ABSTRACT
At some point, probably in Year 5, children in primary schools become aware that soon they will be moving on. Members of their family and friends, at school and in their neighbourhoods, will probably be the first people to raise the subject. Parents today tend to ask their children which school they might fancy going to rather than simply directing them. This recognizes the autonomy we value in our children but it also allows other significant influences, such as the peer group, to have more of an impact on choices than perhaps we might wish. Peer group pressure can never be underestimated. If all of Emma’s friends are going to Thorncliffe High is she likely to opt for Chertsey College?
