can yr 7 kids ask to move form?

[Missedcall974]

Ds is asking to move form class but I said it was not likely to be allowed. This is to be with friends and away from other ppl. Other kids have defo moved since they started but I dont want to ask if its a usual no-no.

I have no children of this age but surely there is no harm in asking.
If the school say no,no harm has been done asking and your son will have to just take it on the chin.
If they say yes you will be glad you asked and your son will be happier in a different form class.

Wouldn't they have to move some other child (possibly against their wishes) to accommodate him? Why would they do that?

That's true. I think DS is going to ask as I don't want to be an intefering mum and he is keen to be independent at school :)

It might carry more weight if he has a good reason and you also ask for the same reason.

schools usually separate children from primary friends deliberately to ensure that children try to make new friends and don't all just stick to their original groups. If the friendships are strong they will survive being separated in secondary.

I would say that it's only been a week and to give it time - at least a term - but if your ds is determined to ask foor himself then let him. I would imagine it's unlikely the school would accommodate it though.

Missedcall974:

I think you need to step back and work out what being in that form actually means. Each school is different some forms are set such that all classes are with those same people and others are just set for that brief session first thing in the morning (attendance/ information/ PSHE) and then you are off to classes with a mix of kids from all the different forms.

So my advice is work out whether his friends are in fact in some of his classes. If the problem is that he isn't seeing any of his friends - then you need to really ask yourself if that is a good thing. Is he easily distracted if friends are in his class? So, in a class without his friends he has to pay attention. Is he ahead or behind his friends in terms of academic achievement - so he's in a form which can meet his needs as a student?

If any of this applies - try to persuade him (and that might be a big ask) that he has the best of both worlds - he can see old frirends, but also can make new friends.

If however, he's in a form with the kid that bullied him all through primary - you are absolutely within your rights to raise this with the school (as the primary also should have pointed this out).

Finally - on another discussion about 'making friends in Y7' - people have been suggesting (including me) that joining clubs really helps with meeting people & making friends through shared experience. clubs should be starting up and most schools in Y7 run clubs during lunch, possibly right after school.

Encourage your DS to look into joining a few things - it's good for pursuing interests, can make you stand out from the crowd on 6th form/ uni/ job applications & is character building (e.g. DofE awards).

HTH

If there is an issue with being away from someone, then go ahead.

On the being with friends thing, ds has just gone into Yr 7 and is not with the majority of his friends. He was initially pretty unhappy about this but has realised that they all meet up to play rugby at break in the same way that they previously did and once they are setted for various things, he might or might not be with them anyway.

Thanks for your replies. There are some other children who did swap form last week. I am not bothered whether he swaps and there is definitely no bullying going on. He is SEN so maybe is too desperate to make good friends quickly.