Bad smell

[pugsandseals]

Not been around for a while, but I'm hoping someone might be able to offer some advice.
DD yr7 has been put in the same class as a boy she spent most of yr6 surgically attached to & generally enjoyed his company. He has not taken well to the shift upto senior school. He expects dd to help him a lot with getting to & from classes, doesn't do homework, spent the last 2 weeks of term on report card & generally won't leave dd alone!
Very difficult because he's a likable lad & without the pressure of school they can get on very well. But the whole thing is causing dd a lot of stress. She is actively avoiding clubs she would like to go to because he attends, not integrating with the rest of the year group & the final straw is her report which we have just received which mentions how much she helps him & also has a massive drop in grades! She is an intelligent girl & us & school both know she should be top of the class.
2 questions:-
1- how would you approach the school about it?
2- what on earth can I expect the school to do about it?
My main worries are not wanting to alienate myself from dd by going behind her back to school & if they were to move her or him to a different class how that would upset her as she tries to settle into a new school!
Help! Don't know what to do for the best!!!

Why go behind her back? She's basically asking for help as she's struggling socially and academically. It doesn't sound like she's enjoying school much either. He sounds like some support needed which is not your daughters problem. The grade cards speak for themselves and so no one will say you're causing trouble.

I'd speak to head of year, suggest the boy moves. Or at least get staff to not let them sit near each other then she can't help him, without walking round the class. There are lots of strategies for teachers to deal with what is basically their problem of the boy not working well. Good luck.

Have you asked her what she wants? I would find out what she thinks the solution should be, then have a word with her form tutor. In the meantime do everything you can to encourage new friendships.

Should have said - she is very stubborn & convinced she can handle it. However, she is very bad at saying no & (like her mother) would prefer to put others first!
They are already split up in every lesson & I think might have been put in the same class in the hope it would encourage them both to socialize with others outside of class. I don't think they realised how much he wanted to be mothered by her.