Took our son on two school tours. He ranked them by the canteen and the slide

fig_camera_612528 Sept 2026

He is likely changing schools for class 3, mostly for the commute and a class he never quite settled into. We thought bringing him on the tours this month would make him feel part of it. His verdict: the first school has a better slide, the second has samosas in the canteen. He is leaning towards samosas. He didn't mention the classrooms, the teachers or the other children at all. How much did your child's opinion count at 7 or 8? I want him to feel heard, but I'm not choosing a school on snacks.

3 comments

saffron_quilt_823228 Sept 2026
What does he say about the class he never settled into? Ask him what the new place should be different at. That answer is worth more than the slide.
hazel_bottle_156328 Sept 2026
only child here, but when my son was that age he noticed things on visits that we completely missed. whether the kids in the corridor looked happy, whether anyone said hi to him. i'd ask him about that, not which school he liked. samosas is just the answer he had words for
marigold_window_2329 Sept 2026
Reading this with a two month old asleep on my shoulder. Genuine question from someone new to all of this: is it common to change schools in primary? I had assumed you choose once and stay till class 10.