DD is 12, in Year 8 equivalent (we live abroad). We moved her after her 1st year of secondary for various reasons but now we are wishing we hadn't.
The teaching is nothing like as good as we were lead to believe, not as good as the previous place, apart from in a couple of subjects. And she has fallen in with a "cool" crowd of overindulged girls who distract each other in class and think it's nerdy to get good grades. At times she displays a horrible couldn't-care-less attitude to school and us. She is capable but her grades are slipping badly she is doing the absolute minimum of work.
I know some of this is her age and not just the school, but we are fast running out of patience with both her and the school. I have made an appointment to see her class teacher, but i'd be grateful for any other wisdom.