Managed Move

[Sussexmum6]

Hi can someone tell me how a managed move works please. My dd is extremely anxious due to being bullied and has not returned back to school this term. She is adamant that she will not return to her current school, and talking about it causing her extreme anxiety/distress. Her head of year mentioned managed move, although has said before that let's try getting her to speak to an ELSA. When I mentioned managed move to my dd her face lit and up and she was actually happy. So am hoping they are able to do the managed move. But my question is can we choose which school the move will be to, does the process take long to complete. And what do you think the Elsa is going to ask dd. Should add my dd doesn't even want to meet the Elsa but I'm trying to convince her and arrange a meeting in a park.

If you/DD want to move school there is nothing preventing you from making an in year application to other schools. There's no need to go through the managed move process. Managed moves aren't really appropriate in this situation. They are intended to be used for pupils at risk of permanent exclusion.

Via a managed move you can suggest a preferred school, but there are certain circumstances where the receiving school may refuse. Whereas, if you apply via the in year application process if there is a place you must be offered it unless one of the very few exceptions apply.

Pupils stay on the roll of the home school and are dual registered with the proposed school. If you go ahead with the managed move you need to clarify what will happen if it fails - managed moves aren't supposed to be used if the pupil wouldn't not return to the home school.

In the meantime, if DD can not attend school due to her distress/anxiety the LA have a statutory duty to provide education.

Emotional literacy support will help DD with her feelings, how she communicates them, ways to cope with emotions/situations and how others can support her.

Agree with the previous poster. Your daughter is not at risk of permanent exclusion, so a managed move is unnecessary. You can simply apply to other schools. If the school you want has a place available it must be offered. If they don't have a place (or fail to offer one thar is available) you can appeal on the basis that your daughter's school has failed to deal adequately with bullying.

Thanks for the comments, I forgot to add that all schools in area are full. She is on the waiting lists, but have been told they have very long waiting lists. So managed move sounded like a good alternative under the circumstances.

In my (limited) experience managed moves tend to be used for students at risk of exclusion and there is an expectation the child will return to their original school at some point.

@Sussexmum6

Thanks for the comments, I forgot to add that all schools in area are full. She is on the waiting lists, but have been told they have very long waiting lists. So managed move sounded like a good alternative under the circumstances.

In that case you should appeal. Normally an appeal case should be for the school you want rather than against the school you've got, but bullying changes things. If you can show that your daughter's current school is aware of the bullying and has failed to tackle it effectively, that can be a winning case. Documentary evidence such as emails and letters would help.

Thanks, so I can appeal and in year application also. Okay will do this also. Thanks again

@overworkedrobot

If you/DD want to move school there is nothing preventing you from making an in year application to other schools. There's no need to go through the managed move process. Managed moves aren't really appropriate in this situation. They are intended to be used for pupils at risk of permanent exclusion.

Via a managed move you can suggest a preferred school, but there are certain circumstances where the receiving school may refuse. Whereas, if you apply via the in year application process if there is a place you must be offered it unless one of the very few exceptions apply.

Pupils stay on the roll of the home school and are dual registered with the proposed school. If you go ahead with the managed move you need to clarify what will happen if it fails - managed moves aren't supposed to be used if the pupil wouldn't not return to the home school.

In the meantime, if DD can not attend school due to her distress/anxiety the LA have a statutory duty to provide education.

Emotional literacy support will help DD with her feelings, how she communicates them, ways to cope with emotions/situations and how others can support her.

Thanks for your message, Elsa support does sound good, but unfortunately she just does not want anything to do with that schools so just point blank refuses. Will see if I can win her over. Yes did read somewhere school has to provide education if child misses 15 days. Thanks

I was told to apply direct to school to be put on the waiting list, would I appeal with LA or the new school? Wil have a look to see how it all works.

My ds had a managed move for the same reason after his bully eventually got so brave he pulled a knife on him in the classroom.

I got to chose the school and they get to decide if they agree but there's something called fair access protocol.

Best thing we ever did for ds.

Was slightly different as the school he was at was crap and they didn't deal with the bullying which is why it escalated and they couldn't wait to get rid of him as he has special needs.

