To move or not to move

[LateNightTalking]

DC is in Year 4.
Year 3 was a disaster due to class merge and an inexperienced teacher.

The class is tricky; high send and behavioural need, as well as emotional support needed. Class teacher is lovely but freely admits he cannot support all children due to the level of need.

DC has always been bright, but is now working behind in one area and the teacher had said the whole class is pretty much behind. I feel there isn't enough expectation there and that the cohort has been written off.

I am contemplating a move, which I know isn't always easy and the grass isn't always greener, but it would be to my workplace so I do have better info than other schools. I just cannot see how they would ever get what they'd need from their current school in what is now a one form cohort with high level need.

The current school has lots of wonderful things going for it socially and emotionally, but academically it is lagging. I'm not expecting top of the class at all, just the opportunity to fulfil potential.
DC has some nice friends but is a little on the periphery due to our location. They're confident and social, but we don't always get invited to houses etc as we don't live in the same place.

We have got a meeting booked for next week to discuss this (again) with the AH, who is pretty dismissive of the situation. Lots of parents are unhappy. It's hard to give too many details away without being identifying (on the off chance!)

Thanks if you've got this far!

TLDR: would you move your year 4 child for a better chance at fulfilling potential?

Yes, I would. When the balance of behavioural issues and SEN 'tips' it can affect that cohort throughout their whole time at primary.

One of my children was with a similar class. Four children with diagnosed SEN (ADHD/Autism) a number with undiagnosed SEN and a group of (low level) poorly behaved boys. Her primary years were torrid - it didn't help that teachers would often go on long term sick as the combination was too much to cope with.

I wish I'd have moved her.

Thank you so much for replying @softsweets, I really appreciate it. I've put in the application and am keeping everything crossed.

I would too. DS has a very similar situation. He's now in Year 6 and has not really enjoyed the last 2 years. He's very bright but has got very bored. I really regret not moving him.

My DD is currently Year 3 and also has several children with SEN needs in her class. She has a very good teacher though but I worry about the next few years and am wondering if to move.

Thanks. Sorry to hear about your son not really enjoying it.

I have actually applied to move school, but we're on the waiting list.

I would definitely move too x

DD is only Reception age but we are contemplating this too. We were already planning on probably moving for secondary but now she’s ended up in the class that she has we’re looking to potentially being this forward.

She’s in a good school (our first choice), which I still rate in lots of ways, but it’s a very mixed demographic and her cohort is both very young (half the girls in her class have August birthdays for eg) and appears to have been badly affected by covid - developmentally behind in various ways, lots of undiagnosed SEND, big gaps already opening up between the ‘haves’ and ‘have nots’.

DD is bright, older in the year and ahead of where she needs to be, and so far she hasn’t really gelled with any of the children in her class partly because, I think, she is so far ahead of the rest of the cohort. Her teachers describe her as ‘exceptional’, but while she’s clearly bright I think it’s more that she’s very well adjusted and exceptional within the year group she happens to be in, rather than unusually brilliant. Other years within the school, including the ones coming up from the school nursery now, are much better, so I think we’ve just been unlucky.

Education (as in curiosity and a love of learning, rather than just raw attainment) is massively important to both of us and given the circumstances we are likely to try to move DD sooner rather than later. In your circumstances I’d definitely do the same.

Definitely move. The situation is not going to change, the AH is dismissive and the teacher has admitted it is a difficult situation. As someone who has seen this from the inside of a school and the struggles before you add in covid impacting learning, I would get out now. It would mean your child has a chance to make new friends before moving up to secondary too.

The only thing to consider is does this affect secondary feeder schools for applications?

Just to add that imo @PatriciasNewHandbagRocks is right - I’m also a ‘school insider’ and have seen how quickly a class or year group can get labelled as ‘difficult’ and essentially written off, even though that cohort might contain a large minority of very bright and high attaining kids. DD’s Reception intake is already being described at various meetings as ‘challenging’.