Moving Schools in Year 1

[IntoTheWoods1923]

Advice Please :)

The school my son currently goes to isn't in a great part of our area, however is a lovely small school and the teachers are great.
There just isn't a lot going on there, Ive tried to start a PTA which was going well but there was no help from parents, just whingeing about prices or how it wasn't very good. There isn't much in terms of extra curricular activities because of budgets. Some of the parents are just not the type of people I would normally be around due to issues with d*s or their general behaviour, which I feel is now being passed onto some of the children my son is around.

My son is doing well there and enjoys school, however I worry about him growing with some of these children and the behaviour then rubbing off on him. A few times hes come home saying words or phrases we would never say - or is this just normal with any school?

I really hope I don't sound snobby with this, I just want the best start for my son and to be around caring people with the same morals and values as us.

Would you move schools? Anyone had an experience of moving schools?
Thank you

It's impossible to advise without more information. Your post purely focuses on what is wrong with the current school or, more specifically, the area. Without any information on your other potential options, it's impossible to say whether it would be worth moving him. Do you have any other schools in mind? Would he be likely to get in? Are they in similar areas, or in more leafy/affluent areas which appeal to you more?

The points I would focus on is that he is happy and doing well. They are the most important things and you have no guarantees that would be the case elsewhere. Learning to mix with people from different backgrounds is a life skill. He will sadly hear swear words at any school. That's pretty unavoidable as so many families do sadly expose their children to such words at a young age, regardless of backgrounds. You just simply address it with "we don't use those words in our house" if he does come home saying them. I know it's not nice thinking of him being exposed to words you don't find appropriate for his age, but you still ultimately have control over teaching him right from wrong.

Finding a school where your child is happy and does well is the main goal, and you already have that. I wouldn't be rushing to move a happy child just because some of their peers come from undesirable families. I'd see it as my job to ensure they understand that certain things they may hear or witness aren't acceptable. Sometimes we can shelter our children too much from the realities of life. Plenty of children attending 'rough' schools still grow up to be respectful citizens, thanks to the good examples set by their own families and their teachers. Don't automatically assume your child will be lead astray by peers. You are still their main influence.

Kids in private schools learn swear words (I assume that’s what you mean !)