When you do it you have a set of targets you must meet during a 6 weeks trial. This is standard because the moves are usually conducted for pupils at risk of exclusion to give them a chance at a fresh start.

For children like ours it can be life changing with regards allowing them a fresh start for different reasons.

The Fair Access Protocol doesn't apply to managed moves.

You don't have to wait for DD to have already been absent for 15 days before getting LA tuition. It should be provided when it becomes clear a pupil will be absent for 15 days.

You have to apply for a place and be refused before appealing. It depends on the school as to whether they organise appeals themselves or whether the LA do.

@overworkedrobot

The Fair Access Protocol doesn't apply to managed moves.

You don't have to wait for DD to have already been absent for 15 days before getting LA tuition. It should be provided when it becomes clear a pupil will be absent for 15 days.

You have to apply for a place and be refused before appealing. It depends on the school as to whether they organise appeals themselves or whether the LA do.

Thank you for the information. Given my daughter is so against attending her current school do you think there is any point trying to convince her to meet with the Elsa. She doesn't want to but I have tried to say let's meet and see how it goes, not sure if it will happen on the day or not. My concern is if this will slow the process of an managed move. I want her back into school as soon as possible. Am trying to make home not fun whilst she's off, by this I mean she's not allowed to watch telly or have a phone/any type of electronic device during school hours.

@itsgettingwierd

My ds had a managed move for the same reason after his bully eventually got so brave he pulled a knife on him in the classroom.

I got to chose the school and they get to decide if they agree but there's something called fair access protocol.

Best thing we ever did for ds.

Was slightly different as the school he was at was crap and they didn't deal with the bullying which is why it escalated and they couldn't wait to get rid of him as he has special needs.

When you do it you have a set of targets you must meet during a 6 weeks trial. This is standard because the moves are usually conducted for pupils at risk of exclusion to give them a chance at a fresh start.

For children like ours it can be life changing with regards allowing them a fresh start for different reasons.

Thank you so much for sharing, glad your son is doing well in current school. My daughter has been pretty adamant she's won't attend current school, so am hoping the managed move at the least gets her back into school and learning. How long did your process take from them suggesting it to your child actually starting new school?

My son left his old school the beginning of July at end of year 7.

He wouldn't go back and wanted to end his own life so he couldn't.

He started a managed move at new school straight after the summer holidays. He was put on roll permanently in December of that year (complicated other issues).

The point being that managed moves can be used in exceptional circumstances other than when the child is at risk of being excluded due to their behaviour. A child who cannot attend school due to anxiety of bullying risks excluding themselves and ultimately it's the same outcome.

Is there a school your dd wishes to attend? If so put that forward if she's keen and in a place to engage.

An Elsa deals with emotional literacy. It'll help her understand her emotions but if she returns and continues to be bullied whatnuse is that?

She deserves an education somewhere she is safe and somewhere that can keep her safe from harm.

You'll get loads of people telling you not to do a managed move or you can't as she's not being excluded but they're wrong.

And it's the one way you can get an in year transfer without having to apply and wait. Just be aware though that the school doesn't have to accept her. So keep your options open for a 2nd/3rd choice.

My son is now starting his second year of college. He's come a long way from the child who couldn't sleep due to the thought of having to go to school 6 years ago.

And remember to use the phrase "too anxious to attend" rather than "she won't attend". One is a choice and the other is a medical and welfare need due to circumstances.

@itsgettingwierd

And remember to use the phrase "too anxious to attend" rather than "she won't attend". One is a choice and the other is a medical and welfare need due to circumstances.

Thank you so much this helps a lot, yes we are open to two local schools, hopefully one of them will be able to take her.

I guess the point of using a managed move is to bypass the problem of all the schools being full. Presumably if another school also has a pupil who would benefit from a fresh start, they can be swapped. (Generous of your current school, if the risk is that they get a troublemaker in return.)

(My experience of managed moves is a kid who was moved rather than being permanently excluded. He pulled a knife at the new school, who permanently excluded him, so we got him back...)

