Moving House and school between year 10 and 11

[postgradmum]

We are planning a relocation to a small town 2hrs drive away. My soon to be 15yo daughter is happy to move schools between yr 10 and 11. She is doing well in her GCSEs so far, she has dyscalculia, but gets support. However, she is virtually friendless. She is very quiet, reserved & shy. We encourage her to ask friends round etc, she swims at a club and is 'friendly' with a couple of girls, but has not yet found her niche friendswise. For example: she inists there is no one she wants to invite to her birthday next week. We would be willing to wait until she has done her GCSEs, but she is adament she wants to move in the summer. She talks of it as a re-invention opportunity. She is not unhappy at school, just not part of any group, or have a best friend. She knows we would put her GCSEs first and it is clear she is not trying to please us by agreeing to move. Does anyone have any thoughts? I am fully aware of what can happen if a child is moved unwillingly in the middle of GCSEs, but my daughter is all for the move.

It's not ideal, of course, but have you checked into the school she'll be going to? I mean, obviously you have, but to the extent of checking which exam boards they use as this can radically alter the coursework and exam content of even the core subjects which means the work she has done already may not be suitable. Also the option subjects can vary greatly from school to school.

what tanga said

i imagine it would be problematic if the other school uses a different syllabus, or has done work in a different order etc. surely better to wait til next year then she can have a fresh start for 6th form.

From a practical point of view I totally agree with what Tanga said about exam boards etc. It is likely to be very disruptive.

However, I'd be worried about more than just her exams, TBH. You say that she's not exactly unhappy, but it is a very strange request for a girl of that age to want to move school, given she is so close to finishing her GCSEs anyway. It would be no big deal to leave after that, for a different sixth form, or whatever. If she were my daughter I'd be probing a bit closer about whether or not she is being bullied/ostracised or is just more unhappy about her lack of friends than she lets on. Sometimes kids don't want to worry us or upset us with things they feel we can't change. Speak to her head of year/form tutor to see if she can shed any more light on things.

My son went on and on about wanting to change school in year 9. He was focusing on various perceived weaknesses in the school, but when I started to investigate it turned out he'd fallen out with his main group of friends and he felt very alienated and unhappy for a while. It sorted itself out and I didn't need to move him in the end.