School closing before Year 11, how best to support daughter?

[Houndsofloving]

DCs school (small independent) has announced that they will be closing at the end of summer term.

Does anyone have any tips on how to make this a bit more manageable for my very academic, but very hard on herself DD coming to the end of year 10. Unfortunately, there are no other local schools who run the same exam boards for all subjects so there’s going to be some considerable disruption to her GCSE progress.

There are a couple of options for her- one is a move to another independent which is fairly far away, which may offer a bit more pastoral support in terms of getting through a different exam board.

She had already planned to go to local state for 6th form, but need to make a decision with her whether it would be better for her to do a year 11 in the same one.
There is they added problem that her friendship group are going to be scattered because geographically they will all feed into different state schools. If she was to go the other independent school it’s already a good 40 minutes travel (possibly an hour in bad traffic for us) and her friends all live in the opposite direction about 40 minutes away.

Any advice gratefully received… I can’t even begin to think about what to do with neurodiverse DS in year 7 who is thriving where he is, or the fact that DH works there and is losing his job. It’s a bit of a shit show here.

What’s her classmates doing?

That’s awful OP. The poor children. No advice but just wanted to say how sorry I feel for you.

They will all be going to different places due to how far we all live from the school. I was hoping they would all go somewhere as a group (only a very small class) but it’s not looking likely.

Thank you. It’s been a complete bolt from the blue for us all, kids are absolutely devastated as you can imagine

So if you already live far away, the other private school available that’s far away won’t be much difference?

Is this Malvern St James?
Very sad for your kid and all the others. Her year group is literally the worst impacted.

It’s not, but I’m not surprised to hear there is another in the same boat…

Gosh that’s a tough situation, sending unmumsnetty hugs 🤗
Is the state school closer to her friends? They might not be going there but it could give her the option to meet up with them after school?
I think in your position I’d go with the state school, heavily supplemented by tutors to get through the change of exam board. Hopefully she’ll make a few new friends and will be settled for 6th form.
Good luck!

the distance for us isn’t really an issue, we would be travelling about an hour instead of 20ish mins drive so absolutely doable (although I work an hours drive in the other direction). But none of her classmates will go as they are the other side, so more like 90 mins to 2 hour travel each way for them

which school/county/location?

Yes but doesn’t mean your daughter can’t go there

No, but it being the other independent doesn’t automatically make it the best choice for her, as she won’t be going there for 6th form. It is definitely an option, but I was more looking for some advice on how to best manage it for her, particularly from anyone who has been through an unavoidable move in exam years

I think I'd go for the alternative independent given what you have said about your daughter and how important academic success is to her.

It's likely to be a bit easier socially to join the state at 6th form as there will be lots of movement. Joining in year 11 is a tough one.

It also doesn't sound like there is an option that maintains her friendship group? Unless you think it is likely others will go to your local state? So sad though it is you can take that out of the equation.

Having said all that, given her age she should have a big say in the decision though. If she has a strong opinion about any of the options I would let her decide.

Hi @Houndsofloving I am sorry that this has happened, what a difficult situation.

The further away private school sounds challenging in terms of the drive/commute for you. Yes it’s only a year but still, what a year.

In your place I would go with the state school she will be going to for sixth form – presumably walkable or accessible by bus? That’s easier for her and you. And it gives her a chance to make some friends who will be there in year 12. And you will save some ££ to put towards tutors as a PP says.

Wrt to the different boards – yes it’s a pain but please try not to worry. MFL is my subject and I have good knowledge of the different boards and GCSE vs IGCSE; the main difference is around exam skills and structure – things which can be learned. Yes, IGCSE has no translation tasks (for obvious reasons) and GCSE does, but for an able student that shouldn’t pose an issue. I imagine the story will not be very dissimilar for science and maths and Eng lang.

I do see of course that this aspect is more relevant in skills-based subjects like MFL and maths; topic and text-based ones like history and Eng lit may be different, so if that applies, I suggest you seek out the info asap and get your DD reading the texts as needed.

It’s horrible for you all and I am sorry, but a practical pragmatic approach may work best here. All the best to your DD and I am happy to help with MFL top tips.

If she was already planning on the local state school for Sixth Form, maybe going there would be a good idea so she could at least make some friends that she would continue with and not have to move twice, buy uniform again etc. Her current friendship situation is really sad though. Kids need support through GCSEs but I don't think this is something you a base the next steps on. It's absolutely rubbish. And matching her up with the same exam boards is very difficult, although school may be able to advise you on that.

That’s a horrible situation for you all.
I would probably go state school and loads of tutors

Is this TGS? If your daughter moved to the state school at least she will have established some friendships for 6th form in advance.

When it’s this time next year, your daughter will be going into school for exams, which may be early, later in the morning, or the afternoon. How will she get there if you’re at work?

Do you know which, if any, of the schools do the same exam boards as the courses she’s been following? I think, on balance, I’d go with the state school for reasons of logistics, making connections before 6the form etc. Are there spaces in that school? Generally schools don’t want to take pupils in Year 11 because it’s already so far into the syllabus.

I would expect to drop 1 (or 2) options subject to allow to catch up in others.

Even if it is the same board the teaching may have been done in a different order, eg some schools may do the shakespeare in y10 and poems in y11, others vice versa.

I too would go state plus tutors.
Or even, if permitted, state but y10.

Yes I would look at maybe dropping non essential GCSEs (not the core ones or any planned for A level) to ease the load.

And could she start at state now? There’s still a good deal of year 10 to go. I presume the school has a place for her btw.

I would try and repeat year 10 in whatever school you can. I know someone who moved from the USA and managed to persuade a state school to let them go in the year below their age, so it does sometimes happen. A private school would allow this I should think.

Well done Labour

Most of y11 is done by the Easter break. Have you considered online learning so maybe able to pick same exam boards?

Are there any online school options that would enable her to do continue her GCSEs with the same exam boards? It wouldn’t be the greatest year socially but perhaps you could find a way to compensate for that.

My kids are in state so I am only going by the pattern of work there but I think you should go with a private school for Y11 - a state will have to take her if there is space but in terms of support they are not going to be able to do much when they have known entities in the current children already there who will need the support. You will also have to take up the place within a few weeks - usually 2-4 so she wouldn’t necessarily be able to see out the end of term at her current school. Paying a school who is happy to accept her at least hopefully guarantees some support for her. Moving to state at sixth form is much easier as everyone starts again to some extent and there will be movement at this time. Usually when a private school shuts, the local privates come swooping in to help so see what current school is recommending, good luck!