To change primary schools for this?

[Litttlepinkegg]

Dd in year one at school 1
she’s had been doing ok, she is friendly with lots of people, school has good reputation.
But class sizes are very big (32 in dd’s Case) and very uneven she is one of 10 girls. Despite ofsted outstanding school is not doing great , results declining. Dd complains that it’s noisy in class and hard to concentrate.
The boys are all quite lively and some strong characters. My dd has had issues with a couple of the boys. This week it’s esculated and in the last 3 days one boy has hurt her over 8 times, grabbing her, trying to punch her face, pinning her down.
She was hysterical when I picked her up from after school club.
Each occasion I’ve had to contact teacher. Yesterday when I called she said she flagged up to head but had forgot to call me.
Dd says she likes it but can be very upset by the time I’m picking her up wanting change class, leave school.
I feel like she’s got a bad year where the teachers are struggling to have any control. Dh thinks this with always be the case as it was the same last year and obviously this is her year until she goes secondary.
Do I bite the bullet now?
I’ve have 2 schools to visit that have said they could fit her in

[dirtystinkyrats]

I'd also like to know how these schools are ending up with so many classes over 30 in infants?

[Litttlepinkegg]

Thank you all I’m talking myself in and out of moving/staying out a lot atm but ultimately I think I’ll know when I look round the other school tomo especially as it’s parent evening tomo night straight after so I will be able to make a direct comparison. Dh is definitely thinking a class of 22 would be ideal for dd but obviously we need to really question whether the new school would be better as don’t want to disrupt dd for something worse than what we have.

[Litttlepinkegg]

Dd was feeling ill on Friday before school but I sent her anyway. This morning she was so convincing that she was genuinely ill but now I’ve kept her off she’s suddenly peeled up. If I mention school she’s ill and teary again 😟

[TwoleftUggs]

It’s entirely possible even in a ‘good’ school to have a disruptive yeargroup. DDs primary had one, and in their case as it was a one-form entry there would be literally nowhere to move to other than a different school.
Your dd is so young and has many potentially miserable years left at primary, I’d be on those other schools like a shot. Good luck.

[Litttlepinkegg]

Thank you. We are really down to one possible realistic option and have visited it this afternoon.
I thought I’d know one way or another but I’m more confused!
Dh loves it especially the small class sizes. Some aspects I liked head was hard to read. The children seemed well behaved and polite. The head and even reception staff knew all the kids by name which wouldn’t happen at current school.
They could take dd straight away and she could pick which class she wanted to go into.

[FizzyGreenWater]

The head and even reception staff knew all the kids by name which wouldn’t happen at current school.

I am - not so much that they knew their names but that the staff at your current school don't!!!!

This is really a no brainer to me. The only 'plus point' for your DD at the current school seems to be that she's already there and familiar with it. Which is just not even a plus point as it's that very class dynamic which is the issue (so for example if she loved her class and it was ace, but you were thinking of moving her because the results were terrible or the commute was dire, the dilemma would be real, iyswim). In a month, she'll have forgotten that class and will be completely immersed in her new one. It's the ideal age to move. There is literally no advantage to keeping her in the current school and lots of disadvantages.

Smaller classes too - I would move her in a shot.

[Litttlepinkegg]

My head is banging think this decision will take a few days at least I know it seems like a no brainer but all we ever wanted was the school dd is in to give it up seems strange even if we are not happy with it.

[kittens876]

I moved my son due to problems like this. Turned into bullying and nothing was ever done. He went to a new school for year 3 and has never been happier. I’d move, after seeing schools and asking how they would handle situations like this xx

[WeepingWillowWeepingWino]

I would move her.

This is her current school:

No head for 18 months
no Oftsed for 8 years
results declining
classes too big
top heavy with boys
violent behaviour not being dealt with
DD coming out in tears
HT not knowing children's names

when you look at it like that, surely there is no reason to stay!

