Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Original poster

Moving mid Y10 - bad idea, no?

13 replies

wouldbeexlondoner · 29/12/2017 14:09

We’re hoping to move out of London in the nearish future. The lure of being mortgage-free and being closer to the countryside is getting ever stronger. However dd is partway through Y10 at an academically selective school - she’s currently on course to get 8s/9s across the board.

Both dh and dd are keen to move as soon as we can sell our house (not currently on the market) but I’ve said we have to wait until dd’s finished her GCSEs so we’d be looking at moving in time for her to start sixth form (there are several outstanding sixth forms in the area we’re considering).

Dh isn’t from the UK and doesn’t fully understand the English education system and doesn’t believe me when I say it’s a really bad time to move. Dd’s desperate to move as she doesn’t like being in a big city (loves being outside and spending as much time as possible at the stables) and she’s convinced she’d be fine Hmm

I’m right here, aren’t I?

(Have name-changed for this)

OP posts:
user1469682920 · 29/12/2017 15:48

I think you are right as you haven't sold your house yet. My DD moved at October half term in year 10 from a school she hated and it was the best thing we ever did. She had to change some exam boards and even changed a subject and continued one independently with a tutor as they didn't do it She is very bright and hard working and with great teacher support was caught up by Christmas so it can be done - but you may have left it too late now. The only possibility I think is if you can find a good school with mostly matching exam boards and syllabi. Can you move her to a new school now before you sell your house

user1469682920 · 29/12/2017 17:22

I think you are right as you haven't sold your house yet. My DD moved at October half term in year 10 from a school she hated and it was the best thing we ever did. She had to change some exam boards and even changed a subject and continued one independently with a tutor as they didn't do it She is very bright and hard working and with great teacher support was caught up by Christmas so it can be done - but you may have left it too late now. The only possibility I think is if you can find a good school with mostly matching exam boards and syllabi. Can you move her to a new school now before you sell your house

portico · 30/12/2017 09:39

OP. It’s a very, very stupid idea. I have a Y10. I have a Y10, so recognise the importance of this school year.
Y10s will be the second cohort to do the full suite of 9-1 GCSEs.
TBH, if she’s 8/9 she should be able to cope with a new school, but she may well face different exam boards/specs and different teachers.
Will the new school be as good as the academically selective school she is at now. I very much doubt it!

PhilODox · 30/12/2017 09:49

It's only 18 mo, but you need to wait!
Make sure you move somewhere with excellent post 16 options too- if she's that able, she will be doing a levels, university too.

PhilODox · 30/12/2017 09:51

I hate where we live, btw, but I am resigned to being here until the children finish school/6th form, as I know we'd not find education elsewhere of a similar standard (that we could afford to move to!).

VivaLeBeaver · 30/12/2017 09:53

You’re right. You’re very unlikely to find a school which has exactly the same exam board for each subject and the same texts for English lit. I wanted to move dd in year 10 due to being bullied and I couldn’t find a school in a twenty mile radius which matched her then current school for exam boards. So we didn’t move her.

Different exam boards will actually teach different topics. So for science, history, geography you’d run the risk of her sitting a gcse with sections where she’s had no teaching.

Ollycat · 30/12/2017 10:01

I have a year 10 child and agree you need to wait - it would be madness to move before GCSES! Even if the exam boards are the same there is no saying they will be doing same modules / set texts PLUS all the emotional upheaval!

xyzandabc · 30/12/2017 10:09

It would be a bad idea. Even if you find a school that does the same subjects with the same exam boards (unlikely) there's a high chance they won't teach the syllabus in the same order so she may end up covering some topics twice and some not at all. As a pp said, they are also unlikely to be doing the same options for texts/units where there is a choice.

If you've not sold/bought yet, realistically it's going to be Easter at the earliest, possibly in to the summer or beyond when you actually move which imo is far too late in to a 2 yr course to change.

By all means make plans to be moved in time for 6th form but don't start now.

portico · 30/12/2017 10:12

OP, your DH needs educating on the importance of staying put, so that your DD can continue her studies up to and including taking her GCSEs.

Surprised your dd is keen to move ASAP, too.

Original poster
wouldbeexlondoner · 30/12/2017 15:35

Thanks - as I suspected a unanimous verdict...

Dd mainly wants to move ASAP as dh has said she can have her own horse once we move (she currently shares) Hmm

OP posts:
Teddygirlonce · 31/12/2017 14:59

Agree with everyone else - DONT do it!

My family moved when I was midway through Year 10 - it was disastrous for me academically (until I caught up at degree level) and in terms of my confidence. I was way behind (particularly in subjects like Maths) when I moved schools and it was a challenge to fit into established friendship groups too.

It would be far preferable for your family to move after your DD does GCSEs and ahead of going into the sixth form.

GiveMePrivacy · 01/01/2018 21:04

I wouldn't recommend it, BUT if you do then I can help a bit on exam boards as I've had to come out lots about children changing boards mid-course for a voluntary role. There is little difference between maths GCSE syllabuses as the government has basically specified the content. GCSE sciences are very similar too, although AQA has since odd options which differ in approach from other boards. However, history varies more between boards than other subjects. You'd probably find less difference in English between boards.

Having said all that - I'll now join the chorus of voices saying "don't do it". Your DD doesn't know how it will be settling into a new school when she's the only new one. It's not like joining a new school at a usual entry point. A move like this could screw up her GCSEs and leave her anxious. But you could start researching sixth forms in the target area now, to give her she DH something to keep them busy. It might help you clarify where you'd buy.

DivisionBelle · 03/01/2018 22:23

Are there even places in schools where you got to move? Many god schools outside London are over subscribed.

I would not move halfway into GCSEs.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page