AIBU to tell my daughter's teacher we want her moved to another class?

[Clarinet9]

Firstly I don't want to be rude but we really want my daughter in another class to the extent that I will probably end up home educating her for the year if not moved and don't know how to make that happen.
The back story so we are overseas so kids are in a new class as of 3 weeks ago, our dc is 8 and in year 4. The school is very average but probably the best of our choices I asked the head to move her before the holidays we had a chat he said he would 'bear that in mind' but really he is a 'it's my way or the highway' kind of guy'. The area we are in is considered rather chi chi and people seem to consider themselves something rather special if they send their kids here (OK I am seriously underwhelmed but that's another thread)

The allocation of classes is bizarre, done on second to last day of term, on that day you normally see around 30% of the children in tears, for about 4 weeks prior to that newsletters home tell us we must not try and influence the process, it is a careful selection based on class mix no account will be taken of friendships etc etc, we are also told under no circumstances will things be changed.
head has a pet project he is starting in 1/3 of the school when we knew the allocation I asked head to move her based on our desire for her to participate in this project and stressed it was not about teachers friends etc.
So school is split site over 500 pupils our daughter is year 4 they do mixed year classes so far our daughter has been in a 2/3 then a straight 3 now a 3/4. (30 kids: 20 yr 3, 10 yr 4!) i.e. 3 years in year 3 because they were a straight 3 the majority (80%) of the class has gone to the other site which is where we want her. Academically she would be a perfect fit she is above average by 18-24 months in all areas and a younger sibling so not emotionally immature.

We know there is no reason for her to be in this class nor was it a considered choice based on needs (old teacher says she would be ideal for the other class), the other classes will be doing heads project, will be going on a camp, will be doing age appropriate work, will have a host of other opportunities, and consist of a group of peers that have moved together, so far our daughter has been told 'we are not doing any work because some people have not got their books' she has been told off for not having a junior maths book has been told she needs a book to practice letter formation and marched outside to watch her peers and former classmates do science projects which she was not allowed to take part in. She read the hobbit over Christmas, todays reading book is an 'early chapter book' has about 35 pages 2/3 of the page is a picture, couple of sentences to a page no word seems to contain more than 7 letters.
So I have no faith in their ability to teach her at the appropriate level, her teacher apparently doesn't do girly girls (and she really is one)I really don't want to home educate, she is a social being and would prefer to be at school, and she would be up there twice doing the school run anyway.

So what do I do/say to get them to review this? We're stuffed aren't we?

It doesn't sound great. Why do you think a different class will help?

What about other parents of children in your daughter's class? Surely everyone would think this is a stupid state of affairs? I think if a group of you make a formal complaint then you might get a little more success. You can't be the only parent requesting a change. It sounds dreadful.

Also, wtf is s 'girly girl' when it comes to education? Does your dd only read pink, sparkly books or something?

What's your reason for your daughter being more entitled to be moved than the other children in her class? I'd guess that's what the head will ask. Are there any other schools you could consider?

Thanks guys
Barbarian please don't pick on the words the mumsnet community where I am is small and I am definitely identifiable by this post so trying to be anonymous, maybe she is bookish, maybe she wears glasses, maybe she is sporty, maybe it is something else!
the post was very long what I was trying to say is that when we told people which class she was in the universal response was 'pity that won't go well, teacher X does 'girly girls' like oil and water, or oh x and y had real trouble with her and their daughter last year she doesn't do 'girly girls'

but it was my error I should have used speech marks lol about pink sparkly books though

It depends. Does the head care if you take your child out? Particularly would his budget be affected?

If so, and you are serious, you can tell him the truth. Either she is moved or you will HE.

If not there is nothing you can do. But you still might as well talk to him

You can ask, but from what you've said here, it won't work, as the head teacher will simply say no. They also can't move your daughter and leave the other 9 year 3s behind. They also won't remove a child from the other class to put yours in.

I think your best bet is to lobby with the other excluded parents for all the children to be included in the 'project' and/or ask for an appropriate range of work to be provided to suit different ability children.

If you HE will you be able to get your child back in for year 4, as you said it was a popular school? Would another school in the area suit better even if it is not seen to be as a good a school, it might be a better fit for you.

So we are stuck here for the next little while, no other schools all catchment areas round here I could send her to a school elsewhere but it would be very difficult to organise with our current morning commitments and we certainly can't afford to pay someone to do the school run for us!

Yes people do think it is stupid, it is a new system introduced about 3 years ago, everyone hates it, head likes it

Solomon 20 children are in the right class for starters, of the rest some don't want to move, some are at the right level academically (it is not about how clever my daughter is but she was one of only 2 children in her year to need to sit the year 4 start of year levelling exam at the start of year 3 because she aced the year 3 one -she got over 90% on the year 4 one if you are interested, she has just re-sat it a year later!, the other child is on the other site already) she is also emotionally mature enough to be on the other site, she has also been separated from 80% of her class most of the other year 4's have not been) however for all I know lots of parents do want their children moved and have posted the same question on a local parenting site!