I was just going to say I've never known a managed move be done for anything other than a child at risk of PEX but it got me thinking, if we were approached to take a managed move for a young person with anxiety and in need of a fresh start as opposed to the sorts of things that normal come attached with a manager move we'd no doubt be absolutely delighted and, subject to following the process, probably bite your arm of to make them our contribution to the managed move process locally.

Don't get me wrong, I've got one lad in my form this year that joined us with quite a reputation on a MM last year and he has so far been perfectly middle of the road and no trouble, he has taken the fresh start for what it is as quite often, but by no means always, happens.

I'd be interested to see how this plays out as like I say we would be thrilled to pick up a managed move student needing a start and support of this nature, I'm sure.

Meeting with the ELSA should slow down the managed move process, however it's not something where one, or even 2 or 3, session is going to bring about change. Sessions over a prolonged time are necessary for true progress.

What would happen with the managed move if it failed? As managed moves aren't supposed to happen unless the child would return to their home school. Obviously in this case that isn't an option so you need to clarify this beforehand.

That should be shouldn't slow down the managed move!

I don’t know if it’s different now, but when managed moves were first around, it was intended that it would be an attempt to avoid a permanent exclusion.

The arrangement was between two schools and was sixteen weeks, with fortnightly checks and a formal review after eight weeks. Obviously if things didn’t work, the student would return to the original school and very possibly, to an exclusion.

It’s a while since I was involved, so it might be very different now. I’ve known it work really well, but it needs a lot of commitment.

My DD was at risk of exclusion - and we only found out afterwards that it was due to bullying. She knew that if she messed around or kicked off, she'd get to come home. It was horrendous.

She was able to have a managed move to a hugely oversubscribed school, in fact the LEA helper was really proactive in getting her in there.

@Sussexmum6

I was told to apply direct to school to be put on the waiting list, would I appeal with LA or the new school? Wil have a look to see how it all works.

The letter telling you that you didn't have a place at the school you wanted should have told you how to appeal. If it doesn't or if there was no letter, contact the LA and ask.

@Heyha

I was just going to say I've never known a managed move be done for anything other than a child at risk of PEX but it got me thinking, if we were approached to take a managed move for a young person with anxiety and in need of a fresh start as opposed to the sorts of things that normal come attached with a manager move we'd no doubt be absolutely delighted and, subject to following the process, probably bite your arm of to make them our contribution to the managed move process locally.

Don't get me wrong, I've got one lad in my form this year that joined us with quite a reputation on a MM last year and he has so far been perfectly middle of the road and no trouble, he has taken the fresh start for what it is as quite often, but by no means always, happens.

I'd be interested to see how this plays out as like I say we would be thrilled to pick up a managed move student needing a start and support of this nature, I'm sure.

It's thanks to attitudes like this my ds got a fresh start and left school with gcse results way above what we expected (well kind of as they were identical to his mock results as he was the class of 2020!) but his mocks he achieved way above what I'd expected.

The school were amazing. We were waiting for tribunal for refusal to assess for EHCP and they still provided him with a keyworker from the off (which they obviously didn't have funding for) but we used it to prove need at his EHCP refusal to assess tribunal.

(And that was a farce as la brought 2 witnesses from home school who did the la bidding to prove they could meet needs without an ehcp - whilst he was on a Mm at another school due to diagnosed school anxiety he developed whilst at home school 🤦🏼‍♀️)

The MM school really did want him to achieve and that much shine through.

The only complaint I could make about them is it's very obvious that at first they believed whatever crap home school fed them as they were extremely offhand with me.

Their attitude to me changed after the first 8 weeks and his refusal to assess tribunal where they saw first hand the ethos and egos of the home school staff!

I did a managed move for my DS who's behaviour was becoming quite difficult. He wasn't at risk of exclusion but needed a clean start somewhere else. So I applied and made my case, had a meeting and was offered a place with another school. Im pleased to say it worked well and even DS says he needed it at the time.

DS1 did a managed move due to anxiety and school refusal. Tbh I didn't know it was a managed move until we had a meeting at the new school. We applied to the school he wanted to move to and luckily they had spaces so it was straightforward in that regard.