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Secondary education

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

Original poster

Child being changed classes mid year

33 replies

XmasReindeer12345 · 20/12/2018 19:03

My child is 13 and in year 9 . A bright DD in high ability sets. Tonight I’ve had an email which not all parents have had saying they will be moved groups due to a new operational timetable or something like that . They are quite unsettled by this because they’re very chatty and shout out therefore aren’t the best at first impressions . They have spent this first term building relationships with teachers and helping them discover that they’re not actually as bad as originally thought . It kills them to find out they’re gonna have to do it all again with different teachers . Do o request she isn’t moved and state these reasons or do I leave it

OP posts:
titchy · 20/12/2018 19:24

Leave it and tell your kid to stop shouting out and disrupting the education of others.

CloserIAm2Fine · 20/12/2018 19:33

So this is a perfect chance for them to make a good first impression! If they behave themselves they won’t have to battle to change the teachers opinion will they?

Original poster
XmasReindeer12345 · 20/12/2018 19:44

I’d love her too ! It’s nit that she’s naughty she is just very chatty and sometimes shouts out questions (not silly )

OP posts:
cricketballs3 · 20/12/2018 19:47

It will more than likely be nothing to do with your Dd and her behaviour (which seriously needs addressing rather than being as flippant as your post suggests) but staffing issues forcing the changes i.e.teachers leaving that they haven't been able to replace

Original poster
XmasReindeer12345 · 20/12/2018 19:48

Many have been moved so I know it’s not so to behaviour but she’s worked up about it

OP posts:
Original poster
XmasReindeer12345 · 20/12/2018 19:48

Also forgot to mention we’re partway through and ADHD and dyslexia evaluation which teachers pushed for x

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Frlrlrubert · 20/12/2018 20:43

Our y9s are being reshuffled over Xmas to better reflect ability now they've settled in to their new GCSE subjects. We're also using it to break up some groups that don't foster the best behaviour, and give some pupils who haven't got off to the best start behaviourally a fresh start with a different teacher.

It isn't a reflection on any one pupil, and we're really hoping it has a positive impact.

Best to look at it as a fresh start and a chance to make a really good first impression if she does get different teachers.

(Wonders if OP is in the West Midlands given the timing)

malmontar · 21/12/2018 09:21

I’m not really sure what’s your complaint. If your child is upset because they now won’t have the ability to shout out in lessons than that’s something you really need to address as already mentioned above. A dyslexia or adhd diagnosis won’t allow them to do that either, she would still get in as much trouble as before or get moved to a smaller sen class if they have that in her school. A new teacher is great and doesn’t mean there’s problems in the school, it may even be a teacher that makes her love the subject.

RedSkyLastNight · 21/12/2018 11:46

Don't secondary schools regularly reshuffle groups anyway? Plus teachers leave (DD has 3 teachers leaving at Christmas) and if you're in a school that sets DC move up and down sets etc.
Perhaps the point to focus on is that she needs to be more adaptable to change?

ShalomJackie · 21/12/2018 12:34

If she is at a school that has a year 9 intake it will just be a shuffle to deal with setting/streaming after having had a term to see where the children best fit.

She does need to stop shouting out whatever her diagnosis. Have you taught her be to count to say 20 etc to stop doing this? It is quite an effective method for many kids.

physicskate · 22/12/2018 09:38

Shouting out goes against school rules, and thus, presumably IS being 'naughty'!!! She's choosing to break rules. Not terribly defensible, so stop defending this poor behaviour.

She can only learn to control her own behaviour, which is an essential life skill, whatever diagnosis she has! How do you think her boss would react to such outbursts? And at university???

