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Can school do this? - managed move

240 replies

Bonnyswannie · 22/03/2024 13:38

My dd is struggling at her very strict academy school. Whilst it works for some it does not for my dd and she has gone from well behaved to being pulled up for things like uniform and forgotten items to now what they call disrespectful behaviour
my dd worries about school a lot at home and we applied to a new school that is less strict about u forms and bags and I felt may be a better match.
my dd has a lot of negative behaviours points and a 1 day suspension since year 8 - nothing before that.
the new school has accepted and it’s all going through yet today my dd’s current school said they would speak to new school as due to her negative behaviours she would need a managed move. I called them this morning for help as dd was up worrying last night and not wanting to come and now we are being told this.
i asked for this in writing and they have said the new school could request due to the amount of negative behaviours. Can they do this?
my dd is undergoing assessment for ADHD she’s not aggressive or nasty or anything she does forget stuff and she can back chat . Some lessons she excels in and there are 3 subjects she is rarely in as Sw gets sent out for back chat about things that are missing. Not ideal but dd says they talk to her like crap and it makes her feel shit

OP posts:
XelaM · 23/03/2024 19:58

I expect them to make sure their child is wearing their school uniform when they leave rather than buy them air force trainers and refuse to buy school shoes.

Black air force 1s are the most popular school shoes in the school my daughter attends. They are also good for kids' feet. I don't see why some schools forbid them as school shoes? Many many schools allow them to be worn as school shoes. Generally, I'm not going to support school rules that don't make sense.

cansu · 23/03/2024 19:50

What do I expect parents to do? I expect parents not to minimise the impact of poor behaviour and I expect them not to seek to blame school staff when their child is truanting, swearing at staff and disrupting lessons for others.

I expect them not to sit in meeting laughing when their kids are rude. I expect them to keep them at home when they are suspended rather than allow them to hang around the school waiting for their mates to get out. I expect them to show up to parents evenings. I expect them to make sure their child is wearing their school uniform when they leave rather than buy them air force trainers and refuse to buy school shoes. I expect them to be bothered that their child does no homework and has missed shed loads of work through hiding in school toilets with their mates. I expect them to support school sanctiond rather than tell school staff and their kids to walk out of detentions and refuse to hand over their phones.

However generally they only care when their child is on the edge of being excluded. Then they get interested because they face the reality of their child being at home or that their child may have to go to a less convenient school or a school without their mates.

Scattery · 23/03/2024 19:29

cansu · 23/03/2024 19:04

In mumsnet land there are no rude and badly behaved children. It is simply the fault of too strict schools. In the real world there are plenty of students who argue with teachers, truant internally and make schools miserable for others. They are also supported by their parents who will go to any lengths to make it someone else's issue.

So what would you have the OP do, @cansu? Meekly roll over and accept the school's out-and-out lie that her daughter needs a managed move? Not bother to look for underlying issues and simply, what, punish? How? (Are you one of those "bring back the cane!" folks? or are you simply ableist?)

Also, kindly explain how a parent can prevent in-school behaviour. And I mean this with all sincerity - what are your suggestions? If a parent cannot sit in the back of a classroom, or follow her around in a school setting, how the EVERLOVING FUCK are we supposed to prevent bad behaviour?

Punishment at home doesn't fix school problems, as much as you'd love to think so.

I bloody empathise with the OP. My youngest is in y8, totally fine in primary apart from slight attention issues, easily corrected. Fast forward to secondary, she's falling apart and I'm desperately contacting the SENCO for help. SENCO doesn't engage. I've got to do all the footwork through the GP. CAMHS takes her on, agrees high probability of ADHD, meanwhile she's continuing to spiral at school because they don't believe she's got ADHD, so it's detention for forgetting a green pen, and now I've got a child who's starting to get the mindset of "if I'm getting punished for forgetting a specific pen, I might as well go ahead and be REALLY bad" which is something I'm desperately trying to fix through meetings with school, reasonable adjustments, and discipline at home.

I mean, I'm careful about posting on Mumsnet these days because there are a ton of posters who viciously parent blame, but it feels like it's next-level at this point, like a proportion of you don't actually want our kids to exist in society anymore. As if some of you prefer to see a kid suffer rather than wonder how we might change the system for the better.

And actually having posted those last two sentences I do think that's what it boils down to - intolerance and hatred. Coupled with a heaping spoonful of "fear/hate the Other."

OP, you're not alone out there and I'm wishing you the best.

cansu · 23/03/2024 19:04

In mumsnet land there are no rude and badly behaved children. It is simply the fault of too strict schools. In the real world there are plenty of students who argue with teachers, truant internally and make schools miserable for others. They are also supported by their parents who will go to any lengths to make it someone else's issue.