[Lizzie48]

You should definitely move her. It won't improve for her where she is now. The reason for my pessimism is that I was a child in a disruptive class and I hated it. What tended to happen was that the whole class would be punished for the troublemakers' bad behaviour.

The bullying sounds awful, your DD shouldn't have to put up with it. She's young enough to adjust to a new class.

[Yura]

It seems to be a common problem with ofsted outstanding primarys - not inspected in ages, nothing done as they are outstanding, more and more people moving into catchment, houseprices exploding, results falling, next ofsted inspection „good“ if they are lucky, house prices dropping massively

[septembersunshine]

I would forget about the historic 'excellent'. Clearly its no longer that and the fact is your dc is unhappy.

Just go and see the other schools and I think you will have a feeling which one would suit your dc the best. Personally I don't think her current school will improve soon and her memories of her time at primary school will not be that nice. Her happiness is everything.

[happinessischocolate]

My Ds was in a year of 2 classes of 30 with 22 boys in each class to 8 girls. The teachers had complete control and the girls were able to stand up for themselves. So don't blame the high boy count for the bad behaviour,the teacher simply aren't coping with the number.

Also the head teacher knew every child's name by the end of the first week in reception.

My kids are teenagers now and never changed schools (except to move up) but I wouldn't have kept them in your DDs school, no chance.

[happinessischocolate]

don’t want to disrupt dd for something worse than what we have.

From what you've said I'm not sure how another school could be worse than what she's putting up with already

[drspouse]

Schools with a good reputation for being academic are often quite "meh" for pastoral care and similar from what I've seen on school tours and from friends' experiences.
Re the class sizes it's possible that two children were wrongly not allocated in the first place (siblings, measured distance wrongly maybe?) and LAC get priority even if the school is full AIUI.
I can totally see why you chose the school initially but it does sound like it's not what it's cracked up to be.

[bellinisurge]

Class size and boy majority is not really a reason to change schools. My dd had this in primary. Unmanaged violence against her is.

[WeepingWillowWeepingWino]

Yes, it’s all these things together, one or two of them would be fine.

[Litttlepinkegg]

Thank you all this thread has been really helpful. Never easy making a life changing decision this will have huge consequences for dd’s And my toddler ds’ futures. I went to dd’s Parents evening last night and she is excelling in all areas. This helped my decision in a strange way as if she’s doing so well academically when she’s struggling to concentrate in class then the calmer environment of the new school should mean she does even better.
I’ve got huge deadlines in the next two weeks and Dh is starting a more senior role on Monday so it’s chaos atm but I’m planning to have change of school organised so dd can start mid- May hopefully.

[Litttlepinkegg]

weeping
This really helped me thank you taking my emotions out of the equation it really is a no-brainer
This is her current school:

No head for 18 months
no Oftsed for 8 years
results declining
classes too big
top heavy with boys
violent behaviour not being dealt with
DD coming out in tears
HT not knowing children's names

when you look at it like that, surely there is no reason to stay!

[WhereIsMyTVRemote]

Op ignore Ofsted and go with what is best for your child. Self confidence is better than grades.

[WhereIsMyTVRemote]

I also second the top heavy boys shouldn't be a reason. It's unmanaged behaviour. One of mine has 75% boys in their year and it's a wonderful year, the best the school have ever had according to the long term staff. The other has a bit heavy year and it's never been a problem.
By the same reckoning you could say girl heavy years would be a problem in teenage times but that would be generalising and unfair.

[WhereIsMyTVRemote]

*boy heavy not bit

[Litttlepinkegg]

Dd has a taster session at the new school next week and have organised a play date for her with new class mates.
Current school seem to have stepped up massively all of a sudden with regards to the boy hurting dd but im still thinking the move would be best xx

[Litttlepinkegg]

Sorry added the kisses by mistake 😂😂

[WeepingWillowWeepingWino]

That sounds great, I hope your DD enjoys her taster and play dates.