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Thinking about changing schools for my Y3 and Recep children

7 replies

TrickyTeenagersMum · 31/03/2010 12:10

I hate my kids' primary school. It is really competitive and successful, having been in the top 10 for the UK in Sats results. Have found a much nicer one in the next village, would it be madness to move them? More importantly, the current school is (I think) totally unsupportive and just plain critical of my son, who has Asperger's and is in Y3. But would it be madness to move the kids, who say they don't want to go, just because I suspect my kids would be happier there in the end? And - incidentally - I don't get on with the teachers or half the parents either, so some of this is just me hating being in the playground there...

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ouchitreallyhurts · 31/03/2010 14:36

I'd have a long think first. how long have you felt like this? has something happened in the last few days to trigger a response?
I only ask because we recently moved house and part of my joy in moving was that we could finally move our children to a new school. Like you, we didnt' get on with half the teachers and the majority of parents were totally up their own ar$es in my opinion! then, after we moved I panicked - what if this new school was even worse?! as it turned out, the new school is totally brilliant (phew!) but I started to think maybe things weren't as bad as I'd perceived them to be at the old one and loads of self doubt crept in.
I'd say, pay a couple of visits to the potential school, find out about their special needs provision (if that is appropriate for your sons aspergers - p lease forgive my ignorance on this) see if you can go to a school fair (gives you a feel for the parents/children there) or we went and played at the local park before moving house so my children met a few of their new friends-to-be which was nice.
sometimes the grass isn't greener over the other side, sometimes it is, its a case of weighing pros and cons and doing some investigative work.
I really hope you find the right answers - I can totally feel for you having put up with the playground and teacher issues its not nice dreading school run and parents evenings at all.

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TrickyTeenagersMum · 31/03/2010 15:05

Thank you ouch - I appreciate your wise words. Were your kids slow/quick to settle in ? I don't want to traumatise them, I can remember moving schools myself and it being incredibly scarey(oh dear!). But this new school just seems so nice, small, down to earth. But as you say, the grass is always greener. I daresay if a prospective parent went round our current school they'd think it was fantastic.

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TrickyTeenagersMum · 31/03/2010 15:08

Oh and yes, something HAS happened just recently to spark all this off, I've had the mother of all rows with the deputy head, who is one hard-faced chunk of granite, to say the least. Is all VERY upsetting, so I am in danger of making hasty decisions, I know.

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ouchitreallyhurts · 31/03/2010 17:19

my girls were settled within hours! I think the age range of your children and mine are similar and if such a move needs to be made now is a great time as transition seems to be easy.

the head at our old school said that the asbestos floor (which is broken and very dangerous!!) was low priority and then spent £2000 on computers instead of sorting the hall floor out!! we had the mother of all rows too

our kids are 4, 6 and 8 so similar ages x

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mrz · 31/03/2010 17:29

The head possibly had no choice in what he spent the money on ouchitreallyhurts. Schools are not given a budget to spend on what they wish it is in lots of little pots that can only be used for certain things - like computers all very nice unless what you really want to use the money for is a new floor or to repair the boiler.

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ouchitreallyhurts · 31/03/2010 17:56

I hear what you are saying mrz but when we offered as a group of concerned parents to raise the money for the floor with a sponsored event we were basically told 'dont' bother'. I have a personal link with asbestos as my gran died of mesothelioma and the thought of my lo's sitting on that floor daily for assembly and doing PE in there was too much to take on. hubby works as a specialist asbestos surveyor and the head was just not interested in hearing anything.

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emy72 · 31/03/2010 18:13

I know you are upset with the school so it is understandable that you want to explore alternatives. The only thing I would say is, make sure that the standards & achievements will be the same! We went for a really laid back, friendly school, which is great, but the same attitude unfortunately often applies in other areas and it does wind me up sometimes - I guess there is never a perfect solution x good luck though x

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