My DD is at a very small private school (non-selective), which goes all the way through. There are not enough children to have one year per class, so it is ability based. Her class is mainly Yrs 7 and 8, but they are treated as Yr 8 and are heading towards common entrance. Age-wise she is a young Yr 7.
I'm worried that if things stay as they are, she will be taking GCSEs a year early. Even if the class splits into 2, which may happen at some stage, she will probably be kept in the top group, as she is relatively able (though not hugely so).
I think that if she takes her GCSEs a year early, she will do less well than she might do if she had an extra year of both studying and maturity.
Also, she is unlikely to do A'levels at the school, due to its size, so would she be stuck at age 15, having done her GCSEs, and legally required to go to a state school for a year and re-take the GCSE year? Or would the 6th form college consider taking her a year early (I doubt it)?
I can't afford to send her to a different private school (she has financial support for this one), and am wondering whether I should move her to a comprehensive in the next year or so, so that she takes GCSEs at the usual time. But she really doesn't want that, and there are some good things at her current school which she wouldn't get elsewhere. I'm also not sure how she would cope in a very big state school after being in a tiny private school where everyone knows her. There might well be a risk of bullying.
Any thoughts anyone?