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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To move DC from an 'Outstanding' rates school to a school in' special measures'

77 replies

NotAnotherUserName5 · 01/06/2017 17:40

I'm torn. We are all set to move back to our home town. Beautiful part of the world, family support around us for the first time, and we can afford to buy a house there. We would definitely have much more disposable income too.

Currently live in a very affluent part of the country, and with that comes fabulous schools.

Eldest dc is due to start high school in September, and would be going to an Outstanding rated school. It's very sought after and well regarded.

We don't like it around here, and house prices keep on climbing (currently rent). We simply cannot afford to live here even if we wanted.

The only negative about moving, is the school my DC would go too. It's currently in Special Measures but a plan for transformation is underway next year or so.

I feel so bad at the prospect of taking my DC away from something good to something that really doesn't sound great, although so many other positives for us as a family with this move.

AIBU to move? I suppose this is a more wwyd?

OP posts:

Shadowboy · 01/06/2017 18:42

Have you read the OFSED report to see why it's in special measures? That might help you decide what the issues are.

Flamingoprincess1212 · 01/06/2017 18:42

Sorry for the shitty assumption your dc was a he /his

kaytee87 · 01/06/2017 18:44

Sorry op I assumed ds too, must be because I have one.

PossomInAPearTree · 01/06/2017 18:47

Depends on what it's in special measures for and what the results/value added scores are.

Dd is in a shit school in special measures. It's in the bottom 10% of schools nationally for results and progress. I wouldn't send a dc of mine to a school like this if I could help it.

UserX · 01/06/2017 18:52

I have never forgiven my parents for doing this exact thing to me.

Umpteenthnamechange · 01/06/2017 19:24

No. I wouldn't uproot a child at such a critical phase in their educational lives to a whole new area to form a whole new set of relationships socially and to attend a special measures school.

Not once.

Clawdy · 01/06/2017 19:53

Did someone actually say if it's in special measures now, it's going to be fantastic?? In your dreams......

MovingOnUpMovingOnOut · 01/06/2017 19:53

Is there a reason you couldn't move near to the better school? Surely being 15-20 minutes from family is better than sending your child to a school in special measures? Unless it is prohibitively expensive in which case I would investigate other options such as getting a second car or your child taking a bus.

Really by secondary they should be getting to and from school under their own steam so check there's not a school bus or coach that goes to the better school.

waitforitfdear · 01/06/2017 19:59

Good luck with a teenager in the country op.

PossomInAPearTree · 01/06/2017 23:20

From having Dd at two different schools both of which went into SM, I would agree it's a fallacy that it means money will be chucked at it and it will get better.

It's possible and would be great if that happened. But IME it means an extended period of instability.....head leaves, teachers leave in droves. New head may be great, but equally may be just as bad. Teachers who initially stay don't like changes and leave.

It's a gamble.

youaredeluded · 01/06/2017 23:27

No way in a million years would I send my child to a school in special measures. Seriously, you will be sending your child to school every day knowing their educational needs are not met. Can you home school or private school? You really can't send your child there :-(

MacarenaFerreiro · 01/06/2017 23:28

If it's in special measures now, it will probably get better.

It has to - can't get any worse!!

OP there is no way on earth I'd move children to a special measures school. I would be investigating all the options for getting them to the better school 15/20 minutes away. Education is SO important.

Blankscreen · 01/06/2017 23:36

Its really interestingly reading this thread. So often people say it will have money thrown at it and it will get better.
My nephew School.got.put into special measures and my sister left him there trotting out the line that it will get better. Well.it didn't in the 4 years he was still there, I feel like he was left to rot.

I think the pp's post about the low aspirations of the other parents is a very important point. Personally i would avoid.at all costs.

Beelzebop · 01/06/2017 23:51

Don't do it. For all the reasons above. Why move now anyway and destabilise the poor boy at such a crucial time? I have ten tears of teaching experience in all sorts of schools, I would never do it to my child. He will underperform and it will be on your conscience. X

JayneAusten · 02/06/2017 00:16

I think you posted this hoping for a different response.

I agree with the almost unanimous response here though. I would absolutely never, ever do what you are about to do. This could mess up your child's entire life if their education goes badly. Schools in special measures do not get money thrown at them and exciting dynamic heads 'turning them around' (unless this school is in a movie). Do not hold out hope for that 'transformation' just because you want to believe it. It will be a very low quality place to be educated for a really long time and your kid deserves better than to be uprooted in favour of that.

mrsplum2015 · 02/06/2017 00:17

Not at secondary level, not in a million years. I think you need to find a middle ground of either moving somewhere else or making sure she can get to the better school that's a bit further away.

38cody · 02/06/2017 00:18

Have you looked at good private schools in the area? If you can't afford them look for a bursary- you might be bery pleasantly surprised at what's available.

HeddaGarbled · 02/06/2017 00:21

If you're going to have much more disposable income, you can afford a second car.

purplecollar · 02/06/2017 00:25

I would look at the reasons why it's in special measures.

We have one school here that's regularly in special measures. They revamp it, bring in new heads - it improves a bit for a while then goes down again. I think it's about the catchment area in all honesty. It's on an estate with a lot of social problems. I know that shouldn't affect things but I think in this case it does.

We have another school however that briefly went into special measures due to one particular aspect - not stretching the very bright pupils enough. They took measures to correct it and it was resolved. My dc went to this school and it has been amazing. The effort the staff put in is huge. I have absolutely no complaints.

So I guess it depends for me. But if it were like the first school I describe, then no I wouldn't move my dc there. I'd find another way. Maybe the neighbouring town or something. I have an 11 year old due to start secondary. It would be very disruptive to move them now. They would miss their friends terribly. It's going to be an awful lot easier for them to settle when they already know so many of the other dc.

Ellie56 · 02/06/2017 01:37

YABVVU to even consider sending your child to a school in special measures. Don't do it. Education is too important to mess up.

FuzzyPillow · 02/06/2017 02:20

Don't do it. Sort out the logistical problems for the good school 15/20 mins away!

MaryTheCanary · 02/06/2017 03:07

Please, please don't do this.

I personally am skeptical about "Good" vs "Outstanding" (because I think "outstanding" often has a lot to do with tick-box criteria relating to whatever is the current fad/trend etc....). But I would be worried about a school in special measures. Even if they do turn this around, it will probably take years and by that time your kid will be half way through the school.

I think you need to suck it up and wait till your kids are older, OR sort out something to get them into a decent school.

MaryTheCanary · 02/06/2017 03:09

Oh, and "money will buy improved performance"? In your dreams. Shiny new facilities are not going to make up for poor teachers, weak curricula and crap expectations among teachers/parents/kids.

PossomInAPearTree · 02/06/2017 06:33

It can get worse. Maybe not in the ratings but if the teachers leave and they struggle to recruit it will get worse. Teachers often aren't keen to apply for jobs at such a school.

chipscheeseandgravy · 02/06/2017 07:07

Could you chat to the head and find out how they are aiming to get out of special measures. Was it out under special measures under the current head or a new one?
If you are finding you have more disposable income could you realistically afford a tutor if you thought dc needed it?
I understand the logistics of a school 15/20 mins away, could dc get the bus/train to school. I did a 20 minute bus ride each way to secondary school and it never did me any harm.

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