

To move DC's to a different school?

(28 Posts)

I have 3 DC, one is almost 3 and about to start nursery/pre-school, one is at a local infant school and the other at a local junior school.

The two at school seem very happy and enjoy school, although when asked have said they like the idea of moving schools... Both schools are good in my opinion, although perhaps quite laid back compared to other schools. They are both ofsted rated 'good', although I do realise ofsted needs to be taken with a pinch of salt. Most of the local children go to theses two schools so they is quite a community (more for DC than DH & I) and they regularly have friends round after school.

The school run takes about an hour altogether though, they are about 20 mins walk apart, all up hill/downhill with toddler in tow & next to busy roads.

The local pre-schools aren't great either...

15 minuted drive away is a fantastic village school infant/junior combined (ofsted outstanding in all areas), there is also a brilliant pre school there. It's also a really lovely area, the children get to do much more 'outdoorsy' activities.

The problem would be having their friends round after school, it would also mean the DC 'stepping out' of the local community.

AIBU to even consider moving them?

Or to put it another way, do you think having school friends very locally is really important?

Dawndonna Sun 26-May-13 13:37:09

Mine have been through high school in a village nine miles away. It's always worked absolutely fine.

Thanks Dawn, that's reassuring!

thebody Sun 26-May-13 13:47:29

I think having lots of friends from lots of different schools/clubs/ social groups is the key.

If you move them it just means even more friends and a wider network.

Our approach had always been to our kids that they don't loose friends by change but they gain them.

Go for it.

Thanks Body, that's an excellent way of looking at it.

Jinty64 Sun 26-May-13 15:08:37

Will you get dc3 in if you are out of catchment and do they have spaces?

Hi Jinty, yes they do have spaces in the years we need, we've been to look at it and met the head, we were very impressed. I think their catchment is pretty wide, the village is tiny so most children come from surrounding areas & if oversubscribed would hopefully be able to get him in with the sibling policy.

oldendaysending Sun 26-May-13 15:38:02

I don't think you're being at all unreasonable, but just to play devil's advocate grin 15 minutes drive away is a lot for a child. I do personally feel that having local friends is important the smaller they are - it isn't as important at high school because they're more able to get around and about easily.

I love thebody's idea, but the truth is that without regular interaction kids can feel left out and lose contact.

That said I don't think it's a bad idea at all - how old is your oldest?

Jinty64 Sun 26-May-13 15:44:18

I think, if you feel happy with it and feel it would meet your children's needs, you should go for it. You are obviously prepared to do the driving and with a ds in the nursery it will be easy to feel involved in the school.

Good luck.

oldendaysending - Our eldest is in year 3 and has been with her class since reception. The walk to get her to school in the mornings involves us all walking her up the hill for 10 mins, then back down and to the infant school which takes another 20 mins, in fact it usually takes longer.. Pick up takes about an hour.

flanbase Sun 26-May-13 15:48:48

I'd go to the school 15 mins away that would take all your kids in one place. Much easier and they'll get to make friends with the siblings of each others friends which is nice.

Jinty64 - Thanks :-)

cardibach Sun 26-May-13 17:48:19

My DD went to a small village primary around 20 minutes away - some local children also attended, so she did have local friends. Might that be the case for you as well? In any case, as we live in a rural area, there is a degree of ferrying involved. DD never seemed to mind and it wasn't too onerous for me. I'd go for it, I prefer infant/junior in one school anyway.

lljkk Sun 26-May-13 18:03:10

Is it a 15 minute drive at school run times? I suspect you'll find it turns into an hour round trip most days.

DH did the drive at school run time and it took 17 mins

lljkk Sun 26-May-13 18:13:19

what is parking like, too. Ours is horrible unless you get there at least 15 minutes early (morning) or 25 minutes early (afternoons).
Still looking at 50 minutes round trip every time, at best.

NeoMaxiZoomDweebie Sun 26-May-13 18:20:46

Mine go to an outstanding school which is a ten minute drive away...more of a rural place and all round fab school. We have discovered a good few local kids here who also do the may too. it's been good for us!

There is one local family who go there. Another thing is that the school told us a lot of the children go on to private education. If ours don't (likely won't) they won't be 'moving up' with their peers, whereas they would with our local school....

Lifeisontheup Sun 26-May-13 18:27:20

Mine went to school a 20 minutes drive away and were fine, they're at uni now with a good circle of friends.
The obvious good point is when they're teens and you leave them alone for the weekend they're unlikely to have vast numbers of friends round. It does mean a bit of taxi service though.

There are some excellent secondary schools where we live so they will be going 'local' for those

LemonBreeland Sun 26-May-13 18:35:29

I don't think yous should move them unless there is a problem with the school they are at.

My dc went to the local school and now go to a larger school 15 mins drive away. I only moved them as their education was suffering at the village school. It was still a hard decision for me though as I grew up going to a school in a different village to where we lived and hated not having friends to play out with after school.

Llareggub Sun 26-May-13 18:40:52

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

That said, my DCs don't go to the local school, but they have still found friends in our street to play with. We often meet their classmates at weekends, but suspect this is unusual. My children attend a Catholic school so perhaps the parents make an effort to meet up at weekends because after school play dates are tricky.

I guess pros:
Better school,
Infant/juniors together
Fantastic pre-school
Lovely location
Easier journey

Not local/within our own community
Difficult to see friends out of school
Have to drive
Upheaval of changing

It's also a church school, which the others aren't and although we aren't religious I like the idea of having a 'spiritual' element to school life as well as an academic one

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