chorister.

Good luck whatever you decide!