Will you let DC change schools?

[Orangesunset8]

DD is currently in year 9 in a girls school which is not local. She has to commute there; not a terribly commute. 20 min on the train, 10 to 15 min walk to the school from train station. Total door to door is probably one hour.

DD is ok to go to school, does her homework, is making progress, has some friends she talks to in school, not bullying that I hear of and behaviour in general ok. many teachers have been there for awhile. I don’t hear much from school though even when I email them, not much reply.

She wants to change, she thinks the commuting is not worth it for an average school that doesn’t have anything exciting going on like trips to make memories with their friends; not particularly excel at anything like art, music, or sports. She doesn’t see anyone from school outside the school. Premises a bit rundown and classrooms small like many state schools in England.

I agree we what she says above.

The 2 options to move are:

A performing arts and creative coed school which has a year 10 intake where she attends the Saturday school and loves it. Opinions in general good but GCSEs results average. DD will have to commute but is closer than the one she currently attends. DD is more creative than academic. School goes from year 10 to year 13.

Or

A massive coed secondary coed school where her best friend go to, local. Very good at sports, art, music but general opinions vary from great to not send your child there. Her friend is happy, says is not that bad; they have opportunities for overseas trips, music events, etc.

TIA

If you move her I'd do it now so she has time to settle in , make friends, get to know staff etc before gcse start.

An hour door-to-door is a big commute - ten hours each week.

If my child of that age genuinely wanted to move I'd have to have a very good reason not to. Go for a visit to each school without your DD and then a further visit with her.

Aim to move soon to give settling time before Year 10, unless you opt for the 10-13 school.

I’d move her.

I would move her to the one with her friend. I moved in year 9 (200 miles) and found it hard going making friends, I felt like friendship groups were already formed and it was hard to crack in!

Let her move. Have a look around both schools and see which m she would prefer.

I would definitely give serious consideration to her moving. Hoewver...

Obviously, the school which only starts at year 10 would only have disadvantages in terms of GCSE options if there are subjects which your DD would want which aren't offered at all there. How likely is t that she will get a place? Was the deadline for on time applications 31st October, as it if for yr6 to yr7 transfer?

Similarly, is there actually a place for your DD at the 'normal' comprehensive school and if not immediately, how likely is it that a place will come up sooner rather than later and that she will be at the top of the waiting list if it does? The longer she has to wait for a place, the greater the risk that some options will not be available to her because tge classes are full. This is not an argument against applying there, btw - in fact, if she and you would be happy with this school, then I would suggest banging in an application right now.

Hour commute to a girls school would never have been an option for me. Assuming the comp is her local just let her go there.

I’d move her to the local comp assuming there’s space

my ds started a local comp with a so-so reputation. Truth is it’s a massive school that many kids thrive in, and there’s loads of extra curricular going on.

performing arts school sounds quite limiting unless shes committed to that as a career plan

Which does she want? The first sounds like what she might be angling after, the second also sounds like a solid choice though

I agree about the commute - it sounds very similar to me at my first school, and it does take it out of you (especially in Winter, or if something happened so I was out late, and had to wait an hour for the next train home). I switch to a comprehensive from an all girls too, but, I will say the expectations were very different - at the girls school I would have come out with a lot better qualifications (and hated it the whole time) vs. the comp where I came out with enough to get me to the Uni I wanted to go to, but nothing 'spare' or outstanding.

To expand on that - it hasn't harmed me at all - once you've got a degree, who cares about your GCSEs and A-Levels.

I'd definitely let her move. Can she do a taster day or week at the two other schools? Obviously she's be in with the year 10s at that one school but it should give her an idea.
Does she have a preference between the two schools or any idea which GCSEs she wants to do?
Get as much info as possible and then leave the decision to her. If she's happy in her choice she will do much better academically and socially whatever the schools rating is.

Thank you all. There is consensus then.

I am giving her the choice, she is going to try for the performing arts school if she doesn’t get in she said she will go for the comprehensive where her best friend is in.

We chose the school she is in as we thought she will get better support there, behaviour is better and not to have the distraction of boys. She has an educational plan due to a Developmental language disorder; is not severe but impact her learning.

We thought she will fall down the cracks in the big comprehensive. At 11 we thought she wasn’t ready for that big move and wanted a more nurturing school. She has matured and grow up a lot in the last 2.5 years so maybe is time for a change.

The schools where she will potentially move are:

The Brit School and Kingsdale

Reg GCSE: She told me: Music, arts and business studies.

Brit academic record is pretty indifferent. Are applications even still open? If she is ok where she is relook for year 12.

Yes applications are still open for year 10.

She wants to move and doesn’t want to continue in current school.

I think you’re doing the right thing letting her decide.

Educational research shows that it's as much the pupil as the school. So if your daughter is hardworking and reasonably intelligent, she should be able to thrive in either of the closer schools. As PPs advise, visit both and see what and she thinks.

I hope she gets a place at the 10 - 13 school since she already goes there and likes it. Does she meet up with anyone from there outside of the Saturday classes? Do pupils there live more locally to you so that if she made friends, they could meet in the nearest town, for instance?

Also, I found it very disruptive to navigate a whole new school with DD just for A Levels. I would have liked her to stay on at her sr. school (yrs7 - 11) where she was settled and knew the teachers well.

Kingsdale start GCSE in Y9 so you will need to move her now otherwise she will be a long way behind. You wouldn't be able to wait until Y10 unless she's prepared to do a lot of catch up.

BRIT is probably the most competitive PA school in the UK given it's free. What strand is your DD looking at?

That is good to know. Do they start GCSE from September in Kingsdale?

DD wants to do theatre

Are you sure you can get into either school? Both are quite oversubscribed I think?

At Kingsdale GCSE options are chosen in Y8 and you do those subject from September in Y9 - I'm not sure how much is GCSE curriculum though in Y9 vs other schools. Be worth asking if transferring.

Yes. Options are chosen in Y8 and started at beginning of Y9.

Compulsory are:
English Lit
English Lang
Maths
Triple or Combined Science
1 x MFL from German/French/Spanish/Latin
Geography or History
Citizenship or RE
1 x Performing or Visual Art from Fine Art/ Graphics/ Textiles/ Photography/ Music/ Drama/ Design Tech/ BTEC Creative Media

Plus an additional option unless doing Triple Science as that fills that block.

I don't believe the last bit is correct anymore.

You select all the mandatory ones you suggest with the exception of the Arts ones which are not mandatory (though they encourage you to think about selecting one). However you select 2 options which can an extra MFL (to do 2) and say Geography to do with History as well, or PE or all the additional ones offered (subject to timetable / demand).

Combined or Triple Science doesn't affect the above, and that is not selected in Y8, I think it's actually decided in Y10 now.

If you've not already done so you probably need to visit the potential schools to get a feel for what they are like. Do they offer what you're looking for basically? It's maybe because of where I live but an hour's journey to school and having to go by train seems very long.

Very normal in London to do that kind of journey and train often much quicker than bus. Both these schools have majority of students not living round the corner and having to use transport to get in. BRIT catchment is huge and KFS has no catchment and is lottery entry.