My DD12 has struggled throughout year 7 on the periphery of a friendship group that she didn’t really fit into. She’s bright, funny and kind, but a little shy. She often felt left out of the group, but talking to them about it made no difference so she tried to foster other friendships. This put the group’s collective nose out of joint, and they have been horrible to her ever since. It has tipped over into bullying now.
The last few weeks have been particularly awful. She says she has no friends in her form at all. She is very close to her older sister, who often lets her spend break or lunch time with her and her friends, but she spends many lunchtimes alone and wandering about. She has no confidence in herself and is miserable.
I’ve been in contact with the pastoral team, who have suggested a few things. We’re contemplating whether to move her to a different form, but there is no obvious candidate at the moment. I’ve tried to ensure she spends time with old friends from primary school (who went to a different school) and am trying to get her involved in more extra-curricular activities.
It is heartbreaking to see her like this. Does anyone have any positive stories or advice to share?