Should we move schools?

[st55]

Hi, looking for some opinions! Our dd currently attends our local secondary (year 7). The ofsted is good, it’s an old school and isn’t in the best part of our city and has always had a bit of a bad reputation, although a lot better now than it used to be years ago. She’s doing ok so far but she’s witnessed a lot of fights and says she gets pushed and shoved along the corridors daily by older children.
ive recently taken a job at a brand new secondary school outside of our catchment, and am wondering if she’d do better there. She wouldn’t know anyone, but the school only has three year groups at the moment and it’s in a fairly new area of our city. The teachers all seem passionate and I’m impressed with their curriculum focus and extra curricular clubs. However there’s no ofsted yet, nor any gcse results I can compare.

shes very intelligent and would do well anywhere she goes. But would a newer school give her that extra push? Or am I overthinking things, she’s not unhappy at her current school, it’s just a bit ‘rough’ .

Is there any specific reason for her being at the current school e.g. is there a pathway for higher acheivers? If not then I would move her.

Hi, I appreciate your response. at the time we applied this was the only school available to us - its the only school in our catchment and my city is extremely over subscribed so we wouldnt have got her in anywhere else. She also was happy to go with all of her friends there. It’s only now that I work in this other school that I would have a chance at getting her in, as a ‘staff child’ is high up the admissions criteria. They are full at the moment but she’d be top of the waiting list so wouldn’t take long to get her in.

What does your daughter think of your school? Would she like to move? I'd be tempted to put her on the waiting list and then decided when a place comes up. That would also give you more time working at the school and seeing if it suited your dd.

I think a weekly fight and being jostled about by older kids in the throng is quite normal. Its
Just part of secondary school and what gets you ready for getting served in a busy pub at 18. Unless its really bothering her.

When my son was in yr 7 he mentioned all of these things a lot as it was so markedly different to his gentle primary. But now hes been there a little while he barely mentions anything. But the way he spoke about it in yr7 you would have thought it was happening in every lesson.

Think carefully about taking her away from local mates. It will have a huge impact

It might be worth putting her on the waiting list OP but I would also check your ‘staff child’ priority admissions criteria. Some will specify a minimum employment timeframe - for example at our local secondary school you have to have been in continuous employment there for 2 years to qualify.

To be honest though I wouldn’t be in a rush to move her at this stage-it’s still so early in the school year and y7 can be a bit of a shock to the system for many children. Nothing wrong with exploring other options but don’t be too hasty.