Top tips for moving school after bullying?

[MamaDuckling]

DS is starting a new school next week after a long road of low level coercive bullying at his primary school. We have tried, over the years, to work with the school but DS has finally had enough and he has finally made it to the top of another lovely local primary.

I’d be so grateful for any practical hints, tips, advice etc to help us through what will no doubt be a turbulent adjustment phase. DS is very sensitive, he’s 8, mature in many ways but emotionally less so. I’m confident a move is the right thing to do (goodness knows we have toiled over this decision).

He has had lots of agency in making this decision, he is feeling broadly positive but nerves will be eating him up.

Has anyone done a similar thing and have any pearls of wisdom to share?

Firstly, sorry if this sounds like victim blaming as that's not the goal here.

I feel once bullying begins it is the culmination of systemic failings (not just kid/kids doing the bulling but the school as a whole). At that point it is imperative to change schools as you have.

To avoid it happening in the future there is a small window of opportunity to "re-invent" yourself.

I hope you can work on areas around confidence (academic, sport etc.) so that this is the only side of your DS the new schools sees. I'm not saying confidence is just being uncharacteristically outgoing but confident in what you're good at. The truism "preparation breeds confidence".

Unfortunately during school the basic currency is confidence.