Has anyone moved their child in year 5?

[FlashTheSloth]

DS is in year 5, hoping to do his 11+ and having tutoring. He has always been among the top handful in his class.

However, since starting the tutoring, it seems to have highlighted that the school seems a tad mediocre. He is doing well there, for their standards, but in his tutoring group, I was told that he was basically behind the rest, he has since got better. He enjoys the tutoring a lot more than school. Frequently complains school maths is too easy, finishes quickly and only occasionally gets extra work. His teacher did say he was going to push him this year as he felt DS could take it and I agreed, but I'm not sure it's happening.

They have been focussing on times tables since year 3! DS mastered them well in year 3, yet 2 years later it is still the main focus for maths. DS tells me the school focus on the less able, which I have always thought myself tbh. Yes they need help, of course, but there should be a balance where the higher achievers are stretched as well. I've heard similar complaints from other parents of children who sit on DS's table.

The schools ratings came out recently. Something about value added score I think? Our school scored very low. For all subjects there was no data at all for higher achievers. The only data was middle and low attainment. I have long suspected (and been told) that the school is only interested in getting as many as possible to be where they should be and are not interested in anything beyond that. I think their SATs results and these attainment data reflect that. I was also concerned about the score for boys achievement compared to the national average, it was sooo far below, the girls was also below as well.

DS2 is in year 2 and happy and doesn't want to move. He is also achieving well and above where he should be for his age. But DS1 was at the same age, it seemed to change when he went into the juniors and this concerns me about DS2.

DS1 has been asking me if he can move schools because he thinks he will have a better chance at passing his 11+. I have said we have no way of knowing that and nothing is guaranteed. There is a school nearby that has a fantastic Head and has turned a school needing improvement to the top one in the city, and it's not in the best area, it's also become highly ranked in the country.

But I'm not sure moving in Year 5 is a good idea. I kind of feel it could be too late?

My daughter sat 11+ last year, as far as I understand no state schools 'prepare' for it - stuff she did with tutor at the start of y5 was only being covered much in school. In school I think much of it only comes up in y6. So I don't think there is any guarantee the new school would cover all the topics anyway.

Tbh with less than 2 terms before11plus I'm not sure changing schools will make a huge difference to his passing. Between applying and finding a spot in a 'better' school you're looking at another month so now we're at a term and half for a substantive difference to be enacted. I'd pour all that energy into tutoring and revising for 11plus. Completely doable even from a mediocre school.

We moved unexpectedly in Yr5 with one term left. Into 11+ area where we weren’t before, GS not even on our radar.

Did 11+ a few months after the move, no tutoring and now thriving at GS. The school move had anything to do with the success at 11+.

Nothing to do with GS success, not anything.

Thanks for reading my essay .

I know the school won't help with 11+, and the stuff it covers will not be taught in Year 5 at all. I just find it a bit sad that DS seems so fed up with the lack of challenge in school. His teacher even told me he will prefer his tutoring because it will be more challenging. They have had 1 homework project since the start of the school year. Had about 5 spellings I think. That's it for homework.

I think I need to go and speak to the school. The lack of higher attainment in any subject for even a single child for the last 2 years is concerning. Our school is ranked about 50 out of 65. I've been speaking to a friend who is also frustrated and has been in and apparently the Head's response is that they are teaching the same curriculum as everyone else.