moving schools vs a longer journey

[verds]

My daughter's just started reception, but we've found a house we like in Sydenham. (Not that we've got it yet!)

Settling her into school has been a bit rockier than I anticipated, so the thought of moving her to a new one this year - even if we could get a place - doesn't seem right.

Has anyone else moved away and left it a while to move schools? Or not moved schools at all? I know it's not even that far away, but I just wondered what people usually do.

[Curmudgeon]

It takes my friend half hour to do the sydenham journey at pick up but it's doable

[mysticmark]

Hi, we moved to F Hill / ED 2 yrs ago but have kept daughter now 9 in school in C Palace where she has so many friends and its a great school; but she had alread been there 3-4 yrs when we moved. Not the best drive every day but it becomes a routine, and she's happy.

[Mrs TP]

Just a thought but are there likely to be any spaces in the Sydenham schools reception or are they over subscribed as they are in ED?

If you could move her I would as you are going to have another 6yrs of doing the journey. If you were much higher up the school with firm friendships made I would be loathe to move her.

Settling in woes are horrid but better to be having them in a local school than travelling, being in a rush and having less time to deal with them and raising everyone's stress levels in a school further away.

Good luck - lovely houses in Sydenham!

[BeccaL]

Plus makes it easier if you know local families from the point of view of going to play etc - I'd probably move her, at that age...

[verds]

thanks - lots to think about. yes, I don't think we'd get a school place there easily either... And then we'd need one for her sister in a couple of years. I suppose there's no right time to move if you think about it too much!

[Mellors]

I do Upper Sydenham - Horniman. I allow about 20 mins, although on a good run it takes 5! Depending on where you are you can also walk through the woods or via Cox's Walk - there are families that go to Heber etc as well that do that. Traffic down the bottom end during rush hour is helish though, I wouldn't fancy that day in and day out.

I plumped for staying at the same school because the children love it, but we do local activities like Beavers etc to meet local friends too. Play dates not a problem, everyone is spread out from as far as Nunhead to ED to Sydenham anyway.

I would think it depends on which is your local school and whether you can get in. If its good, and you can, it may be better to move?

Feel free to PM me if you want Sydenham advice.

[canela]

I think if your child is still rocky at school and doesn't have any firm attachment to it, then moving may not make that worse and could actually improve the situation. It depends on the new school and how good it is.

My eldest took ages to settle in reception, and when we moved mid-way through Year 1 I was really worried about how this would impact on him. Turns out it was the best thing ever for him. He just responded totally differently to the new school, loved it, and settled in really quickly.

Interestingly, the old school was a good 20 min drive away whereas the new school is 5 mins walk - meaning that he could now have playdates etc a lot easier, plus it was much less stress in the morning.

reception is still very young. So maybe best to move now and settle everyone into a good routine that will last for the rest of primary?

[tiddles]

I think it would be best to move. Much nicer to get to know local kids and settle into the area properly.

[largeginandtonic]

Also - if you do move now or in the near future, your daughter might well stay friends with a number of children in her current class. My daughter is still good friends with a couple of girls who moved houses, and then schools (they settled easily into new schools) and I think it's great to have friends outside of class. I think in London it's very common for primary school aged children to move schools. My daughter is now in year 4 and there's been a couple of new kids in the class each year I think. If the local school where you are going is good (and you'll now have a much better idea of what a good school is, having a child in school!) then I would move her when a place comes up.

[sugarmouse]

I'd move - a few parents at our school in Sydenham moved mid year in reception and their children settled in within weeks. We're at St Bart's in Sydenham and love it. Elliot Bank and Kelvin Grove also good - definitely worth asking if they've got places. Also, I work in ED and often drive in at 8.30 - the drive is ok MOST of the time but one or two mornings a week, it gets very congested around Forest Hill/Sydenham Hill. You'd have to leave at least half an hour in the morning to be on the safe side I think...

[verds]

Thanks, that's very helpful. Moving schools is a scary thought, but it sounds like they settle quickly at that age. With my two girls faffing around, I have to leave half an hour to do anything!

sugarmouse - my new place is near St Bart's, and I'd never heard of it until now. Good to hear you like it. Do you have to be religious to go there?