Late Move to Prep Dilemma...
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FirstTimeBuyer
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On the entry into year 5, have some direct experience of this.
DS1 joined even later (from abroad) in the Summer term of year 5.
He did manage the transition, but it was hard work. Points to bear in mind:
1. Classmates have already established friendships - a particular problem as it is a small prep with small classes.
2. There may be some catching up to do in some subjects, as the CE syllabus is beginning to pull away from the State system.
DS1 joined even later (from abroad) in the Summer term of year 5.
He did manage the transition, but it was hard work. Points to bear in mind:
1. Classmates have already established friendships - a particular problem as it is a small prep with small classes.
2. There may be some catching up to do in some subjects, as the CE syllabus is beginning to pull away from the State system.
Exams are formidable for the best prepared. The greatest fool may ask what the wisest man cannot answer.
Our experience with entry during year 5 was into quite a big Prep & one that pretty much followed NC to end year 6.
Also - there were quite a few who joined at different times.
Perhaps most importantly - the school was very pro-active in welcoming new pupils & had various initiatives in place to help them to settle in.
Also - there were quite a few who joined at different times.
Perhaps most importantly - the school was very pro-active in welcoming new pupils & had various initiatives in place to help them to settle in.
Thank you for your responses regarding late entry
The friends thing is certainly something we have considered and cannot really get around. If he moves school he won't have any friends there (neither will DD but she is a social dynamo
We cannot so much as walk to the local shop without her making new friends on the way).
We just have to hope that DS will make some new friends and keep up his extra curricula activities with old friends.
The curriculum in most schools we've seen is largely NC until Year 7. They all lose a percentage of children at age 11 because of the strange mix of secondary schools here where some start at 13 and some at 11.
The schools we have looked at all have very good systems of introducing new pupils (introduction days, class photos with the children's names sent in advance, buddy systems etc). I think they genuinely do their best to help the new pupils settle in and we know there are other pupils joining the schools in all year groups (we are in the London / Surrey area so I guess the population here is more transient than in other areas of the country).
We have also considered that since we live in an area with super selectives and very tight catchment areas for the popular comps, the chances of DS staying with many of his current friends is low even if he remains in his state primary. There are 6 grammar schools, about 6 comps and also many indie schools that pupils from his current primary go on to depending on where they currently live and which entrance exams they take. It isn't a case that they all move up to the same school together in Year 7 at all so to consider the friends issue too much would only be delaying the inevitable anyway.
The friends thing is certainly something we have considered and cannot really get around. If he moves school he won't have any friends there (neither will DD but she is a social dynamo
We cannot so much as walk to the local shop without her making new friends on the way). We just have to hope that DS will make some new friends and keep up his extra curricula activities with old friends.
The curriculum in most schools we've seen is largely NC until Year 7. They all lose a percentage of children at age 11 because of the strange mix of secondary schools here where some start at 13 and some at 11.
The schools we have looked at all have very good systems of introducing new pupils (introduction days, class photos with the children's names sent in advance, buddy systems etc). I think they genuinely do their best to help the new pupils settle in and we know there are other pupils joining the schools in all year groups (we are in the London / Surrey area so I guess the population here is more transient than in other areas of the country).
We have also considered that since we live in an area with super selectives and very tight catchment areas for the popular comps, the chances of DS staying with many of his current friends is low even if he remains in his state primary. There are 6 grammar schools, about 6 comps and also many indie schools that pupils from his current primary go on to depending on where they currently live and which entrance exams they take. It isn't a case that they all move up to the same school together in Year 7 at all so to consider the friends issue too much would only be delaying the inevitable anyway.
We did this the other way round - moved from indie to state when DS1 was one term through Year 4. There was no special treatment, no induction, just in and get on with it! After a few difficult days (he had the worst teacher in the school, though we didn't know that then!) and the odd wobble during that year, he was absolutely fine. Years 5 and 6 have been wonderful and he has adapted so well that we moved our youngest at the start of his year 3.
I know this is not directly comparable to your situation: I just wanted to make the point that it is possible for a child to move schools late in the day and still do well, even without all the safety nets it sounds as if you have in place.
You need to do what you think is right and what you think is best for your child. If you are committed, they will take a lead from you and thrive. If you are dithering, they will too.
Good luck!
