DC is going into secondary next month, to a very good (state) school (School A) which nonetheless has some significant drawbacks for us, not least of which is the considerable journey to get there. For all sorts of practical reasons (and others, which I’d rather not go into in detail) we’d rather DC went to our much nearer, but unusually oversubscribed in this bulge year, first preference school (School B).
In any of the last 3 years, DC would have comfortably got a place at B by 1st September, but is currently so far down the waiting list that it’s looking extremely unlikely that will happen this year. However it is entirely possible that a place will come up in the Autumn term (we are in London). So... my question is: does anyone have experience - good or bad - of moving schools in Y7? What are the pitfalls, aside from the obvious disruption and practicalities like uniform etc? What should I be considering?
DC currently actively wants to go to School B, even after apparently successful transition days at A, though my feeling is that this is partly nerves (we don’t know anyone going to A, but do know some heading for B). I suspect this will change after the start of term so am prepared for some conflict around this, but take the view that a few weeks is nothing compared with five or seven years and we should still move DC if a place does materialise at B.
FWIW, School A was our 3rd preference and we only put it down as a punt, not expecting to get a place. If we were doing the application process again I would not list it! 2nd choice was even more of a punt and is out of the question now. DH and I have thought about this long and hard, so I don't want this to be about whether it's the right thing to do or not, but would really value your experiences of similar situations. Thanks in advance.