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Son not happy in the secondary school I chose

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  • 06-11-2017 3:58pm
    #1
    GIBlues
    Registered Users Posts: 9 ✭


    My sons started a secondary school this year that I picked up after a long deliberation. None of his primary school mates go there, but considering the general profile of the school I strongly believed he would be happy and would easily find himself in the new environment. The school has got quite an emphasis on academic achievement as opposed to the school that the majority of his primary school mates now go. It is also a private, mixed school as opposed to the public all-boys school of his former mates. It is also a bit further from where we live as opposed to this local school, but the commute is not a problem and we actually take the same bus enjoying this time together – him to school and me to work. He was OK at first, but now tells me he doesn’t like it and would like to move to where all his primary school friends are. There is no bullying or any problems with studying, he just seems not to like the vibe of the school and thinks it is not worth my spending money on it (!) and also believes he would be so much happier in the local school. I don’t know what to do now. I don’t want him to be miserable, and although the academic rank of the school I picked was a very important criterion for me, it surely doesn’t make much sense on insisting he should continue there if he doesn’t feel good. He also says he feels as if he didn’t belong there. How difficult would be for him to transfer to the other school now? How should I go about it? Is there any particular set procedure I should be looking to set in motion? It all seems like a trivial matter over which to be changing schools when I try to put it on paper…. how do I talk to both schools? I hate seeing him the way he is now.


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    #2
    trihead
    Registered Users Posts: 442 ✭✭trihead


    I think the best thing is to contact the local school and arrange a meeting to see if they have a spot available this year. You never know someone might have moved or not taken up their spot.

    I would hold off talking to your son or the current school until you speak to the other school to see if there is a place this year.

    I think if there is room available this year you will have to give it some serious thought - as you son could be very unhappy. Now he could easily get over it after a few months and settle properly but there is always a bigger risk that could affect him later in secondary school.


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    #3
    spurious
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Education Moderators Posts: 27,222 CMod ✭✭✭✭spurious


    Contact the second school and just check there are no problems subject-wise. This would be most likely in the main language(s) offered by the school and practical subjects.

    You might even be able to get him moved this side of the summer, so that he can settle in. In my time in a state school, we had a number of children moved from private schools, mostly because of bullying, but often because it just didn't suit them. It won't be anything new to the 'new' school. Academically, your home plays a huge part in how well he will do.


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