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Secondary education

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Yr8- worth changing to private?

57 replies

TheDogsMissingBollock · 30/11/2014 10:25

Currently in outstanding state, v happy there but her results not great, no support for her moderate SN and she is not really trying/being pushed. She's had a lot of change and ideally we wouldn't be looking to move her.
However, she's a real challenge and clashes esp with me on the sch run which i have to drive (out of catchment, no public transport there). She has got quite aggressive, is rude, challenges every single one of my instructions. Every day, all the time. Dd2 gets v v upset with "all the shouting". We're all exhausted from the daily battles. Dh thinks it's my mothering style... Dd1 often fails to do hmk or does very last minute on scrappy bits of paper and refuses to do any sport/extracurricular stuff. We have withdrawn privileges (phone, technology) when her behaviour's been particularly bad.

Am wondering about moving dd1 to a local private sch with a rep for being good with moderate learning difficulty, small class sizes, a longer school day which includes getting hmk and sport done and a school bus (which would transform my life and enable me to work again).
We can afford it, just wondering whether yet more change would outweigh any advantages.

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ZeroSomeGameThingy · 30/11/2014 12:04

But this isn't really a state v private question is it? It's about finding a school that meets your needs. You could switch the "type" of schools around and still be asking the same questions.

On the one hand you have the current school which is not fulfilling any of your requirements. You say your DD is happy there - perhaps, given the problems you list, her judgement is not the best. On the other you have a school that would (apparently) more than meet your needs, in fact enable a really positive change in your life.

Of course your DD should be involved - that is inevitable - but do you think she's happy at the current school because she can get away with a lot? (The possibility for homework to be done at school would be worth the change by itself. Not just for family harmony but also to aid your DD's self reliance.)

There's also your DH's "opinion". Some might say it is not entirely helpful ...

If the potential new school lives up to its reputation it sounds ideal.

TheDogsMissingBollock · 30/11/2014 12:00

Just wondering if I'm being selfish for even thinking of it! I could do with less "conflict" time with dd and not doing the school run myself with a defiant 13 year old...

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TheDogsMissingBollock · 30/11/2014 11:47

Thanks, yes have raised it with her and she's adamantly against as she is happy currently at sch. But everything else so tricky! We are going to take her to visit it anyway.

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InMySpareTime · 30/11/2014 11:42

Talk to your DD about it. What does she think? By age 12 she should be an active participant in the decisions affecting her education.
It's hard to give advice on specific schools, each school is different and you need to find the one that's the best for your DD (e.g. My two have always/will always be at different schools because they are different people, different schools suit them).
Perhaps take your DD to visit the private school, see what she thinks. It can't harm, can it?

Moid1 · 30/11/2014 11:39

DS1 has just changed in year 9. He was very unhappy so a no brained, however he has matured a lot and ready to make a change that we could not do in Year 7.

TheDogsMissingBollock · 30/11/2014 11:29

Really appreciate some views

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TheDogsMissingBollock · 30/11/2014 11:09

To add, we have regular meetings with current sch and still pushing to get extra support.

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