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Relocating in Yr2 and reception

3 replies

SilverBirdie · 18/01/2018 06:06

Help me make the right decision for our troubled 7year old please!?
He’s unhappy at school though isn’t being physically bullied so I don’t think he has a clear understanding that he’s not as happy as a child his age should be. We’ve struggled and worked with School about his worries and seeming lack of a strong bond with any other child but for one lovely girl. I don’t feel School are committed to getting to the bottom of his woes and nurture support is very very hard to get in lace there. Friendships among the boys in that class are controlled by one particular, over confident boy and it’s making my boy miserable.
He gets on with things in School and breaks in a heap when he gets home. He’s despondent about learning and his academic achievement is already dropping.
We are looking into relocating to an area that has space for both our children and has great secondary education but I’m terrified we’ll make his angst worse by pulling him away from everything he knows.
We have a great house, an allotment and good friends here but my gut is telling me a fresh start is the right thing for him. He’s a worrier and overthinks everything.
I’m so stressed about this and would really appreciate some words of wisdom.
To add, our reception daughter doesn’t love going to school either so I’m not too concerned about starting over for her.

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Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
CheapSausagesAndSpam · 18/01/2018 06:27

I was in a similar position. I have two DDs. I had my oldest in a small private prep school for nursery, reception and year one and two.

She was "ok" but the class was boy-heavy and very old fashioned and strict.

her friends weren't real friends but were sometimes nice and sometimes not.

DD was anxious and pressured all the time.

I also had a younger child...luckily I managed to get DD1 into a neighbouring village's outstanding state primary and slowly but surely she began to thrive.

It wasn't plain sailing.

The first year there (year 3) she was anxious....wouldn't really join in.

It took till year 4 for her to really settle. I chose that school because it fed into what I thought was a good secondary...turns out it wasn't andwe moved to Australia!

She went into a new middle school here in Oz aged 11 and again thrived..this time immediately.

When you have to make choices like this you get SO wound up because you're trying to make "the right" choice and there IS no right choice.

If you don't move him you might find things don't improve and every little bump will make you question your choice.

If you DO move him and he doesn't settle in the new school....again...you'll kick yourself that you should have stayed put.

So...reconcile yourself that there's NO right answer.

Here's my thoughts.

You have a great house, an allotment and good friends.

He's a worrier and anxious.

He's still going to be those things in the new school.

Have you checked out how supportive the new primary is for anxious children? What's their ofsted like?

The good secondary might just tip it for me...what's the secondary choice like where you currently live?

And finally...what steps have you taken to help DS? Have you organised playdates? Got him into cubs?

SilverBirdie · 18/01/2018 06:36

He had a CAHMS referral in place last year but it was re referred to School by then before we saw anyone after things improved slightly towards the summer. School have been pretty pants, I don’t rate their pastoral care at all.
Secondaries here a big concern but it’s a simple transition from Yr 6 to secondary whereas the possible new area is in a middle school system. All the schools in that area are good or outstanding.
He’s one of only 9 boys in the class. 22 girls. He’s the oldest in the class and lots of the boys are much younger than him. I feel he’s missed out on a good friend or two for these reasons. He’s not unsociable, I think he would try hard to make new friends if we moved but he’d be upset about going and could well dwell for a long time Sad

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AnthonyJoshuasMrs · 18/01/2018 06:53

I moved my 6yo in the last term of y1. I’d been so sad watching her get progressively more sad about going to school that I couldn’t wait out the last term. She went for a trial day at the new school and the difference in her was immediate so I moved her as soon as they could take her. We’ve never looked back, and she’s now in Year 4. Her confidence is skyrocketing, she’s happy and popular and just so different from the sad child who wasn’t progressing at the last school.

The right School makes such a difference and it’s a really individual thing as one size doesn’t always fit all.

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