Mixing up classes for September- I'm not happy with the school's decision

[InViennaWeWerePoetry]

DD's school announced a few weeks ago that this year, they will be mixing up all the classes for September. There are 3 classes in each year, and up until now the classes stay the same for reception to year 2, then are mixed up for year 3 and stay the same until the end of year 6. We had the new form list 2 weeks ago, move up day was last week.

A brief background- DD (year 3) has only been at this school since the week after May half term, after having to change schools when I became her guardian under a private fostering agreement. Academically she is behind but catching up, socially she has struggled but was starting to settle with a group of 5 other girls in her class, (friends A, B, C and D). In the new mixed up classes for September friends A and B are in class 1, friends C, D and E are in class 2 and DD is in class 3. DD and I have been through her new class list together and there seem to be very few from her current class, meaning as she's not been at this school long a lot of the children in her new class she won't know at all. I'm not particularly happy with this, I feel she's got enough to be coping with at the moment. She's doing much better than anyone expected at school and I don't want to jeopardise that by forcing her to start all over again friendship wise in September. I emailed the school expressing my concerns and requesting DD be moved to either one of the other 2 classes so she will at least have a few others she's friendly with in her class. They said they'd get back to me.

DD missed school last week as I had to go abroad- not ideal but unavoidable and less disruptive for her to miss a week of school than to be left with my mum given the circumstances. Because of this she missed move up day, although at this point I still hadn't heard anything from school. Still nothing when we got back yesterday so when I dropped her off today I went in to ask what they had decided. The head of years 3 and 4 (who's had very little to do with DD so far) has decided not to move her, because if she moved DD to be with her friends she'd have to move others to be with their friends (I'm guessing other parents have also complained). She thinks the change will benefit DD, in that she's had this half term to get used to the school, and now she can start 'properly' in September. I'm concerned it's going to be one change too many, and seems completely unnecessary to move her again when she's already started settling in. I'm now kicking myself for not making more of a fuss.

Is there anything I can do about this now? It's now the summer holidays as of 2 hours ago so not sure who I complain to and how I complain to them, of if it'll even achieve anything. I just feel this is completely the wrong thing to do for DD's sake and I'm kicking myself I didn't get it sorted sooner.

That's v true, clam, but the school seems to have shown insufficient regard to the additional needs of this little girl, and to be meeting legitimate parental xoncerns with confused and inaccurate rebuttals. That is concerning in itself.

I've sent an email back to the HT politely pointing out the errors in his original response and requesting again, given the circumstances, DD's case is made an exception. Have mentioned LAC, other key words etc, hoping to shock some sense into the school. No reply as of yet. DD has actually been upset about it this weekend, which is a major breakthrough in itself, the difficulty is knowing whether mentioning that in my argument strengthens or weakens it.

Clam I completely agree with you, under normal circumstances I wouldn't even consider complaining about it. The issue in my mind is that I'm trying to teach DD that people do stick around, and that it's OK to get attached and be close to them. I have two school reports written 2 months apart telling me she struggles to make friends (one saying she failed to form any friendships in 7 months of being at the school) and a pediatrician worried she has an attachment disorder. I just feel that given the circumstances, the best thing that can be done to encourage her to carry on making an effort to play with other children is to leave her will the ones she's already made a good start with.

I think that regardless of this situation I would be concerned that they don't seem to be aware of your dd's particular issues and her day to day experiences.

Nevermind friendship groups - how much has her new teacher been briefed? Perhaps they can't change the classes, but it sounds as though the problem is wider than this.

The new teacher when she joined the school or the new teacher for year 4, merrymouse? Her year 3 teacher was fully briefed in terms of DD's history, the concerns about her interaction with others have been mentioned as they have come up. Not sure about the proposed year 4 teacher- unavoidably we missed move up day. I was assuming the school would make sure she was fully up to date, though I have to admit I've been worrying more about the friendship issue than who's going to be teaching DD

The more I think about it, the more I think this is part of a pattern of lack of communication and understanding. Still no reply from the HT, I'm hoping this means the school are thinking about it.

Regardless of the outcome from the head now I think it would be worth asking for a meeting with the new teacher / SENCO before term starts to ensure they are up to date with the difficulties your dfd faces and progress with assessments.

New teacher year 4.

It sounds as though there have already been some crossed wires.

Although presumably if you can sort out the class change her teacher will not be the one currently planned.

Hi OP- I'm an advisory teacher for Looked After Children.

As your DFD is privately fostered, she does not count as a Looked After Child- this means that the school will not receive Pupil Premium for her, and that she is not covered by legislation which refers specifically to Looked After Children. Her results will not count towards the borough's monitoring of the achievement of Looked After Children and, unfortunately, she will not be able to access the same support that a child in public care is entitled to. She will not have priority in school admissions.

However, this is a technicality, and she is very likely to face issues common to children in care. Many boroughs have a Virtual School or LAC education team which may offer some advice or even approach the school on your behalf, even though they are not obliged to.

The school are quite simply setting themselves up to fail her if they ignore the issues she is facing and try to make this a 'pushy parent' issue.

Can you say where you are? Feel free to PM me

All schools must have a Designated Teacher for Looked After Children- ask to meet with them along with the new teacher and SENCo as LIZS suggests.

The Head may well have gone away on holiday by now, which means you may not get a reply any time soon.