Moving school in Year 10

[winterrabbit]

DS was at a private school from year 7 and moved in year 10 (just this September past) to another private school that had a small entry point in year 10. The results at this new school are a lot better (65% grades 7-9 as opposed to 43% at his old school) and facilities much much better. We decided to apply very late in year 10 as not overly happy with the old school as there was some disruption in classes, results not great for a private school and virtually no facilities, however, DS was happy there. DS got offered a place, did a taster day and we decided to move him although we were both a little unsure at the time but the school only gave us a week to decide so we took a chance. DS started at the beginning of September but he really doesn't like it and wants to go back to his old school. The school day at his new school is really long and he says the lessons are very strict and boring, plus, although he has made some friends, he says they are not his type of people (all very posh and nerdy (his words), plus the school day is very long and the journey there is a lot longer and more difficult so he's exhausted. Even though the facilities are great, you are forced to do the school sports and he isn't into rugby at all and has a lot of existing sports commitments outside of school. I told DS to give it until half term to settle but he is still saying he wants to go back to his old school. Old school still has a place for him and says they would love to have him back. I feel in my heart, although new school is better on paper and the organisation and communication is excellent, I can't bear for him to be unhappy and should let him return to his old school. However, new school has said we will need to pay for next term as well as 1 term's notice is required. We already paid for this term and old and new school which has nearly bankrupt me and I really don't want to go it again although would think about it if it meant DS being happy. WWYD??

Some very very high achieving (more like 90-100% 7-9 at GCSE) schools I know do iGCSE. No problem with that.
There is no way I'd be paying for schools with as bad results as either of the two you are talking about.
And I echo the new one probably does better as it has better discipline and cares more.

Igcse's start earlier than GCSEs, it makes the gcse period longer but more spread out and less intense. His iGCSEs will start in early May so if he stays for the spring term at his current school he will only have 3 more terms of lessons until GCSEs exams start. Ask his current school if he can drop rugby in year 11. Have you planned where he is going for 6th form?
You are crazy to pay VAT on school fees for the Spring term 2025 that is only 10ish weeks long for both schools if he leaves and returns to his old school. The summer term of year 10 is too late to change curriculum .

Well all the super selectives near us with those results are impossible to get into and going to a school with 65% 7-9 or even 43% 7-9 and paying for it seemed a lot better than going to a school with 25 or 30% 7-9. Maybe it was the wrong decision but too late now for a switch into the state system. I don't think only schools where all kids get 7-9 (basically As only) are the only ones worth paying for. Just means they've skimmed off the top, or whoever were the top aged 10.

Do you mean his GCSEs start in May next year (end of year 10)? Which ones? I know he has coursework but don't think he has any exams until end of year 11. Agree it's crazy to pay both fees for next term but what options do I have IF we want to move him back? The only way out is to stay where he is. Maybe 9k is a persuasive argument!

Actually, it'll be 10k as it's plus 12.5% VAT.

VAT is 20% (though school may be lowering base fees to give a net effect of 12.5%)

Can your DC do the work? I think you need to clearly state this and not take any blame on yourself. Tell him, if he moves back no whining about catch up work, no blaming any future low GCSEs mock results on 6 weeks of new school.Those notes and 6 weeks of effort still counts.
Do check Year 10 is important if Art, DT, Drama, Sport, Music GCSEs.

What on earth were you thinking moving in yr10?

Of course he was going to struggle and be unsettled.

What did you ACTUALLY expect?

@winterrabbit it's May of 2026, but igcse's start a couple of weeks before GCSEs and he won't have such a full exam timetable around late May / early June 2026. I would focus on where he is going for sixth form instead of moving him now.

The school has an entry point in year 10 so it's clearly not just us. Obviously we thought there would be some settling in but that he would like it otherwise we wouldn't have done it, obviously!

Moving is always hard.

If school provid extra curriculum what are you paying for it outside school? Ditch the clubs. He made that decision so let him stay where he is and get on with it.

It’s 2 short years when you take holidays into account.

20 mins extra a day a slightly more travel shouldn’t exhaust him!

Yes, just been through GCSEs with my eldest and very similar subjects and exam boards and think he is fine to catch-up and nothing crucial missed.

Honestly in your shoes I would point out thar it is 5 and a half terms at this school for him to get the best gcse results.
His job is head down and make the most of it. Teachers are strict? Good, he has nothing to worry about if he is behaving and working hard.
You will consult again at A levels.

You can see it that way or you can see it as this is all that's left of this stage of his secondary education and why not let him finish it where he wants to be? 2 years is still quite a long time for a 14 year old.

Like I said @winterrabbit we cannot decide for you (obviously). But I have to say that if I had moved from school A to school B for reasons relating to behaviour and results; and if the new school had stricter lessons leading to better behaviour (and thus better results more of a possibility); and if moving back would cost me several thousand pounds; then I would be less than willing to move back again.

I feel as though you want to move him back. It’s your decision, your DS and your money. If I moved him back I would want to be very sure that the GCSE texts were the same (not similar – that's not much use really) and the same one had been started this term; and that other topics were the same as well. It’s easy to say he can catch up but it might not be that simple. Even if the Eng lit texts are identical, that's no help if he has been working on A Christmas Carol this term and his other school is half way through Macbeth. So I would dig deeply into that this week, as well as checking out what support the original school can offer him.

Agree with @clary

Many schools also start their GCSE curriculum in Y9 (I'm assuming not this one if they have a Y10 intake). If you're DS did a chunk of curriculum already at his old school, it may not be so bad to go back. But you need to check that with each subject.

I do think you need to persuade DS that at this point school is not a social club. If he wants to do his best, be the best he can be, he needs to be in an environment which will foster that.

Also, when checking new school results I would have specifically checked the new intake results to see if they are the same/ worse than kids who've been there all the way through.

What a mess OP. Based on what you know now, which school do you think your child will achieve best in as that was the criteria you looked at when moving, his happiness and willingness , style of teaching comes into that decision but also your willingness to support ,encourage and help him stick with something he is unsure of. You need to have confidence about a decision you make and not put it all back on your son.

Thanks. Not sure how you would do this.

You ask them. They should have data. If they don't it's a bit suss.

Hmmm… I imagine not many people transfer in to year 10 though.

See this is what I can't fathom.

And then to be surprised when the kid isn't settling in well immediately.

There's initially no value put on her son being settled and having friends. All that is important is how bad the previous school is. Then when the kid doesn't like it, more disruption in yr 10 when it's not ideal to move a kid in the first place (regardless of whether they allow it or not) seems to be thought of as the solution.

It's insane. It's like actively trying to screw up the kid

Thanks so much for the constructive input. Really helps. I will reflect on what a terrible parent I am and how I am actively trying to screw him up. Silly me for thinking I was putting him somewhere better. Two other parents moved their DCs from the old school to the new school at the same. I will tell them they are also trying to actively screw their kids up. I assume you are perfect in all ways and also know what to do when faced with a difficult decision.

It's more that if you have made that decision, then have the faith to stick with it rather than give up without really trying, if your reasons were about the quality of education available.