DungareesAndTrombones · 23/03/2024 19:03

Daffodilsarentfluffy · 22/03/2024 13:51

My ds is similar op. Very. He attends a mainstream college for 14-16 year olds... Look at alternative education places ime.

Sorry to derail but how is the College working for your DS please? Mine is now more than likely going back to his mainstream secondary after an awful time and they've suggested a College

XelaM · 23/03/2024 18:57

usererror99 · 22/03/2024 20:27

She rolls up her skirt sometimes

So tell her not too - give her a bollocking and consequences at home if she continues

I hate the trend where school girls rolls their skirts up so it barely covers their underwear

I'm not the OP, but my daughter also wears her skirt short. Frankly, I don't care what my daughter does with her skirt. It doesn't affect her learning one bit. Crazy focus on uniform is usually a sign of a rubbish school with teachers who would rather focus on tiny misdemeanours than teach properly.

We moved from a crazy strict school to a more normal one and my daughter is absolutely excelling whereas she was in constant trouble for ridiculously minor things at old school.

SuperSue77 · 23/03/2024 18:50

Hankunamatata · 23/03/2024 14:15

Not commenting but tips my adhd dc use

Pack bag night before. There's a classtimetable on kitchen wall and a packing list we made for each day. They tick each item off as they put into bag (wipeable board next to it). Bag goes next to front door with coat and school shoes.

Then they have a tick list for uniform. It's laid out night before to make sure they have everything. We have full set of uniforms for each day except blazer and tie so they are on hangers in wardrobe that we prepare on a Sunday. Same with pe kit and shoes, hung over a hanger in wardrobe.

Homework is written on a big calendar in the kitchen

School books are colour coded with draws in kitchen for each subject. So everyday after school they empty their bag and place everything in the drawers.

Before they walk out of the house there's a list on back of front door to make sure they have everything as they have to check it before leaving.

My son’s school keep school books on the classroom so that they don’t have the issue of not forgetting them and they aren’t breaking their backs carrying to and from, and all around school every day. I think it’s a genius idea and works well for my son (my poor daughters have to carry theirs and their bags are so heavy some days!). We did manage to her to school with no school bag one morning though! Cue frantic drive home for me to go and get it and bring it back to school!
We also have a timetable pinned up
on the wall to ensure we remember laptop for English and PE kit etc

Bonnyswannie · 23/03/2024 16:46

Abbimae · 23/03/2024 16:25

ern… she is clearly badly behaved. Burst the bubble love

Ah shall I just leave them to it then and not bother trying to find out why or give her the opportunity to change it?
just put her down as a naughty kid yeah who doesn’t deserve any fairness yeah?!?

OP posts:
PaperDoIIs · 23/03/2024 16:36

Abbimae · 23/03/2024 16:25

ern… she is clearly badly behaved. Burst the bubble love

Erm... that's irrelevant. Bad behaviour does not give the school the right to try and change an in year transfer into a managed move.

Mumof2teens79 · 23/03/2024 16:30

Seashor · 22/03/2024 14:06

No school works on a managed move unless there are huge problems. There is DEFINITELY more to this story.
Even if a child or adult had ADHD, or any other diversity there are still basic skills that parents need to teach them so they can manage school.
Why are you allowing her not to be in uniform? Why are you allowing her to forget items she needs?
Parents need to start stepping up and take responsibility for supporting their children.

If children need parents to make sure they don't forget things then maybe, just maybe, punishing children for forgetting things, is inappropriate?
Either its the child's responsibility or the parents? Which ?

Abbimae · 23/03/2024 16:25

ern… she is clearly badly behaved. Burst the bubble love

ghostyslovesheets · 23/03/2024 16:22

Yeah just take her out and on to the new school - sound like her current school don't understand her needs. I'm sorry you got some shitty answers here OP - some people do not understand that some schools are rubbish with managing behaviour. I work in schools across the UK and see some great schools and some utterly awful one (often the great schools in terms of supporting kids are RI and the crap ones 'outstanding'!) , part of the roll is being involved in challenging managed moves and P ex's. Schools will tell you they have 'done everything' to help a child but when you actually ask they have done very little - including failing to follow guidance from professionals such as EP's or even following an EHCP.

