My year 7 DS moved from a state primary to an independent school in London, in September. He was top dog at primary (very happy and confident) and was only boy from his school to go to his new school where he knew no one. At first he loved it, and in some ways still does, but he's finding the social thing, very hard, and he spent Monday Tuesday and Wednesday at home, with stomach cramps, which the GP says is common in children who are stressed. The stomach thing has been going on for about two terms,(but never for as long as that) and he's had a blood test (all clear) and is having one further test. It's a mixed school, he has a few boy friends in other classes but is finding it hard pushing himself into groups and finding partners when asked to in sports lessons etc. That whole area is making him very stressed resulting in the stomach cramps. I think partly because he's very small and as he says, "it's hard when you're small to make your presence felt." We have been to see form teacher who says he's going to reintroduce a seating plan for registration, so he doesn't have to agonise over where to sit, and academically he's doing very well. But then the same form teacher emailed the next day to say sorry my DS wasn't at school, when he clearly was and he hadn't noticed somehow in registration, thereby reinforcing my DS's view that he is a bit invisible. He's joined several lunch time and after school groups, had friends over etc. but something isn't working. Last term he often found himself having lunch alone etc. Do I think about moving him? Or hope that he settles down next academic year? How common is this problem? Of course I would expect some teething problems coming from small primary, but we are in summer term now. Have to add that some of these children at his school have been together for a while, as they were in prep school together, but some of the kids who were new at 11 have settled.