Dd is 15.
She started school in a 1600 place Academy and as she has some mild sen she was drowning both socially and academically. She was miserable and school refusing.
She started her new school at the start of year nine. There were no other suitable options. She is mostly happy there but we have had some major friendship issues. To add to this the school is in special measures, being investigated about finances and being forced to join a multi academy trust.
It's numbers are less than a third of what it's capacity is and two linked schools have closed. Last year they lost and head and at least half of the staff.
Socially she is much happier there but still some issues.
Academically she is doing better than school one but the curriculum is very very academic. It has no creative subjects.
Her exams are purely maths, English, biology, chemistry, physics, history and geography and a btech, She finds this hard. She is becoming stressed about this and has real self esteem issues.
She has seen a college that offers alternative options for children her age and asked to apply.
The college takes children from age 14 and offers just maths and English and an NVQ or Btech in their chosen option for a career.
On a pro side she would be able to get started on what she wants to do now and is likely to be more focused and confident as a result.
On the negative she wouldn't get the full five gcses needed or a science and I worry this would disadvantage her moving forward.