Would you change schools?

Rosedust84

Okay so Ill try explain this without being too complicated!

I have two daughters in primary, eldest is going into furst class this Sept and the younger is going into senior infants.. I lived down the country until Feb of this year, whrn I moved here to Dublin and I obviously had to transfer schools when we moved. Im moving in a week or two and the school theyre currently in is approx a half hour walk home. I dont drive and its not a possibility due to disability.

Theres a school just around the corner from the new house, but Im reluctant to move them again.! My issue is that in the winter a half hour walk is gonna be a disaster, plus senior infants finishes at 1:30 and first class finishes at 2:30, so ILl be only home and heading out the door again in the afternoon. The obvious answer is to move them because the whole thing is a disaster in the making but like I say I hate to move them again

Ive thought of bikes but even then in the winter that'll be a pain! Any suggestions

the_syco

Do they enjoy the school that they're in now, and have they made friends?

Also, is the school that is near you better, and is there a chance you'll be moving again?

Rosedust84

the_syco wrote: »

Do they enjoy the school that they're in now, and have they made friends?

Also, is the school that is near you better, and is there a chance you'll be moving again?

They would have friends in the class yeah..

Well I wouldnt say one school is better than the other I suppose they'd be equal. I own the place Ill be moving to so hopefully will be staying put

I wouldn't move them for the sake of a half an hour walk. It's a fairly big upheaval for a child. You mention disability, maybe this is why the half hour walk seems long to you so apologies if that's the case.

ash23

I wouldn't move them other than the fact that you own the house you will be living in now so it'll be a long term thing. It will be a big upheaval for them but it is most likely that the kids in your neighbourhood and surrounding areas will be in the more local school so I think long term it would benefit your children as they will make friends who will be living close by.

They haven't been in the school for very long and they are still very young so the change should be easy enough on them. Of course, if you say it to them and they have a very negative reaction, you will have to consider what they want.
Will it be possible for you to befriend some of the mams and dads (and by extension introduce your kids to other kids) in the new area? That way they will already know people in the new school.

Ickle Magoo

They've only been in the other school six months and they're both young - I'd move them to the closer school. The hour taken off their day with needless travelling and not having to trudge for half an hour in the wet/winter nights/mornings trump any reason to stay put, imo...of course, whether it's going to be too traumatic to your kids to move again really depends on what they are like.

We moved schools a few times as youngsters thanks to parental job moves/house moves and it never bothered us - within a few months it was hard to remember the old school/friends.

All the best.

Rosedust84

Thanks for all the tips

Well Im actually lucky in that the last time we moved they were nothing but excited and they can't wait to move again, I think Im blessed..! I doubt they would take it negatively at all to be honest! Its just me myself Im trying to decide is it a selfish thing to move them Ive looked at bus times and that but its still messing around..and like a previous poster said the kids in the new estate but be likely in the nearby school.

I don't know anyone in the new place so finding someone with a car and kids in the "further school" isnt an option, plus I did this when I lived in the country as the school there actually wasnt in walking distance, and relying on someone like that is a drain for obvious reasons, wondering if theyre getting tired going out of their way and theres no way to pay them back really...

The easiest thing is to move them but I just wanted some other opinions..its a decision I need to get moving on either way because I dont want to move them a month into term..!

I completely missed the part where they were only in the other school 6 months OP, sorry Yeh, I see no issuemoving them if they're not there very long.

My daughter is starting in a new school next week, she's going into 2nd class, I'm a little bit apprehensive!

edellc

OP I would move them, your going to be in your new house long term, they have only been in this school 6mths, yes its a bit of a change again for the kids but kids are very adaptable and with the eldest going into 1st class they still have another 6years in primary left, thats a long time for the half hour walks in the winter, so yes I would do it now rather than later.

Best of luck with the house move and do what is best for you and your family.

the_syco

Rosedust84 wrote: »

I own the place Ill be moving to

In that case move them.

However, ask the locals if there's a difference between the two schools, just in case the one they're in now has better facilities, funded better, etc, etc.

Daisy M

I wouldn't take the decision to change schools for my children lightly but I agree that under the circumstances it would be the right choice. A half hour walk every day is not realistic, some days they will have heavier bags than normal or extra bits to bring in, if they are a little under the weather but still able for school the walk would take a lot out of them, if one of them was sick and needed to be collected you would need to get a taxi and thats not even taking into consideration bad weather, also it would be unrealistic to think that the youngest child could walk half an hour home, walk half an hour back to school and half an hour home again she would be worn out.

byhookorbycrook

I'd move them in this case. Their classmates will soon be the neighbours, so they won't be long settling in. Maybe arrange for a few friends/classmates to come over to play one of the days soon.