Moving schools after S4 or S5.

[AuldWeegie]

Does anyone have experience of moving schools for S5 and S6? It would be for either 2026-27, or 27-28. Not at all academic, so missing the beginning of the AH or H course is not an issue.

Might consider private if it looked a good fit.

Why is your child staying on at school if not to do exams? Missing the start of the new course can be caught up, but you don't seem to think they are going to be successful anyway?

Think about what they want to get out of these final years at school. Do they want a college transition course? To get national 5s in English and maths? I assume there is something bad about the current situation to make you want to move them

Even the non-academic courses start at the beginning of June, not just Highers. DS school has vocational course and partnership with the college, it's really disruptive to miss that.

Private school is not going to take your child if they're not interested in doing Highers.

There’s nothing bad about the current situation. He likes school. I’m very keen to move house elsewhere, however, and was wondering if others could share their experience of doing so at this stage of their child’s education.

I take your point about private @NameChangeScot Thank you.

If he doesn’t want to continue his academics that would seem ideal - he can finish high school in s4 and do something else wherever you move?

I could give advice from a school perspective, however I'd need to know what kind of courses he's interested in - in general s5 will tie in a lot with work done in S4, moving might mean different units within the exams have been covered by the two schools.

Many (more than half) are still 15 at the end of S4 so can't leave until Xmas of S5.

Would partnership with college be transferable? Is he committed to specific training or apprenticeships by attending a specific college?

He'd be a bit young for an apprenticeship. College courses can be ones where they attend some parts of the week (and go to school for the rest). In S5 that can be a good transition to going to college full time later.
I can't imagine it would be transferable as an automatic thing as each college will have their own admissions procedure. Is he likely to fail English or maths national exams as he could resit these (or do them if he's been doing N4s just now)

His maths, apps for maths, and english will all be N4 a year from now.

Sorry, I’ve just realised I’ve got the years wrong. S5 would be 27-28. He’s just started his S4 curriculum. Almost all of which is expected to be at N4.

My youngest switched for S5/S6. Worked well for her. New school much calmer. Kids lovely (welcomed into existing friendship groups). She found it useful to start in June of S4 when school year switched as she had a few weeks to find her feet and friends for summer holiday. Only downside was subject choices. She initially didn’t get her subject choices. However when she returned in August she managed to get a spot in the 2 subjects which were a problem. With hindsight I’d have asked her old school to do her uni reference (at new school reference was done by someone who didn’t know her). Also felt she suffered a little with the teacher adjusted grades (Covid years). New school was less than generous (again didn’t know her) whereas old school predicted As for all.

Thanks for the replies. It sounds as though he could move schools at the end of S4, before the S5 courses start in June in the new school, ie at the end of study leave. Is this correct?

Yes, if he was going to move that would be the best time to do it. Beware if he's over 16 the new school do not have to accept him.

They can turn down a post 16 move, especially if there have been any disciplinary or attendance issues, that they believe would be detrimental to existing pupils, or if the year is at capacity already.