Help, I need to get my son out of his school - but NO places anywhere else.

[Smowball]

My son started at the local secondary school last September and it was the worst mistake Ive ever made.It had a bad reputation but we were all assured it had turned around. No it hasnt. Kids play their ipods and ifones in class, they throw things, teachers are leaving left right and centre. His Indian geography teacher is now covering English and Spanish as well. They dont stick to the uniform, homework is non existent. i could go on and on and on........... TBH is it a really rough school. But I have spoken to the local authority and there are no places anywhere else. Ive downloaded the forms to fill in and put him on waiting lists but what if nothing comes up?? Seven kids have left his year already. Ive had meetings with form teacher, year head etc and nothing changes. They basically admit things are a nightmare.

[cathfromsaron]

sounds awful!

have you complained to local ed authority and had a meeting with the head, first of all?

[ummmm]

I don't think there is much more you can do. Unless you can home school?

My sons school is the opposite. Way too strict. My youngest son has 100% attendance, he was late once!! and I got a letter of concern!!

[rowanwitch]

Write letters to the local education authorities, Ofsted, Dept of Education...scattergun approach giving as much info as possible not focussing entirely on your son but expressing the concerns for the negative effect on all the pupils... any other concerned parents get them to do the same... local press....local councillors local MP it will need a big awareness exercise but bad publicity can be a very good motivator

[Smowball]

Ive considered home schooling but I work and so would be very difficult. cannot get a meeting with the head, they just fob me off with the deputy time. Oh , and another thing, though not to do with the school, his classmates parents have just been charged with murder and she has been put in emergerncy care - it was all over the papers and its all the kids are talking about.

[RATTER15]

^^^ as rowan said, get the guns blazing!!

[Smowball]

Yes i think will have to do that, but having said that I still want to move him. There are too many problems to fix and it will be a long process getting there. My son only has one education.

[factor-fiction]

The school can make a make a big difference but that sort of pupil behaviour is not uncommon and is a very difficult problem to tackle. A major problem is that too many parents don't care or cannot control their children themselves and will argue that their children need to be able to receive texts/calls in lessons or need to be able to drink RedBull and eat crisps in class. I also think that a lot of parents do not believe how badly their little darlings behave.

I would advise you to continue trying to move schools but in the meantime I'm sorry but I think you have done all you can.

I'm not sure what Indian Geography is- we don't teach it at my school

[rockyracoon]

How awful for you and your son, how some schools can instill discipline and sone can't is beyond me. Rowan's advise is good, get pen to paper an sit on the phone til you became a major nuisance.

[argorstran]

If your son can shut out what's going on around him and concentrate on what he has to do then he should be OK . If a place emerges at another school it may not turn out to be much better as far as ipods , phones and throwing things is concerned . What were the results like - did the school manage to get a decent % with 5 gcse inc English and Maths ? - If so it may be worth staying .
What are the older kids at the school like ? 1st years are always a bit indisciplined .

[horseshoes]

Is there any chance you can get him into a private school as a day pupil? or perhaps a tutor at home? THIS schooling is his whole future! Get a loan, get another job; do whatever it takes, but don't leave him in that school - it sounds like a complete nightmare. AND do all those things the others suggest. Good luck. x

[rowanwitch]

The trick is to be such a nuisance they move him to shut you up....

[Smowball]

Went into the school an hour ago to drop off the form to move schools which head has to sign. Within the hour I have had 3 voicemails from the school aking me to come in for an emergency meeting at 5pm with the deputy head. Asked to see head himself and was refused yet again, saying he is too busy, same excuse I have had all year.( Exam results were down this last year)

[factor-fiction]

That's a promising sign. I would meet the deputy head. If you don't agree with what he says then demand a meeting with the head or the governors

[LoftyLottie]

The best thing I ever did was work full time for years to finance my son's schooling. It paid dividends. If you can afford it in any way (it's not just the well heeled who pay for their kid's education) then I would go with what horseshoes said. There are some very good state schools though, but faced with not being able to get my child into one I would definitely recommend looking outside of state education.

[Papa_Paul]

Good luck with this one Smowball, I truly hope it isn't "out the frying pan into the fire" for you. I agree with Rowanwitch, make ask much noise as possible, get the local news/papers involved and 'Name and Shame' them.
I really hope everything works out for the best though

[Smowball]

Ohh, I just feel so frustrated. Its one thing after another. They've just suspended 2 teachers for having sex in a classrom after school and filming it! Then a pupil found the film on a school pc!

[starone]

It is a lot to do with the children themselves. My two went to the same school which did not have a good reputation. My son left with nothing at all and messed about as much as possible. My daughter had four A levels and went on to Bristol University. My son woke up later on and obtained a degree from the Open University. He then went on to get other letters after his name (which I have forgotten). My point is, I think, it just depends on what they are like. On the other hand, if it is as bad as you say smowball I would certainly do my level best to find something better for him. Sometimes kids get swamped by their contemporaries.

[starone]

OMG Smowball - the teachers are worse than the kids by the sound of it. Not good role models.

[Smowball]

Exactly SB, my son is easily led and tried too hard to fit in. Without being rude, a lot of the kids there seem to comer from very dysfunctional familes. Ive been outside and the way the mothers speak makes my toes curl. Telling 2 yr olds they they are "little f*ckers".

From leaving primary with all his sats above average and impeccably spoken and dressed, he now speaks as though he is in some back street gang in Harlem. i kid you not. He sounds ridiculous.