General Chat

My 16 yr old has been offered a place in Sixth Form at another school, starting September. We applied after becoming disillusioned with his present school that never acknowledged my letter containing the reasons for moving him - neither did they reply to 2 requests from the new school for references!!!!

My son is taking exams now and has to pass them to be accepted into the new Sixth Form.

What I am wondering is, at what stage should I tell his present school that he will be leaving if he gets the right results? They will no doubt be snotty.

The more I think about it the less decisive I am!!

Wait until after he's sat the exams, then very lightly, very pleasantly - almost in passing - mention that, with the right results your son will "of course" be going to XYZ School. Let them be snotty ... serves them right if they've not been helpful in the past.

The school has nothing to do with his exam results if that is what you are worrying about, my son works for the Examination Board and the papers are marked by people who don't know the pupils. Good luck to your son in passing his exams, let him go to the new sixth form school if he will be happier and to blazes with the old school they should be more co-operative.

Hi Jill, hi May, thank-you for your comments.

I think he will probably do well in his exams but I am p***ed off that the present school have ignored me so far! I was pretty ratty at parents' evening and was very frank when I wrote to them.

!6yr old has told all his friends he will be going if he passes. So the staff must know even if they are not acknowledging it!!

Right lets hope he passes ...Good Luck

As for the other school ....dont bovver! what a way to carry on .No answering your letters and requests from the other school ...

I would get in touch with your LEA and tell them you need to get a refference and could they help ...if not Write to the Chair of Governers .......

If you dont ....I,m concerned that his school "folder" will not be passed to the new school .......Not that this is VERY important but they should do it ...

Hi Kemp, those are good points, thank-you.

The school he is at is pretty good generally but has had a blip over the last couple of years, at the expense of my youngest and all his year. I just don't feel they can mess with him like this. The new school want him but - what's the best way to let school 1 know???

Write to them .....as they can say you didnt tell them ...send copies to head ,head of year and LEA ........recorded if you can afford it ...so they have to sign for it ....

Thanks, Kemp. I think I will. serve them right.

I just worry about what will happen if he flunks his exams. Rather than crawl back to the same school I will have to rob a bank and send him to the nearest college or private school.

I always think it's amazing how "snobby" schools get if their pupils dare to think outside the usual/expected college options.

When I was in year 11, we had talks from three local colleges (one in particular had strong links with out Catholic high school - it being a Catholic college, it was expected that most of the pupils at our school would go in that direction).

But I decided to go to the grammar school sixth form in my home town - it was near enough that I could walk home and I didn't have to worry about bus journeys adding hours to each end of the day. I have to say the grammar also had a far better work ethic than my secondary school did.

At Christmas after I left, I went back to school to see my sister in the Christmas concert and I saw my Year 7 form teacher. So he conversationally asked if I was at the Catholic sixth form - the look on his face when I said I was at the grammar school would have made you think I'd said I'd just come out of prison.

Wouldnt say anything till his results are known unless he doesnt qualify,,,,,,,,,,,then its all a matter of informing them,,,,

Thanks for your thoughts, Kay.

Kate, I agree with you about some schools being so precious! Usually those that worry about themselves, I would think.

Helen, i don't think it really matters nowdays, my daughter went into 6th form last sept, and was undecided as to what school to go to, as certain schools specialise in certain subjects, it all depended on her results, she did end up staying in her old school, but most of her classmates are from other schools. So as advised on here wait for the results and he should be given a list of schools dealing with his subjects, and he can make his decision then. Remember its his future not theirs,

good luck,

moe

Please ...be careful ...as if this lad doesnt pass him exams ..he may be taken into the new one with a good REFFERANCE from the Cr*p school so you must get this before stirring it .....