To move schools or not

Key Stages 1-2 and SATs advice

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Should DD2 move schools?

YES! Get her out now!
27
90%
Wait and see how the school copes next year.
2
7%
No, moving schools is horrendous.
1
3%
 
Total votes: 30

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Nathair
Posts: 445
Joined: Mon Apr 06, 2009 8:31 pm
Location: East Lancs

To move schools or not

Post by Nathair »

We've got a bit of a dilemma at the moment. I'll give you a bit of background, then fill you in. Both my DD's are at the same primary school in town, DD1 leaves this time, DD2 is currently Yr3, she'll be going into Yr4 in September. When they joined the school, in nursery, it was a really good school with good ofstead with outstanding bits. Then when DD2 was going into Yr1 the headmaster left in disgrace after having an affair with a TA in the school. The school had a stand in temporary head that September, who was only supposed to be there until Christmas, but ended up staying all that year. They now have a new Head who has been there 2 years now. Since she started, standards have fallen, bullying is rife, and the staff are unhappy.
That leads us to our dilemma. Three members of staff are leaving this summer, 2 are retiring and 1 is going on maternity leave, but the school is not replacing them. The classes are being put together so the school will have;

Class 1: Nursery
Class 2: Reception
Class 3: Year 1
Class 4: Year 2 & some Year 3's
Class 5: The rest of Year 3, all Year 4 and possibly some Year5's
Class 6: The rest of Year 5 and all Year 6

The teacher who taught Year 2 did absolutely nothing for DD2, she's not a bad teacher, but let DD2 coast along and never challenged her. DD2 really didn't respond to her and hardly progressed at all through that class, the teacher she has now has been great and DD is now where she should be, but, with the rearranging, it's looking like the good teacher will be moving to cover class 4 - Year 2 & 3, and the Year 2 teacher will be taking Class 5, so DD could end up with her again for the next 2 years.
Parents unhappy with the changes are moving kids already, and I don't know how much longer the school can actually stay open. My instinct is to move her, but DH had to move primary schools when he was young and hated it, so he is not too happy about that idea. DD is happy at school at the moment, but both of her good friends are moving, and without them and with the teacher she doesn't get on with, how long will she stay happy? With DD1 leaving this year anyway, now seems like a good time to go, if we're going to move her, so both girls could start new schools at the same time.

It seems obvious reading it in black and white that we should move her, but I wouldn't know where to start going about it.

Help!!?! :?
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andyb
Posts: 645
Joined: Tue Dec 04, 2007 10:27 am
Location: Buckinghamshire

Re: To move schools or not

Post by andyb »

Do you have a good alternative school in mind and do they have places available? If the current school is losing pupils then they must be going somewhere and parents are going to be clamouring to get their DC into other good local schools leaving the less satisfactory schools as the only ones with space. I would be inclined to seriously consider moving her if there is a viable alternative.

We moved DS at the end of reception year, not because the school was bad per se, but because there were so many children who had English as a second language who took all the teacher's time so 4 year old DS was more or less left to his own devices. We spent time at home playing maths games and improving his reading and writing as the "work" done in class was stuff he had done at nursery. Also, further up the school they had mixed age classes which I wasn't very keen on. We were lucky to get him into another school for the beginning of Year 1 and have never looked back.

I know moving in Year 4 is different as your DD will have made friends and knows the routines of her current school, but children do seem to take school moves in their stride. At primary school there is no disadvantage to starting part way through the year so you could see how things pan out with her current school before committing yourselves. You should have a fair idea by October half term whether the new set up is improving standards, or not.