Alsoplayspiccolo · 22/12/2018 11:50

physicskate, would that also apply to someone with Tourette's? Just wondering whether "reasonable adjustments" comes into the picture, if a child has a diagnosed condition that means they can't control their impulses?

malmontar · 22/12/2018 12:07

Yes reasonable adjustments do come into play even before a diagnosis but in this case as well as any child that is being distributive this would most likely mean being placed in a class for kids like these specifically, which by the sounds of things isn’t what OP is looking for. Of course, if her daughter can’t stop due to her condition than this needs to be escalated and dealt with appropriately using the channels school has in place. Low level disruption is taken very seriously as it really effects all kids learning and isn’t fair, Sen or not. So I would suggest if OP wants to use the SEN argument you exhaust all possible avenues as you may end up in a scenario you like even less. A teacher understanding a bad class and letting them call out and not get in trouble isn’t understanding the class but is a teacher that’s exhausted and fed up.

malmontar · 22/12/2018 12:08

Sorry disruptive*

physicskate · 22/12/2018 12:20

The op's daughter is not suffering from Tourette's and does not have any diagnosis.

Even with a diagnosis, it isn't fair for her to disrupt the learning of others. They only have one chance at this - year 11 is high stakes. Persistent calling out to get others off task is not the same issue as Tourette's (which I haven't come across in 8 years in mainstream...).

Original poster
XmasReindeer12345 · 22/12/2018 12:25

She does have adhd though which being impulsive is a symptom aswell as excessive talking and hyperactive so it’s not really fair to say she can help it when she can’t excatly

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Alsoplayspiccolo · 22/12/2018 12:34

That was my thinking, xmasreindeer.
A diagnosis of ADHD suggests impulsivity is an issue. Not naughty and not something that can be learnt to control easily, hence me comparing it to Tourette's.I
I'm trying to understand some of the attitudes show here, in light of things like disability laws and reasonable adjustments.

physicskate · 22/12/2018 12:34

But she doesn't have the diagnosis (yet). As previously mentioned, having sen does not always meet the legal threshold for dispensation. The sen needs to be so severe as to qualify as a disability (which has quite a high threshold).

She needs to learn to live her life even with any needs that she has. As I've said before, a boss or lecturer at university would not put up with these shenanigans. She needs to learn to live in the world - it won't completely conform to her. That is part of what school is for!

Just because she has adhd doesn't mean she can't learn to live with it in an acceptable manner (unless she is so severely adhd she requires meds and an ehcp, which is a bit of a different situation as she may never live a fully independent life in that situation).

It seems as if you are enabling some behaviour and making excuses for her instead of trying to help her adjust to life with or without adhd. As I've mentioned, adhd is not an excuse to mess up other people's learning. Help her find ways of doing that!

malmontar · 22/12/2018 12:35

That’s fair enough but as I said you need to escalate this and get her in a smaller class setting which has its own pros and cons. Not really fair for you to complain about a class full on NT kids and expect your child to have special treatment in that context. Yes she needs reasonable adjustments as the current ones are clearly not working so you need to escalate this with the senco and ask what other provision they can give her. I’m just concerned you may not like what they offer as she will most likely be with other kids like her.

OddBoots · 22/12/2018 12:37

The staff will do a bit of a hand over to each other anyway, things like the SEN evaluation will be shared. Tell your dd not to worry and to enjoy the Christmas holiday.

Alsoplayspiccolo · 22/12/2018 12:46

When the word "shenanigans" is used in relation to potential (and diagnosed) SEN, I'm out.
Unbelievable.

physicskate · 22/12/2018 12:49

The shenanigans I'm referring to are a mother making endless excuses and not helping her child learn to live with and around her undiagnosed (!) learning need (which is what adhd is - not always a disability).

Original poster
XmasReindeer12345 · 22/12/2018 13:07

I understand your thinking but we are on the last stages of evaluation and was actually referred by senco 2 years ago when they were asked to come and observe dd in lessons so I’m quite adamant she does have it . We’ve been on cahms waiting list for 1 and a half years .

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Original poster
XmasReindeer12345 · 22/12/2018 13:11

Also it’s not that I am making excuses for her but what else is she meant to do . It’s like telling someone blind too see. I understand she shouldn’t shout out and should focus ect because of other kids but she’s trying .

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malmontar · 22/12/2018 13:50

I don’t think you’re understanding my point. I’m not saying your daughter hasn’t got her struggles but the school needs to make reasonable adjustments for her to be able to access school for herself as well as make sure she isn’t disturbing others. By the sounds of it a large class setting may not be suitable for her. Talk to your senco and raise your concerns as she needs to have things in place not only for GCSEs but knowing what helps her cope now will help her when she’s working etc

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