Move to an Independent school mid-year?
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Move to an Independent school mid-year?
Hi,
I've been thinking of moving my daughter to an Independent Girls school in Bristol for a while and had originally planned to do so for year 7 (partly due to the fact that I can't get her there until my son can move too (for his year 3). Unexpectedly another girl in her year has moved for this September (yr 5) and has offered to take my daughter as well. One option is to move her for yr 6 next year (assuming she gets in) or possibly to think about moving in January. I wondered if anyone has experience of changing to an Indie school mid-year?
The reason I may do this is that although her current primary is excellent (and she is bright and has achieved well) she will be in a class of 33 rather then the 15 at the indie school. Also she is very musically gifted and would like to get started in the various music groups that will be available. I kind of think once we have decided to change we may as well get on with it - but am I being unnecesarily hasty? BTW I know the school is not full for her year group.
thanks
S.
I've been thinking of moving my daughter to an Independent Girls school in Bristol for a while and had originally planned to do so for year 7 (partly due to the fact that I can't get her there until my son can move too (for his year 3). Unexpectedly another girl in her year has moved for this September (yr 5) and has offered to take my daughter as well. One option is to move her for yr 6 next year (assuming she gets in) or possibly to think about moving in January. I wondered if anyone has experience of changing to an Indie school mid-year?
The reason I may do this is that although her current primary is excellent (and she is bright and has achieved well) she will be in a class of 33 rather then the 15 at the indie school. Also she is very musically gifted and would like to get started in the various music groups that will be available. I kind of think once we have decided to change we may as well get on with it - but am I being unnecesarily hasty? BTW I know the school is not full for her year group.
thanks
S.
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T.i.p.s.y
Hi Sahunt,
If you have weighed up all the pros and cons and would like to send her there then I would suggest moving her while you have the offer of transport from another parent - it may not be on offer in Year 6 or 7 if you don't accept now! I also think with music that the sooner she can be enriched and involved in more activities then the more she will develop and be stretched in this area - I am talking from the standpoint of having a very musical son who is not being stretched in this area and he is not happy.
Of course you will need to think about the saving of fees and any potential oversubscription for Year 7 as sometimes independents with space in the junior section become oversubscribed for Year 7.
If you have weighed up all the pros and cons and would like to send her there then I would suggest moving her while you have the offer of transport from another parent - it may not be on offer in Year 6 or 7 if you don't accept now! I also think with music that the sooner she can be enriched and involved in more activities then the more she will develop and be stretched in this area - I am talking from the standpoint of having a very musical son who is not being stretched in this area and he is not happy.
Of course you will need to think about the saving of fees and any potential oversubscription for Year 7 as sometimes independents with space in the junior section become oversubscribed for Year 7.
Thanks T.I.P.S.Y.,
Yes, my thoughts were also if they have places in year 5 then go for it as I believe the current year 6 is full so the situation could easily change. I guess what's holding me back is that she loves her current school - I do suspect she just loves school in general though!! Also she is getting fed up with the boys in her class so is getting ever more keen on going to a girl's school!
At the moment the school we want can't tell me if they will take mid-year entries as it is the holiday season and the head is off but I'm sure if they have space they'll take the money!! I just wondered if the transition from state to indie would be harder mid-year.
cheers
S
Yes, my thoughts were also if they have places in year 5 then go for it as I believe the current year 6 is full so the situation could easily change. I guess what's holding me back is that she loves her current school - I do suspect she just loves school in general though!! Also she is getting fed up with the boys in her class so is getting ever more keen on going to a girl's school!
At the moment the school we want can't tell me if they will take mid-year entries as it is the holiday season and the head is off but I'm sure if they have space they'll take the money!! I just wondered if the transition from state to indie would be harder mid-year.
cheers
S
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T.i.p.s.y
I often hear parents say that DC loves their school so much that they don't want to move them but that does not always mean it is the best for them or there is not better out there - both state and inde. She'll probably go to this inde and be thrilled at the things they have on offer and probably say that she wished you'd moved her sooner! 
Good luck with your decision. 
Good luck with your decision. -
Chelmsford mum
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T.i.p.s.y
My main motivation for moving my daughter in year 5 is that in the state system the whole of year 5 and 6 seem to be geared towards passing the SATs and 11+, now whilst I would like my DD to pass the 11+ I do not want 2 years dedicated to it, therefore the more rounded education she would receive at an indie was very attractive and I felt gave us more options and her more opportunities.
Hi Sahunt,
Sorry for late response on this one.
I too am in the same quandry as you. DD is v happy at excellent primary (where her DS has just finnished Y6) but now that DS has moved into Private school I am really now wondering if I should move her now (begining of Y5) rather than wait for Y7 for the reasons you state (except the musically gifted bit - she certainly isn't that)
I believe she would thrive with a little more academic attention (she was deaf for the first 5 years of her life and has always seemed to be catching up) and now I am thinking why wait. But something is definitely holding me back.
When I have asked my DS if she would be happy to move she said yes without hesitation despite being happy at school.
In your case I would not let the fact that someone could drop your DC off to school - things and circumstances change and you could be left in the lurch.
I don't konw what to do either!
Also would she pass the entrance tests/assesments...I don't know either
Sorry for late response on this one.
I too am in the same quandry as you. DD is v happy at excellent primary (where her DS has just finnished Y6) but now that DS has moved into Private school I am really now wondering if I should move her now (begining of Y5) rather than wait for Y7 for the reasons you state (except the musically gifted bit - she certainly isn't that)
I believe she would thrive with a little more academic attention (she was deaf for the first 5 years of her life and has always seemed to be catching up) and now I am thinking why wait. But something is definitely holding me back.
When I have asked my DS if she would be happy to move she said yes without hesitation despite being happy at school.
In your case I would not let the fact that someone could drop your DC off to school - things and circumstances change and you could be left in the lurch.
I don't konw what to do either!
Also would she pass the entrance tests/assesments...I don't know either