I hope it all works out for you and DD.
sherry_d
Posts: 2083
Joined: Tue Sep 01, 2009 4:38 pm
Location: Maidstone

Re: To move schools or not

Post by sherry_d »

Nathair wrote:DD is happy at school at the moment
We went through it a few years ago and I kept her is the school but I really do regret that decision. She was so happy and it was fear of the uknown that kept us bound. Have you found out from the schools you have in mind if they do have places? Good ones are normally very hard to get in but if you get a place I dont see reason why you shouldnt. Its worth visiting the school too to get a feel about it. You'll know if its the right school for her. I have been to some schools which ticked every box but on our visits we just knew within 5mins that they werent right for her.
Impossible is Nothing.
Just1-2go
Posts: 523
Joined: Wed Apr 01, 2009 4:43 pm
Location: Twells

Re: To move schools or not

Post by Just1-2go »

andyb wrote:I know moving in Year 4 is different as your DD will have made friends and knows the routines of her current school, but children do seem to take school moves in their stride.
We moved when our youngest was going into year 3, it took him a whole year to settle in to his new school, during this settling in period we had a lot of tears and his confidence really took a nosedive taking his classwork with it. I felt awful and really wondered if I'd done the right thing. He is now very happy and really flying academically.

If you have a good school in mind for you DD I would not hesitate to move her if the circumstances in your current school are as bad as you say, but be aware that it may - not necessarily all DCs are different after all - take a while to settle in, and if it does bear with it.

Good luck!
Nathair
Posts: 445
Joined: Mon Apr 06, 2009 8:31 pm
Location: East Lancs

Re: To move schools or not

Post by Nathair »

Actually there are 6 other primary schools in our area, I think the furthest is about 1 and a half miles away, all of them have places available as the population of the town is falling. All but 2 out rank the current school on the BBC tables, but even the 2 below are showing an upward trend, whereas the current school is going downhill rapidly, and since they didn't do SATS this year, I won't have those results to look at.
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mike1880
Posts: 2563
Joined: Sat Sep 27, 2008 10:51 pm

Re: To move schools or not

Post by mike1880 »

I would move her. The proportion of children with behavioural issues will increase as people leave because the better behaved ones will be among the first to go. Normally you'd hope that smaller classes would help to moderate the effects of that (although that never seems to happen in practice) but it's not going to happen here - there are just going to be added complications due to combining classes.

The only reason to stay would be existing friendships, if her friends are going too it would be best to bail out.

Mike
Snowdrops
Posts: 4667
Joined: Wed Nov 21, 2007 5:20 pm

Re: To move schools or not

Post by Snowdrops »

Move her. Without a doubt, move her. Listen to your heart Natty. Your daughter needs good teachers, not one who you know will do nothing for her.

Move her and do it now!
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mystery
Posts: 8927
Joined: Tue Jul 21, 2009 10:56 pm

Re: To move schools or not

Post by mystery »

Yep, get her a place at a new school for the start of September (or end of this term if you prefer). If there are spaces, it can be done in the twinkling of any eye, one colour uniform today, another tomorrow.

Good luck!

Ps, wish I had your choice of better schools
Tolstoy
Posts: 2755
Joined: Wed Aug 13, 2008 5:25 pm

Re: To move schools or not

Post by Tolstoy »

We had to move when are eldest sons were in y3 and y4 due to relocation. Both didn't want to move but once they started in their new schools they settled quickly so it isn't always a problem. Can't you find out which school her friends are going to?

I don't see anything wrong with mixed year classes as the range of ability in every year group is pretty wide anyway. However Mike is undoubtedly right in that the higher ability children will be the ones that bail out first.

The primary school my children now attend had this problem some years ago and it does affect the achievement of the higher ability children quite significantly. It will take a very proactive head to sort things out and even then it takes a while. Our primary is still four years after the new head was brought in carrying the legacy with variable SATs results and a lot of time and money having to be directed at the under achievers.
pheasantchick
Posts: 2439
Joined: Tue Jun 02, 2009 10:28 pm

Re: To move schools or not

Post by pheasantchick »

Go on gut instincts and move her. From reading your post, its obvious that you are not happy about how the school is operating and feel the future may not be any better.

We moved to a completely new area two years ago and the children starting school was the hardest bit. However, they settled straight away and made new friends. Children soon adapt.

Good luck with your decision!
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