Removed my child from school: exit questionnaire and feedback advice?

[wonderwoo]

I have recently removed my son from his primary school because he was getting hurt on a daily basis by another pupil (for nearly a year) and the school were not interested in helping him.

I am surprised that this is no formal exit questionnaire or paperwork. Surely when a parent takes their child out of school there should be paperwork regarding their reasons for leaving.

Can anybody please advise me if this is usual? Is writing a letter to the governors the way forward to give my feedback and experience, or is there another route I should take?

I am concerned about what my son has been through and how the school dealt with it, and feel that I need to put my experiences in writing to someone.

Thank you.

I'd certainly write a letter to governors cc'd to the Head, outlining the reasons for your decision. I'd also copy it to Ofsted. Is there any possibility that the school could still provide some of his formal education in the way of work sheets and marking, while you keep him home for his own safety. (I admire you for doing this. Some schools policy on bullying is shameful.)

If you're complaining there's a complaints procedure. OFSTED aren't interested at this level.

And I know of no school that has an exit interview. if you're off role you're no longer their problem.

Hi, I have recently moved my dd to a different school and had to fill out a leaving form, which contained a section for "reasons for leaving".

In one of my jobs (public sector) we have exit interviews, and reason for leaving questionnaires, we haemorrhage staff at a frightening rate, and many of my ex colleagues have been very disparaging in their interview/reason for leaving questionnaires, and leave feeling satisfied that they've finally told our managers what they really think. All comments are filled under B for bin. A complete waste of time.

I would definitely report this to ofsted as a safeguarding issue. They should then investigate.

OFSTED are not interested and do not handle complaints about schools. There is a process by which you can refer a complaint beyond governors, and OFSTED will/can ask on inspection to see record of complaints and outcomes.

If you have been through the complaints procedure up to and including governor level then you can complain to the Secretary od State/EFA - but if you haven't followed the full process to that point don't expect them to take an interest, and realistically if the school can evidence they've taken reasonable action and you've already pulled your kids out they won't do anything.

It's not compulsory to have an exit interview but that doesn't mean you can't write to the chair of governors & address concerns with them. Cc the letter to the local education authority. It may be that the governors are unaware that bullying is a problem; in which case they can address the issue & deal with it. Your son's former school will have a complaints procedure which you should find on the school's website. The school can give you a paper copy if that's easier for you.

Hope you child is much happier & safer in his new school.

Thank you all for your replies. I have written to the governors now. I do not intend to follow it up or take it further, I just wanted a written record of our experiences at the school. It felt wrong for my son to be so unhappy and to have to change schools, and not have it recorded anywhere why he left. I had complained as far as the headteacher whilst there.

I don't expect anything to come of it, given that the headteacher is on the board of governors and seems fairly untouchable. And also that the problem is now solved because we are no longer at the school! But at least I have made a record of it now, I felt I had a responsibility to do that.

My son has moved onto another school and is a different boy altogether - he is happy, energetic, and enthusiastic about life again. Thank goodness!

I would maybe go to the local press? Then school might pay attention!

Really? How many people pulling sad daily mail faces in the local press amongst the takeaway ads can you remember?

Another thing you could do - to live comments/reviews/ratings at the sites like schoolguide.co.uk. It won't help your situation now but at list you will let the steam off. And with review like that going public it might make the school do something about their policies... Or maybe not :( - I'm being sceptical.

I am glad that you have written to the governors. Hopefully the safeguarding governor will be taking a close look at their anti-bullying policy and talking with the head about how it came about that this child was so badly let down. It may be that this will help other children; it will certainly alert the governors to the fact that all is not well. If they are doing their jobs properly they will be visiting to see how the policy translates into action.