I'm surprised you've stood for it for so long, if she is learning nothing. I would look more seriously at the other schools and the level of work she would be doing there. Having first tried with the Head. Take in the Hobbit and her current school book.

Sorry we are supposed to have broadband but it takes me around a minute to load a page.

We have catchment areas so can send child to local school and not to out of catchment ones!

re budget not sure I guess so but 1 child out of 500+ can't make that much difference

thanks petal I suspect you are right (but I don't see why they can't leave the other year 4's in the class they are in)

I'd be looking at another school

I would kick up a stink I really would. It sounds dreadful. I had a similar but slightly different school experience at about that age, so my parents moved me to another school. It was the best thing that could have happened. There is no point letting children be bored at school when there is something exciting and valuable they could be doing instead!

If the head doesn't budge I would move onto Governors and Ofsted or whatever their equivalent is.

Good luck.

waiting agree she really has had the worst luck with classes/education/nurseries poor thing
I spent my last year at primary being naughty so I was sent to stand in the corner, there was a radiator and a set of bookshelves, it was lovely but i was bored and miserable at school and I don't think the books can have been that good because I didn't learn much!

I'm a bit unclear, your daughter has been in this class for 3 weeks only? Is that right? It sounds a bit like the type of system in some schools here, experimental courses they are known as. Some kids do more music, others an extra language, another again a theatre project.

You are informed about which section your child will be in in August, just a few weeks before term begins, but I believe the HT listens to any reasonable concerns.

Are you somewhere HE is allowed? It isn't where I am.

You need to address the actual problems with the lack of learning rather than go asking to move class. You are highly unlikely to get the move you want, and threatening to home educate will be pointless.

Make a complaint about how upsetting it was for your dd to have to watch her old classmates do things she'd liked to have joined but wasn't allowed through no fault of her own, complain about how the books she is being given are inappropriate.

Sangria yes school year started approx 3 weeks ago where I am
Not experimental courses I think we are probably not in the same place, yes HE is allowed.

Ptolemy not a threat, the poor child has had some really bad luck went to a dreadful nursery, her first teacher had a breakdown, second teacher spent the whole time yelling at the class (and they are so little at that stage she used to make all the kids cry and in front of parents! She was quite 'difficult' she hated her and moved her down year in maths about 2 weeks before she aced a test
(third teacher we thought was going to be awful but she was just fab) however now this....
I have a dread of my dc's being bored in class I was as a child and I can trace some 'problems' and bad work habits directly back to that!
My old primary is a long standing resident of the bottom of the league tables!!

Sorry I know I sound like I have an answer for everything but you have given me some good ideas and it is helpful to hear that I am going to be HE
I was looking for books earlier in the week!

I think I would arrange a meeting with the head, you really don't want to pull her out unless you have to

How is you other dc getting on at the school?

I thought mixed Year group classes only happened in tiny village schools where they didn't have enough pupils to justify teaching say, 10 pupils in a separate class of their own??
If 10 Year4's really have been hived off from the main group, to their detriment, I'd say you had a clear case of discrimination.
Work as a group, though. Don't just demand that your child is found a place, insist the whole system is flawed.

If you go in demanding that your child is moved the the other class, the answer will be a flat no. They can't set a precedent for moving a child on parental request.

If you go in and kick up an entirely valid stink that your child is not being set work appropriate to her ability and that you are not happy with the teaching and what are they going to do about it, then you can see what solutions are offered. Talk about the poor provision for the class she is in. If you are dissatisfied, follow the school complaints procedure (e.g. letters to the governors). Even if the other class is doing an experimental project, that doesn't mean it's acceptable for your child to be taught badly.

Don't mention that you will take your child out of school and HE, you are basically offering them a way out without having to attempt to solve the problem.

It's never that easy moving classes for numerous reasons.
Tbh it usually is my way or the highway. Your choice

I am finding your thread difficult to read. Why do you think think, based on facts, that the current class is not the best for your child and the other class will be much better?

flogging sorry we are overseas our year 4's are split across 8 classes I think, there are over 500 in the school and around 100 in the year (but crucially there was only 1 straight year 3 last year the majority of which have gone to another site)

MrsThor hard to answer, my oldest is a very different child! I was always very suspicious when people say that some children will do well whatever but they just might be the exception that proves the rule (seriously if they didn't look so alike people ask if they are twins (and yes I have tried telling the younger one to just go and join the other class newly qualified teachers they wouldn't have a clue ha ha) you would wonder if they were related, the older one is the star of the school play, head of the student council, aces tests, plays in an orchestra, sings in tune, I have only had one teacher not tell me they love X and can't find anything bad to say about them, they are the child every other parent wants to hate except they don't because they are kind and charming and polite!!!) SO doing fine BUT they are very self-motivated and very well behaved!

noble thanks I guess I go teacher, section head, school head, I don't even know if they have a complaints procedure.
Governors will be difficult I am sure they will be entirely unsympathetic it is noticeable they all have children who are in great class placements! and we know one the chair socially.