Advice needed- should I move my year 10 child to another school?

[HarveytheWhale]

We have had a rough ride with his current school on and off for a long time- bullying in year 7, then falling in with a bad crowd in year 9, and now in year 10 he’s making terrible choices. He keeps hanging around with this kid that is on the verge of being expelled. He was caught vaping yesterday with the kid. My son was in intensive care 6 months ago with a collapsed lung which was incredibly traumatic for him. And now he is vaping. It doesn’t matter how many talks we have with him nothing gets through.

part of the problem is that he just hasn’t found his way socially at this school. He just kind of floats and ends up with the bad kids. There is also a lot of pressure at this school and it doesn’t suit him, he’s not very academic.

so- we are thinking of moving him somewhere else in the hope that it will improve things.

please give me your opinions.

Well Year 10 is a difficult time to move academically speaking. If you can find another school that will match his options and exam boards, then yes, could be worth it.

Otherwise, how close to permanent exclusion is this other child? If just weeks away, then stick with the current school.

The kid had a managed move several months back and then came back sadly. God knows if he will ever be chucked out for good.

In that case, start calling other schools. But in the meantime, really try to limit your child's interactions with this other child. Ask the current school for help.

It would be very difficult to move him unless a school would let him start year 10 again which would be a fight to get. Even if they do the same exam boards they don't necessarily teach it in the same order or choose the same texts. My children were at a different school to my friend's children, same year group. They were doing the same exam boards but did different texts for things like English lit and the poems, you can choose 2 different sets.

I would be going in to school to talk to his head of year and pastoral to try to get this resolved from the inside if possible.

No, don't move him at the end of Y10. He will need to start the whole year again if you find a school that accepts him. You will categorically NOT find another school locally that is doing the same exam board as his current school, in every single subject, and in the exact same order as he has done.

It will hugely impact his GCSEs - more than his current dicking around is doing.

Once mocks hit in November year 11 and exams start to get real real everyone starts putting their heads down and bad behaviour drops off a cliff!

I wouldn’t move now

Book in some 6th form open days (usually end sept early Oct) they will have grade entrance for subjects - motivation to work

My son moved schools in year 11. He then dropped back and repeated year 10. He was so unhappy at his old school and had missed so much that exam boards, set texts etc didn't matter. He went from highly unlikely to pass any GCSEs to passing enough that he was allowed to go back for A- level (he didn't in the end though).
Its got to be worth considering.

I agree if you move him you have to repeat y10. It’s a terrible time to move.

it is possible, especially if you have the financial means. Many independent schools will accept this, especially if your child is summer born (as the law change a few years ago made it possible for summer born or prematurely born children to start school a year later). Thus means there will be quite a few other children who will share your sons school age. IMHO, schools do not have children’s learning at heart so they fight against this, but call around and you will find somewhere. It is worth it for your child to finish GCSEs in secondary school, get good grades and move on with his life. This faffing with colleges and retakes is not the best option.