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Education

ds' promotion will not be reversed, long patronising letter from Head, northender extremely p***ed off! (again)

15 replies

northender · 30/10/2006 20:18

. ds brought letter home today. Head has not given any ground just tried again to justify what they've done.(at great length!)
I felt so positive and optimistic after sending the letter and now feel completely gutted again. Was OK until I phoned dh at work to read the letter out to him and then started blubbing.

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foxinsocks · 30/10/2006 20:20

oh no

no joy from the LEA either?

can you move schools or is it too far in now?

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LIZS · 30/10/2006 20:22

sorry they are n't listening . Can you contact the Chairman of Board of Governors and if no joy there, the LEA again ?

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hulababy · 30/10/2006 20:24

I can't believe they aren't listening to you and taking your thoughts into consideration. After all you know your DS and what is best for him way better than they do.

I'd take it further - Giverners or LEA if necessary, and CC the Head in on every other letter you send (and vice versa).

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xena · 30/10/2006 20:25

Sorry northender How crap, I read you original post when you were told that this happened. When do they plan on realigning him with the children of his own age will he repeat yr6 when it comes to it, because surely secondary schools won't take him a year early?

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northender · 30/10/2006 20:29

Letter to the Governors is next, then the LEA who I have to say, so far, have been less use than a chocolate teapot. Even if the Governors won't do anything they need to know how badly this whole thing has been handled.

fox I don't think we will consider switching schools as he has settled so well to the school as a whole iyswim. In his letter the head didn't specifically respond to our direct request for ds to be moved back to Reception full time so we will try that again. The gist of the letter is "this is the way we are doing things so tough sh*t"

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foxinsocks · 30/10/2006 20:32

how frustrating for you

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northender · 30/10/2006 20:35

xena this will go on for 4 years in total until he has to repeat Y3 when his original classmates catch up with him.

I feel gutted(for want of a better word) about it because we were excited about him starting school and it all went so well, he settled brilliantly then this happened . After the initial excitement of being in Y1 (which lasted all of a day) he now asks every day why he can't be in Rec all the time and so isn't getting the most he could out of school. I feel as if we've let him down by the choice we've made, albeit unwittingly.

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foxinsocks · 30/10/2006 20:36

I still think it's outrageous that they didn't tell you about this in advance. At least you would have then had the chance to make the decision before your child had started school.

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wheresthehamster · 30/10/2006 20:48

That's what bothers me - at some point they will have to repeat a year. Completely crazy.
Hope you get to speak to a reasonable human being at the LEA eventually but providing the Head hasn't done anything illegal her word is usually final.
Maybe it IS illegal to put a Foundation stage pupil into KS1 against the parents' wishes?
Clutching at straws here. Good luck.

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northender · 30/10/2006 21:06

Don't think it is illegal but you'd think you would have some rights short of switching schools.

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xena · 31/10/2006 07:29

Of course yr3 is when they are allowed to go over the 30 per class rule
that a child is having to deal with their error!!

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roisin · 31/10/2006 16:55

Northender - I've been following this saga. I have to say I am really shocked and surprised that your Head hasn't backed down and said OK your ds can go back to reception now. I think it's outrageous, and I would be extremely unhappy if it had happened to either of my boys.

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peegeeweegeeWITCH · 31/10/2006 20:30

I am very on your behalf, and completely outraged...

But, I would seriously consider changing schools. You say he has settled into school well, but you also say that every day he asks when he can go back to Reception...

It is only 6 weeks into many many years of schooling. A few children I know have just moved schools when a place became available.

I have no idea what repeating Y3 is going to do to your son. But, they have pulled him away from his friends now, and he will spend the next 4 years making new friends, only to be pulled away from them when he has to repeat Y3.

My ds is in Y3, and to be made to repeat Y3 when all his friends move up would really really upset him. Just remember, when your ds is in Y3 he will be 7 and much more attached to friends then he may be now... Also, the current Reception class will by then have made firm friendships, so how will your ds fit back into this group??

If it was my son, I would move him. One move, made whilst he is so young he will easily make new friends.

In addition, I would be soooooo angry with the head of this school, I would never want to set foot inside her school ever again. Even if that means cutting my nose to spite my face....

Sorry if none of this helps you, but I am just sooo sad and outraged that this can be allowed to happen...

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Crackle · 01/11/2006 12:47

I agree with moving him before much more time passes. After the Christmas break would be the natural time, then he would have two lovely long terms in a reception class.

My kids have taken moving schools very well and they have very different personalities, it doesn't take very long at all to settle them. At least that way you wouldn't have this hanging over you for years and years.

In my experience, once you lose faith in the management of a school, nothing ever goes right.

I really, really hope that you get a fresh start somewhere else.

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northender · 08/11/2006 15:10

It's me again. Once again thanks for all your comments and support.
pegee When I say he has settled into the school as a whole I mean he has friends there of various ages (from outside school) and the school very much encourages a family type atmosphere (except for 5 children in reception of course!) which is why we chose it in the first place.
We are looking at other schools (I'm going to see one tomorrow morning) and are writing a letter to the Governors. To be honest I don't hold out much hope as it is only us who are unhappy with the situation so the only option would be for them to move ds back to rec and "promote" another child. I vary between being quite laid back about it to being tearful and angry about it. Not how imagined starting school would be