Repeating, can I change schools?

Biscuits.

Okay, I didn't like my course, it was October and I needed to leave it so the money wouldn't go to waste and I could do a first year again as an undergraduate.

I was in such a hurry my only hope was ask my old school to accept me. **** me was that a bad choice. I hated that school. I have new teachers this time around but everyone's hawking over me, watching my progress too closely, checking my homework everyday (even giving me the same homework I had last year.....like exam papers). I'm not allowed leave the school without permission and I live five minutes away from the school, I'm going to be nineteen in February. I'm the only repeat student in my school, I've tried to make friends but everyone's a bit weird with me. People are laughing at me for no reason. I'm in classes with people who used to bully me and I came out at my grad, believing I'd never have to deal with anybody ever again and now I have to face people whispering about me, loneliness and people laughing.

I'm talked down to, ignored (unless it comes to my work), pressured to do more than other students because my teachers have unrealistic high expectations. I was so excited about college because I wanted a new start and to be treated like an adult but the course wasn't for me, and this atmosphere isn't right and my environment is stressful and making me lose my hair at a rapid rate (alopecia). Last year nearly killed me but I know already this year is going to be much worse. The thing is, I didn't even do bad last year.

Can I change schools? I desperately want to go to an all boys school, I'm still friends with the boys I met in college and they treated me with respect. What are the likely outcomes here?

QueenOfLeon

I think if you are already so stressed out at this stage in the year it is definitely in your best interests to move. I'm not sure on the procedures for repeat students but you should start doing some research straight away and see what you can do.

Get in touch with schools you'd be interested in attending and see if they will take you. Some schools have a very well run repeat programme that would definitely have much more than just 1 student doing it.

Well done on making the decision to leave your course by the way. Hopefully repeating ends up with things working out better for you You shouldn't have to deal with the childish behaviour of your classmates especially when you have made a mature decision to go back and resit the exams.

NuckyT

Why are you repeating your Leaving cert again if you didnt do badly the first time? If you're happy with your points from last time why don't you just apply to the CAO again in February yourself and get a job in the mean time?

rainbowtrout

Biscuits. wrote: »

Okay, I didn't like my course, it was October and I needed to leave it so the money wouldn't go to waste and I could do a first year again as an undergraduate.

I was in such a hurry my only hope was ask my old school to accept me. **** me was that a bad choice. I hated that school. I have new teachers this time around but everyone's hawking over me, watching my progress too closely, checking my homework everyday (even giving me the same homework I had last year.....like exam papers). I'm not allowed leave the school without permission and I live five minutes away from the school, I'm going to be nineteen in February. I'm the only repeat student in my school, I've tried to make friends but everyone's a bit weird with me. People are laughing at me for no reason. I'm in classes with people who used to bully me and I came out at my grad, believing I'd never have to deal with anybody ever again and now I have to face people whispering about me, loneliness and people laughing.

I'm talked down to, ignored (unless it comes to my work), pressured to do more than other students because my teachers have unrealistic high expectations. I was so excited about college because I wanted a new start and to be treated like an adult but the course wasn't for me, and this atmosphere isn't right and my environment is stressful and making me lose my hair at a rapid rate (alopecia). Last year nearly killed me but I know already this year is going to be much worse. The thing is, I didn't even do bad last year.

Can I change schools? I desperately want to go to an all boys school, I'm still friends with the boys I met in college and they treated me with respect. What are the likely outcomes here?

If you are not happy in the school you are currently in, you can leave, but because schools send in their student numbers in October to the Department a school is not obliged to take you in at this late stage; basically they are not getting headage for you.

While I appreciate that you are not happy where you are, you come across a bit childish. You might well be 19, but if you are repeating because you want to get a better Leaving Cert, the teachers are going to keep an eye on your work and see that you are doing it. No point in you repeating if you're not going to do the work. I've seen enough repeats over the years who don't do much on the second go and they'd have been as well off to go and get a job. Also, I don't see why you are complaining about doing past exam papers and them being the same as last year; that is the nature of past exam papers, you do them over and over again to familiarise yourself with the type of questions you could be asked. It's not like your teachers can get a new set, you work with what's there. Some schools give the repeats more freedom than others, but if your school doesn't you have to live by their rules. They need to keep account of who is in the school at all times.

Really it boils down to this: if you can get another school (unlikely at this stage of the year) move, if not, ask yourself what you really want: if you want to improve on last year's results and go to college, then get on with the work and be thankful that you have teachers that are going to make sure you get what you want this time. If the bullying is a serious issue then report it to your class teacher/ year head/ principal and get it sorted.