I had it with my own daughter - managed move 'discussed' threatened half way through GCSE - I very calmly asked what would be different in the new school and they banged on about it being more academically challenging - I suggested they try being more academically challenging themselves - and refused to move her !

stayathomer · 23/03/2024 16:06

To be suspended they have to have been involved in incidents of alcohol/drug abuse in school, physical assault, verbal abuse, persistent disruption, abuse against protected, and serious bullying.
Not necessarily not doing homework, I was saying afterwards yes possibly more the persistent disruption of not doing homework and possibly answering back but definitely definitely not always serious enough to warrant suspension as opposed to detention (in my sons school) and we’ve all discussed it amongst us and it’s the general consensus within the years my sons are in

LoftyTurtle · 23/03/2024 16:01

Condolences OP, I hope this get sorted for you. Do you think its perhaps an issue of the school being way over the top, and this then gets DD back up, which then makes DD act up, so the school retaliates (for lack of a better phrase) and it becomes a vicious cycle? I'm not saying DD is at fault, as really in that situation if DD is getting worked up by their over the top strict rules, they should be meeting her halfway and helping her to follow most of the rules in a way that is manageable and works for her, not just blanket punishing her. Eg helping her find ways to remember her PE equipment or pencil case iyswim?

I went to a highschool that sounds very similar and honestly I still look back on it now and think, what the fuck was their problem? My head teacher had some kind of complex about the fact we were a public (as in, not private - different country terminology) school and not a fancy private school like Eton or something!! Some memorable ridiculous things they enforced:

  • Forgetting your blazer, or being caught not wearing your blazer (even outside school premises) was instant detention. The teachers would stalk around the local shops after school and pounce on any student who wasn't wearing a blazer and give them detentions! I wish I was joking, it was bloody mental. Blazers were compulsory all day long. Even in the summer. We were in Australia, no one wants to wear a fucking blazer in 40 degree heat
  • They decided that as our particular year was so naughty and disobedient, our entire year wouldn't get to have the normal camp or formal that every year got. The year before us and year after us got it, but we didn't
  • Lessons had very strange arbitrary times. For example, first class of the day would start at 09:03 and if you arrived at 09:04 you'd get a detention. The class would finish at something like exactly 10:17
  • You sit outside before school and for lunch/breaks no matter what the weather, and you aren't allowed back inside if you've left your lunch/water bottle/whatever in your locker. Sit outside in 40 degree heat while the teachers enjoy their air conditioned rooms
  • Raincoats were banned. Umbrellas only with the school logo. Even if you rode your bike to school, no raincoats - either find a way to ride your bike holding an umbrella, or get soaked
  • Literature was a compulsory subject at equivalent of GCSE/A levels for EVERYONE. Even if you had no interest in studying literature and wanted to go into STEM, or arts/drama, or music, or whatever. You'd be forced to give up a subject you were good at, enjoyed and perhaps might be useful in your future career/studies because the head teacher was adamant that if you didn't study literature you'd grow up to be uncultured swine or someone who reads the Daily Mail. I was very good at maths, but wasn't allowed to do A level/GCSE equivalent maths because it was so important I did literature (and didn't have space in my timetable to squeeze maths in)

I wonder if that head teacher has ever managed to pull her head out of her arse and realise what a twat she was

itsgettingweird · 23/03/2024 15:25

My old school year left school over 50 years ago, we used to roll our skirts up, wear make up and constantly forget our gym and cookery stuff, so nothing changes! No sanctions were ever imposed at what was a rather strict girls’ grammar school though just a mild telling off. We all turned out alright.

My secondary was like this in the 90's. Best school in area for ofsted and results. We respected our teachers and if we received a consequence we knew we'd pushed a boundary too far 🤣

Roll on 30 years and it's the worst in the area for ofsted and results. It's also the strictest with these zero tolerance practices and uniform inspections. 🤔

UnbeatenMum · 23/03/2024 15:25

I hope the move goes well OP. These super strict schools are not at all good for ND/anxious children. I wanted to move my eldest but she wanted to stick it out due to friends. Sent DC2 to a secondary school that doesn't have detentions.

Isitovernow123 · 23/03/2024 15:14

Op, you DD isn’t diagnosed with any condition yet. They are displaying some signs of potential conditions, but also that she is making some very poor choices. The sanctions will be for poor choices rather than just forgetting her pens etc.

I’m not sure why a school would want to make it a managed move because, if your DD is as disruptive as you’ve explained, they’d probably be glad she was no longer their so the other students weren’t disturbed in their lessons.

School rules are there for a reason and parents need to support the schools in enforcing these, regardless of whether they agree with them or not. To undermine the school and its sanctions, especially in front of their children, prevents the school from operating in the best possible way for all the students that attend.

The average secondary school has 1000 students - what would happen if there were no rules? Additionally, the rules are there to provide learning as to what will happen when the children leave education, and the comfort of home, and enter the real world.

I wish your DD all the best at her new school, but please do not believe that all will be fixed ‘if’ your DD is diagnosed with ADHD. Poor decision making is still poor decision making and will results in the same outcomes.

You’ll need to support her with this as a parent, along with supporting the new school with all of their rules (parent-school agreement which you agree to when your DD starts at the school).

