new classes

[Guest shez]

Hi,

Wondered if anyone could shed any light on how schools decide which classes the children go into each year. My son started year 5 in Perth at the begining of September 08 and settled in very quickly, made lots of new friends, sung at the talent show, invited to birthday parties etc, then today we went to the school to see the class list before thet go back on Monday. He is now refusing to go into year 6 as all the kids he made friends with are all together in the one class and he on his own has been put into another year 6 class with no children he knows. How can they do this to a child, newly arrived into the country and who had already made friends. It is now 10.30 pm and he is still awake crying and saying he will not go back.

We don't understand it as he got a glowing school report from his teacher, praisng how well he has settled, how many friends he had made and how very bright he appears to be.

Do anyone know how thay pick the classes please.

 

Thanks from one very anxious mum.

[ali]

this has happened to my son this year - the explanation I got was that he was good academically and they wanted someone in the class who could show leadership blah blah. He's not with any of his closest friends but is with someone on his 'friendship list' howver, this is someone we've never heard of .... my son said he only put him on the list 'cos the teacher said you had to put 5 people and he only wanted to put 4. My son isn't too bad as he's with a teacher we really liked. They don't seem to keep classes together here. However, I would write/speak to the principle ... I did and at least was given an explanation.

 

Ali

[Guest shez]

Thanks Ali,

I am going to spend all weekend worrying about him going in on Monday, if I get him there that is. It just doesn't make sense to us. His report does state he is very confident and appears to be very bright and they want to test him further, whatever this means. We have always been told he is bright from a very young age and he has always been confident.

I feel I should go in and ask what is going on but I am scared to do so. No where near as confident as him. Who would I ask, the new teacher or ask to see the head master. It seams as though all through his schooling up to now he has been penalised for being bright. He was always randomely chosen in England to meet people like education assesors and the ofsed team. Hi head in uk also said she would never forgive us for taking him away before they had his year 6 sat results. Sorry babbling now and vey concerned for him. He now thinks that his friends don't like him after all so they have all been put together and he's been removed from the group. Shame really.

Thanks

[ali]

I just asked the principle if he could explaine the allocation to me. Our school won't allocate on friendship groups. For us it's a little different in that Tom has been at this school for 2 years and knows just about everyone ... so he doesn't feel as bad, but I have told the head that we're going to keep our eye on it and if we're concerned we'll be seeing him again.

 

I'd approach the head with your concerns that your son has undergone a lot of change with moving to Aus, leaving friends behind etc., and is now feeling very unsettled at having to go through the whole process again with new people. As if there's any way he could be moved to a class with some of his friends (you'll lose nothing for asking). I know where you're coming from ... my daughter was always coming home saying she had to read for some visitors to the school.

 

As I say you'll lose nothing by meeting with the head, point out how concerned your son has been during the holidays. They may have a sound explanation for his allocation - maybe it will be more stimulating in this class because of the teachers teaching style etc.,

 

Good luck and let me know how you get on.

 

Ali x