What made you move your child to a different school?

[Definitelynotagladiator]

Hi All,
Really struggling with an issue with our current school at the moment. Feel it was handled incredibly badly.
The teachers have all been amazing and my child has really come on far. However I feel the management of the school and the trust are constantly thinking about themselves rather than the children. So I am very torn as my gut is telling me to at least consider moving to another school but then I know everywhere has something. My DH thinks we shouldn’t do anything hasty and that on the whole it’s been positive.

So I would be interested to know what reasons other parents felt the need to change schools?

Thanks

Can’t really help if we don’t know the issue?

Yes you would be very unreasonable to move your child from a school with amazing teachers where he is making great progress for absolutely no reason.

I really don't get why you'd consider moving your child if the teachers are good and the child has made good progress.

How old is your child? How likely is it that they would be involved in this issue? Not so much relevant to trust managers but teachers do sometimes end up in very senior roles that are more like business or HR posts and may not be entirely suited to it.

I removed my son from a school in Y8 due to their persistent failure to protect him from incessant bullying and harassment.

I’m sorry to hear this. And this has happened to a friend of ours in the year above.
How has your son settled into his new school?

We are constantly being guilted into doing what the trust wants as schools are so unfunded and this is what they need. Or we are holding the whole school back by even raising an issue.
You are so right in that it feels these are corporate roles but without the skill set.

My child is in Y4 of a Primary school so has 2.5 years left at the school. But the majority of children go to the feeder senior school, in the same trust with the same overall management.

I am considering moving them to a middle school (so years 5 to 8) instead of in a couple of years as I don’t want them going to the senior school.

The permanent teachers are great and we thank them constantly for everything they do. However there is a substitute teacher at the moment where the children are now crying in class and soiling themselves, being mocked and shouted at. Of course as soon as another adult enters the classroom it’s very different.

The majority of parents have complained and instead of being concerned about the welfare of the children, the management have been upset the plan they put in place isn’t working and saying how they are crying because of the parents complaints.

They also said that they won’t be able to get substitute teachers in the future if parents complain because word will get around that the parents are difficult at the school. I couldn’t believe this was their response to how the children were being treated.

Here are the reasons I moved my children to a different school:

• inability to sustain leadership (three headteachers left in succession in the space of a year)
• poor class behaviour and dynamic effecting education
• ineffective and inconsistent policies
• mishandling of finances leaving the school severely underfunded
• multiple staff leaving
• Overall 50% of children not meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and maths. 70% for boys.

Constant influx of children who’d been asked to leave other schools (independent school) and a terrible new Head who brought in the open door policy.

Have not regretted it once.

When my DC was struggling with friendships in yr5 - they spent the majority of their break and lunchtimes on their own according to the lunchtime supervisors. Raised with school many times but nothing resolved. I knew if we stayed that we'd just be getting more of the same. Moved school, they mixed with new people and made a few close friends. Now a young adult they still have those same close friends. (And DC turned out to be autistic.)

I moved mine start of Year 5 and Year 3. I wish I had done it sooner. The previous school was poorly managed, and had a culture of low expectations and low standards of professionalism.

Both my children have settled really well. They moved from a small rural school to another small rural school, not sure if that makes any difference.

I would focus purely on what is best for your child, not what other parents are telling you.

Is your child settled? Happy and learning? Or are they the one that is crying and soiling themselves? Being mocked and shouted at?

Teachers and nice kids Trump crappy governors for me unless it was affecting my child's safety

Thank you for sharing. Lovely to hear they’ve stayed friends.

Bullying in year 8 and i wish we had moved sooner.

Thank you. My child has been shouted at quite a few times. So now doesn’t say anything and it’s eroding their confidence that we spent years building up.
They haven’t cried yet but have a stomach ache everyday before school now.

I do appreciate your points though.