Moving schools at the end of Y10

[Teaallday]

DS1 is 15 and just finishing Y10. His school (a grammar, if that matters) is having huge staffing issues and 38% of teaching cohort are leaving at the end of this year - 5 out of 10 of his current GCSE subject teachers. The teaching to date has been patchy at best, no Spanish teacher for Y8, 9 maths teachers during Y9 (!) and the sudden firing of his Physics teacher earlier this year has meant covers in this subject (something he aims to study at A Level) for the last 6 months. Despite this, DS works hard and is doing well, but he’s seriously fed up and stressed about Y11. The school have been refusing to engage with us since we raised concerns last week (politely and respectfully, fully appreciate retention is a massive issue nationally - I work in a school myself and really feel for them.)

We met with another local school today who have offered a place for Y11 on the proviso that DS commits to catch up on parts of the curriculum he’s missed due to a couple of subjects (English and History) being taught to different exam boards. He’s willing but understandably anxious. It would also mean dropping one of his options and instead taking RS as the potential new school is a faith school and the subject is compulsory. He’s sad about the work he’s put into this original option going to waste, but not too daunted by the prospect of picking up RS.

I’m worried about the social aspect too, but he’s friendly and very into music, so hopefully joining a music club would help build a new network. And the bus to school would stay the same so he’d still have his bus mates.

Are we insane to consider moving him? Has anyone done this? It feels so risky, but equally risky keeping him where he is when the staffing is such an issue. Help!

Yes I agree with everyone - now is a terrible time to move (as you are aware @Teaallday )

The same exam boards, as a PP suggests, will not necessarily make that much difference anyway. There is a slew of texts for Eng lit, for example, and even if your DC and the school you move to both do Macbeth, ACC and AIC, they may have done them in a different order.

Same thing with history topics. Picking up RS GCSE in two terms sounds like a recipe for a low grade. MFL topics may have been done in a different order. And so on.

I presume, since your DS has such a long commute, that this is a desirable selective school, unless perhaps you live very rurally? So I wonder why there is such an issue with teacher retention? You would think there would be a higher level of engagement from students and parents. So is there a massive issue with SLT? That's a real concern and I can totally see why you want to move - but I really wouldn't. I agree that a good summer holiday of GCSE work could make a big difference. It's rubbish that he has to do it but at least it will teach him (hopefully) the value of hard work and self-study, which is very useful for A levels and higher ed. Best of luck.

As an Ex teacher
If your DS is happy at the school keep him there.
If you can afford it get tutors in that know the syllabus of the exams that he is taking,
Post GCSE education at this point would be the best time to move him.

If you move him you will have the issues of whether the new school teaches the same exam boards, the order in which they have taught the syllabus and if they will allow him to take the same subjects (timetable clashes etc.)

Thank you everyone, lots of excellent advice. I think in the stress of it all I’d hoped a new school with consistent teaching would be better than staying put, but it makes perfect sense to keep him where he is.

I'd bet good money that any school would prioritise timetabling year 11 with the most consistent staff - they do not want to affect their results. So I'd stick with it and get tutors where you can to fill any gaps. Consider carefully where you look for post 16!

My comment was replying to the poster who described students moving into new Y11 as often not meeting potential, dropping subjects etc. It wasn't referring to the OPs situation.

However we rarely get Y11 moves in, perhaps 1 a year.

@Teaallday , have a look at the vacancies page on their website or on the TES recruitment site. If relevant roles are still being advertised then that is a worse sign than if there aren't. Also, you could ask the school office to send you the minutes of recent Governors' meetings, which are public documents.

Great advice, thank you. Just looked and there are a few vacancies, but science is the only one that’s a major worry (also not unexpected given the issues nationally, I suppose). I’ll request the governor minutes today.

leaves at 7.15, home at 5ish???

That's full time working hours. That's madness.

My dd y10 leaves 8.25am and is home 3.50pm

Agreed! The school is only 8.5 miles away, but the bus covers a huge area, stops eleventy billion times and takes forever. It’s our closest non super-selective grammar. Train isn’t an option. All round not ideal, but the new school wouldn’t solve that either (same area, actually 5 mins further!)