Hi everyone,
We are moving from South Africa to Belfast in January 2019 and I am struggling to find an appropriate school for my 12 year old son. Unfortunately I do not know anyone in Ireland, so I am hoping there is someone who can assist with knowledge of schools in Belfast. Our situation is complicated by the fact that we will be arriving half way through the school year, and that in South Africa children only start schools the year they turn 6 which means that my son will be a bit behind. But more than anything I am anxious to find a school for my son who does not do well in rigid or traditional school settings. He is currently in a creative and progressive school where kids are encouraged to question, take responsibility for their own learning and where behaviour is governed more by values than by rules.
My son is bright but lazy, so at this stage I am not pushing for a very academic/grammar school although obviously I do want some place with a good and sound reputation. He has ADHD - mostly managed - but this is a consideration when placing him in a school as he can be distracted and chatty in class, and I do not want him to be labelled. He really is not much into sports, so a rugby mad (for example) school might not work. A very formal, strict and traditional school is unlikely to be the best fit.
I guess I am looking for a school that has a lot of heart. I would prefer a co-ed school, and one that is not too large in terms of student numbers and class sizes. One where kids are encouraged to flourish rather than fit into a mould. I have taken a look at the Steiner school, but I have also heard that there are sometimes a few as 9 kids in a class, and that does seem very very small. Also, a fee paying school when there are good state schools available would be a last resort. In terms of location - my husband will be working at Queen's University and I think we would most likely be staying in South Belfast, although that is not set in stone.
Does anyone have any idea if there are "mainstream" schools in Belfast that are welcoming of a "non-mainstream" child? Or - as my son describes himself - a free range child?