Isitovernow123 · 23/03/2024 15:14

stayathomer · 23/03/2024 11:24

a suspension is pretty last resort for something serious
This sounds insane but nowadays it really doesn't seem to be, in my son's school they seem to suspend quite readily. When we were in school you rarely heard of it (I think twice and it was for serious bullying stuff and the hugest deal at the tiem, we were all shocked) but now my son tells me almost weekly of people being suspended. Not for teeny tiny things-eg they get detention if the teacher decides it for them forgetting something, but there's been suspensions for boys not doing homework a few times and not offering a note or them talking back to a teacher more than once. I know there's a line, but I think back to our school and the messing that went on (we had a lot of the 'cool' girls int he class that would talk back all the time and made a few teachers leave the room upset) and it definitely feels like suspensions are held as an alternative to detentions

Kids do not get suspended for not doing homework. Full stop. Anywhere.

To be suspended they have to have been involved in incidents of alcohol/drug abuse in school, physical assault, verbal abuse, persistent disruption, abuse against protected, and serious bullying.

mrstreacle · 23/03/2024 14:51

Astrabees · 23/03/2024 09:05

My old school year left school over 50 years ago, we used to roll our skirts up, wear make up and constantly forget our gym and cookery stuff, so nothing changes! No sanctions were ever imposed at what was a rather strict girls’ grammar school though just a mild telling off. We all turned out alright.

Same here, everyone did back in the 60's and 70's. Wonder of it was the same Grammar school

Bonnyswannie · 23/03/2024 14:38

PaperDoIIs · 23/03/2024 14:19

To not have yet another child leave the school on the records?

To keep funding until April when the new financial year starts?

To be dicks?

To make it official how difficult and badly behaved OP's DD is.. in which case they're shitting all over the correct procedures, best practice and guidance from the government.

I have not blamed the school for us moving to another I have thanked them for their support and said it just might not be a good fit right now. But I do really feel this was an attempt by a particular member of staff to do that, to make her feel like crap. She has been told she won’t amount to anything and they give up on her this week hence her meltdown a previous poster decided to mock. To her that is really a bad thing, and it hurt her and made her feel anxious about being at school. When the school said this she broke diwn because she doesn’t want to be badly thought of at any school, she wants this fresh start,
I wish those mocking my DD’s feelings and referring to her behaviours as ‘her crap’ could see it for one day from her point. To know the child she was before all of this and how it’s impacted her
iv been made to feel mental for taking her feelings into consideration and for trying to understand the root cause of her sudden change . I have worked openly and honestly with the school and backed them up but to be honest I do feel let down at some of the things that they have put on her

OP posts:
Validus · 23/03/2024 14:30

To keep funding until April when the new financial year starts?

and here, I think we’ve cracked it. That’s why they’re trying it. They are losing too many students and want to engineer a way to keep her funding.

PaperDoIIs · 23/03/2024 14:19

cansu · 23/03/2024 14:06

If there is no managed move why did the school suggest it? Moving a child on in this way is not in the school's interest. If the receiving school think it isn't working they can be sent back. The school is so then vulnerable to being added to take a student in return. It all sounds very strange. It doesn't really add up probably because you are only telling half the story.

To not have yet another child leave the school on the records?

To keep funding until April when the new financial year starts?

To be dicks?

To make it official how difficult and badly behaved OP's DD is.. in which case they're shitting all over the correct procedures, best practice and guidance from the government.

Hankunamatata · 23/03/2024 14:17

We also role play scenarios that happen in school to work through how they could have handled it. They take a small notepad for doodles so they don't cover their school work

Hankunamatata · 23/03/2024 14:15

Not commenting but tips my adhd dc use

Pack bag night before. There's a classtimetable on kitchen wall and a packing list we made for each day. They tick each item off as they put into bag (wipeable board next to it). Bag goes next to front door with coat and school shoes.

Then they have a tick list for uniform. It's laid out night before to make sure they have everything. We have full set of uniforms for each day except blazer and tie so they are on hangers in wardrobe that we prepare on a Sunday. Same with pe kit and shoes, hung over a hanger in wardrobe.

Homework is written on a big calendar in the kitchen

School books are colour coded with draws in kitchen for each subject. So everyday after school they empty their bag and place everything in the drawers.

Before they walk out of the house there's a list on back of front door to make sure they have everything as they have to check it before leaving.

Bonnyswannie · 23/03/2024 14:13

cansu · 23/03/2024 14:06

If there is no managed move why did the school suggest it? Moving a child on in this way is not in the school's interest. If the receiving school think it isn't working they can be sent back. The school is so then vulnerable to being added to take a student in return. It all sounds very strange. It doesn't really add up probably because you are only telling half the story.

If I was telling half a story I’d know myself why they were trying to suggest this and wouldn’t be posting on here!

OP posts:
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