Moving from independant to state school in year 10

[user1475317873]

We are planning to move area in a few years time when DD2 is due to start secondary school; DD1 will move to year 10 at the same time, she is currently at a private school and is happy and has a nice group of friends. I wonder if the transfer in year 10 will be too disruptive or if it will be better to wait until year 12. She could travel from the new area to the independant for 2 years.

The independant school wont be the right school for DD2 and we are not in the cathment for any good comprenhensive where we live so we really need to move.

Thank you

I definitely wouldn't move in year 10.

Why is her current school not a good fit? I would worry that they new school might also not be a good fit.

You will need to check that they don’t do a 3 year Key stage 4.

Can you pull DD out of her private school and use the money saved to rent some where in the right catchment area to try out the school? Moving for a school could be risky.

Sorry, is she in year 10 already? I would not move now unless you do it in the next weeks and it will be very difficult in DD.

Many schools (especially in the state sector but indies too) now start some/all GCSEs in year 9. So starting a new school in year 10 could mean massive gaps and changes in specifications - highly disruptive.

I wouldn't advise it unless the school starts GCSEs in year 10 for every subject.

I wouldn't move a happy child unless there's a real need to so if it were me, I'd get DD1 to travel to the current school for a couple of years rather than move her.

You would need to check that the new school doesn’t follow a 3 year GCSE curriculum and start in Yr 9.

Starting a new school in Yr 10 could mean that the first half term of the GCSE syllabus is spent settling in, making new friends etc, but if she is calm, confident, resilient and work-focussed this shouldn’t set her back.

What would she prefer to do? If she feels she is being wrenched away from her friends in order to facilitate her sibling’s education she might be miserable and resentful. Year 12, more of them move around anyway. Friends are SO important to teens.

I wouldn't unless you have to. Most schools will have started the GCSE courses in year 9 & they might be or not be able to timetable her choices. I do know of someone who successfully moved for year 10 but it was some years ago & a necessity for mental health reasons.

If there is any other option, I would take it.

Most schools start GCSEs is Y9 now. the chances of her indy following the same board/syllabus in her chosen options as a state school is unlikely, even if all her options are available.

She will end up missing out work, repeating work, or having to start from scratch in some (or even all) her subjects.

Hang on ...you're planning to move in a few years' time.

If the reason for the specific timing is to get DD2 into the good secondary school I presume you are aware
a) you will need to be living there prior to secondary admission closing i.e. October of the year your DD2 is in Y6

b) Unless you're planning to move and transport DD2 back to her old primary school, then moving prior to the start of Y6 would be much better!

In fact, why not just move much earlier so that DD1 can start Y7 (or Y8 in the new secondary rather than getting too settled at the independent school?

Thank you very much. Yes, the plan is to leave DD2 in her current primary until she finishes year 6 as she is happy there and getting the support she needs, we will have to drive her the last year to school, it is 30 minutes drive from where we are planning to move. I think the best for DD1 is to let her finish year 11 in her current senior school as she is very happy there and doing well; she could easily travel for the last 2 years and move schools for six form. I think it will be lest disruptive for everybody.

There is no guarantee we will get a in year place for primary and senior is we move earlier and we could end travelling longer.