I know this is not directly comparable to your situation: I just wanted to make the point that it is possible for a child to move schools late in the day and still do well, even without all the safety nets it sounds as if you have in place.
You need to do what you think is right and what you think is best for your child. If you are committed, they will take a lead from you and thrive. If you are dithering, they will too.
Good luck!
showme - we had considered this too but would have logistical problems with travel. Neither school is too far away but, with a younger DD, I would like her and DS to remain together until he is at least age 11.
I wouldn't be able to do 2 separate school runs and wouldn't be happy about DS travelling on his own in Year 6. Both Whitgift and Trinity have a bus / coach service but this would still mean him setting out alone to catch the bus while I took DD to primary school and I don't think I'd get a moment's peace for worrying that he had caught the bus safely.
Year 7 seems very young to let them travel to school alone but I accept this is the norm and he will be more than ready by then . I'm just not comfortable letting him do it a year earlier.
I wouldn't be able to do 2 separate school runs and wouldn't be happy about DS travelling on his own in Year 6. Both Whitgift and Trinity have a bus / coach service but this would still mean him setting out alone to catch the bus while I took DD to primary school and I don't think I'd get a moment's peace for worrying that he had caught the bus safely.
Year 7 seems very young to let them travel to school alone but I accept this is the norm and he will be more than ready by then . I'm just not comfortable letting him do it a year earlier.
loopylou -
I'm a great one to worry so do understand your concerns but they do grow up rapidly when they are given the responsibility. If it is just a question of walking to a bus stop and catching a school bus you might be suprised how well DS copes with it and it might be worth considering/investigating a bit more if it makes a difference to his future education.
Several of DS's friends caught the'senior school' bus when he was at Prep.
The prep school had special arrangements in place for their children who caught the school buses - to see them safely from buses to school & visa versa.Some of them really were quite young - I'm assuming parents saw the tiny ones onto the buses at the other end!
They also had bus prefects - maybe one of these would be able to check DS got on the bus each day?
Obviously it might not work for your situation & you know your own DS! - just don't make my recurring mistake of underestimating what DCs are capable of. I still worry about mine even though they have spent the last ** years demonstrating their ability to cope perfectly well with most of what life throws at them:)
I'm a great one to worry so do understand your concerns but they do grow up rapidly when they are given the responsibility. If it is just a question of walking to a bus stop and catching a school bus you might be suprised how well DS copes with it and it might be worth considering/investigating a bit more if it makes a difference to his future education.
Several of DS's friends caught the'senior school' bus when he was at Prep.
The prep school had special arrangements in place for their children who caught the school buses - to see them safely from buses to school & visa versa.Some of them really were quite young - I'm assuming parents saw the tiny ones onto the buses at the other end!
They also had bus prefects - maybe one of these would be able to check DS got on the bus each day?
Obviously it might not work for your situation & you know your own DS! - just don't make my recurring mistake of underestimating what DCs are capable of. I still worry about mine even though they have spent the last ** years demonstrating their ability to cope perfectly well with most of what life throws at them:)
I wouldn't discount it on those grounds alone - ds has been making his own way to school on the train since the start of y6 when he was only 10 and a bit - and it's been absolutely fine. This was a boy who at the start of y5 wouldn't go to the end of the road on his own, so it's remarkable how quickly they grow up and take responsibility when they need to.
We're lucky in that the journey from our house is pretty simple - one train journey with no changes - and lots of other boys getting the same line so plenty of kids looking out for each other.
We got ds a cheap mobile so he could let us know if the train was cancelled/he'd missed the train etc - he's now in his 3rd year there and problems have been few and far between. If for some reason any boy is in the position where he'd need to walk to the station on his own, a member of staff will go with them.
Making his own way to school has done wonders for his general confidence
and the journey is actually one of the highlights of his day
We're lucky in that the journey from our house is pretty simple - one train journey with no changes - and lots of other boys getting the same line so plenty of kids looking out for each other.
We got ds a cheap mobile so he could let us know if the train was cancelled/he'd missed the train etc - he's now in his 3rd year there and problems have been few and far between. If for some reason any boy is in the position where he'd need to walk to the station on his own, a member of staff will go with them.
Making his own way to school has done wonders for his general confidence
and the journey is actually one of the highlights of his day
