to ask if you would move Horsham VS Sutton - upset and scared

[user1465412087]

Really scared about making the wrong choice
We lived in horsham for 5 years prior to the last 2 years we have been in Sutton.
We left only as the landlord was selling and we couldnt secure another rental, each one we viewed had about 10 other people viewing and even though our joint income is good ( i think as i only work part time - £33,000 joint ) we lost out on every house as others earnt more
Long story short " Affordable housing " came in with many housing trusts and we got a 3 bed house with a small garden for £1000 a month.
Its a 5 year fixed tenancy and providing you dont breach its renewable so gone was the stress of private renting
Moved just in time for school allocations for son and got the 1st choice school however I cant stress what hell its become.
He has been attacked constantly by one child ( not bullying as the other child hits many others too ) and the school are doing little even though I have involved the council and so on
Ummed about attempting to private rent again in Horsham but opted not to as no security and so on
Added complication that i have another son due to start school in September and the thought of having another 7 years with this school makes me feel sick
The school has failed in many other ways aside from my son being hit all the time before people reply that this could happen anywhere as I am aware of behavioural differences etc ( The child was assessed also but no additional needs found )
Now, a 3 bedrooomed flat has become available in Horsham open to all existing tenants first
Its on the third floor so no garden and i just feel awful taking their garden away
They never had one before and love having it, we also have a cat who may have to be re homes as hes a very outdoorsy cat and cant imagine him adjusting and I dont actually think pets are permitted in the flats either
But, it would mean we could change schools, that my younger son would start in a school I am happy with and my eldest would have a shot at establishing friends etc as will only be starting Year 2
There is obviously the worry of not knowing which school we will get as I am asking a lot, for a reception and Year 2 place ;-(
What woud you do? Please help - Any advice would be fab

[SpiceLinerandHoneyLove]

Are you related to user1465383488

[JockTamsonsBairns]

Have you posted about this umpteen times before over the past couple of years? Or perhaps there's another MNer who's had a similar Horsham / Sutton dilemma. She'd be best person to advise.

[DrE678]

Helpful. For the gazillionth time the app auto generates user names as userrandomnumber. If you could sort the school issue where would you rather be? Could you look at alternative schools? Have the council made any positive moves to intervene?

[LIZS]

You can't change schools where you are? Tbh I'm more if the school disclosed details of another child' s assessment. No I wouldn't give up a garden and chances are it would go to local existing tenants anyway.

[user1465412087]

No I have only joined this site today
How do i find other threads?
Sutton have no vacancies in the 5 miles surrounding us, weve been on waiting lists for the past 18 months as this all started very quickly in
Its on the affordable rent scheme, it isnt social housing

[SpiceLinerandHoneyLove]

Sorry. I genuinely didn't know about the app doing that.
I'm not sure you could afford Horsham OP. It's all rather Joules/White Stuff\Cook now it has the massive John Lewis and Waitrose. Plus it's expanding into a commuter wasteland.

[user1465412087]

The headteacher told me as she was explaining why they werent funded to have a TA support for the child

[user1465412087]

The flat is £1000 a month the same as we are paying here

[SpiceLinerandHoneyLove]

The rent might be the same but the cost of living may be higher? Which part of Horsham is the property in?

[HangingRockPicnic]

Sounds extremely stressful. There is no way the school should be doing nothing about children being hit. Dd is in a comp and they come down very hard on this sort of thing and wouldn't let it carry on. It's how it has to be for a school to function. Is there another school in Sutton you could move to? If not i can see the attraction of a complete move away to Horsham. You could ask about the particular school in horsham/sutton you are considering a move to and posters could advise on how good they are?

[user1465412087]

north horsham
Cost of living would be the same as would keep current jobs and transfer divisions to be more local

[Discobabe]

Could you move them to another school?

[HangingRockPicnic]

A few posts appeared between me reading them and posting so ignore anything not relevant

[user1465412087]

Problem is that we will just get whatever school has a place for reception AND year 2 by september so hard to ask people advice on schools

[LIZS]

would keep current jobs and transfer divisions to be more local
Is it really that easy? You'd be lucky to get them into same school now wherever.

[fanjolamps]

These are primary school children? Yabu. Insist the school do something! Write to the board of governors, inform ofsted, report head to LEA. I would no way uproot my children to a flat over a house with garden and give away their pet because of this situation.

[Nomorechickens]

Change schools? I know it's not so easy in Sutton because there are so many grammar and church schools so not so many comps
Change class
Massive amount of complaining about the school, via local councillors, MP, governors, to try and get things changed?
(I'm v curious to know what school it is BTW, I know you can't say)

[afromom]

Having lived in a flat for the first 11 years of DSs life and finally last year moved to somewhere with a garden, I would never give the garden up for a flat. He really hated not having a garden. But I can see how it's a big decision if things are not good for your oldest in school.
I think if it was me I would persevere with your current place for now and keep talking to the school about the issue with the hitting. It is not acceptable and I would continue to report every incident, and request feedback regularly on how they are dealing with it, until it's sorted!

[user1465412087]

Believe me i have involved anyone and everyone so far
They did the assessment and he doesnt qualify fir a TA although they do have one in sometimes and it doesnt stop the incidents anyway

[user1465412087]

Cant change class as it would exceed the allowed class size

[fanjolamps]

So you contact everyone again! Seriously cant believe you would move home over an issue regarding a child in the infants of primary school.

[stickystick]

Move schools. Mid -year/mid-school vacancies always come up. I went to primary in Sutton and families were always moving in and out of borough. If you get your younger kid into a different school you'd be first in line for a year 2 place there. If you are enough of a PITA at the current place they may even help you find another place.

[ohtheholidays]

Make a formal complaint to the school,involve the governors,go over the head teacher if they're doing nothing.

Is your child being physically attacked?if so then tell the school your involving the Police,that should give them the kick up the arse they so obviously need!

I used to teach and if there was a real problem that the head wasn't dealing with propely and a parent got the Police involved the head then managed to resolve the problems several familys were facing because of one family.

[Discobabe]

Mosy schools with more than one class per year group rejig the classes each year. Insist your dc goes into a different class to this child in September.

[DesignedForLife]

Does it have to be Horsham? Broad bridge Heath is lovely and much cheaper.