Received a letter this morning explaining that our preferred school is unable to offer MissM a place in the Irish year 4, based on her birth date (which is UK year 5) and because she hasn't done the Irish Year 3 (UK year 4) they can't offer her one as there would be too many academic gaps.
Their Irish Year 3 (which is UK Year 4) is full therefore there is no place and we should look elsewhere.
What compounds it, is in the UK she SHOULD HAVE started in year 3, meaning right now, she'd be finishing year 4, entering year 5 2013/14 - which puts her in the Irish year 4 WHICH IS RIGHT ... however, because of learning gaps between Japan and UK, the independent school offered to keep her in year 2 as one of the older kids and work to close those gaps, which we've done. GOT IT?
Right now I'm feeling GUTTED! and very CONFUSED!!
I'm here.
G's there.
Phoned him earlier to talk but he's in meetings and will 'call back later'
F*** that!
We need to sort this out NOW! What's our plan of action? As we werent' able to discuss it, I just ploughed on, gathered my thoughts by re-reading emails between school and ourselves and spoke brieflywith MrsS.
Took a deep breath and rang school trying to keep it together, which I did for most of the phone call (yeah me)
Of course we don't want MissM out of her academic depth.
If there are gaps, we would be happy to recruit a tutor (she's had one for just over the past academic year here)
Of course we want to do the right thing by MissM which is why we are committed to having her placed at your school.
Yes, being part of a social unit is very important.
Yes, it's frustrating moving between systems.
Her birth year is rightly Irish year 4 (July 2004)
Yes! We kept her 'back' a year in the UK, as there were gaps in curriculum's coming from the International School, however she was one of several kids her age in year 2 (last year) so technically by birth year, she should actually being going into UK year 5 (confused yet?)
Well there is a place in year 4, but only one PLEASE KEEP IT FOR US
Would the Deputy Head consider chatting with MissM's teacher and having an academic/social chat about what work they've done etc as the independent school she is at has a very good academic record and is has a reputation as such.
Please hold the ONE place is year 4 for us until we can have the two teachers speak.
Quick email to MissM's teacher asking her if she's mind chatting with the prospective school.
Waiting now to hear back ............. writing this as a form of therapy but also as a means to sharing one 'downside' to expat life - see, it's not all long lunches, tennis and shopping. It's frickin' stressful sometimes! How on earth do families with 2+ kids do this???????????????
Saying things like 'it'll work out' and 'she'll end up at the right school' is twee. We have found the right school and we're not there - - - - - - - yet!
G must still be in meetings ggggrrrrrrrrrrrr
Maybe the universe is pushing us to the 'other' school - the small one, with limited/non existent resources. Full of kids like MissM, global nomads, with a curriculum she recognised and enjoyed. Tho she is older and has had two academic years in a more structured learning environment, do we push on with this or go with the more fluid PYP of the International system?
We just HAD this experience not that long ago - trying to find the right school and sadly we didn't get it 100% - it's been OK, tho there have been times had there been an alternative, and we were staying longer we would have changed schools. This year has been a vast improvement on last, maybe we all just needed time to get used to each other - the posh British independent school and the expat Aussies.
So it's 2.23pm on Friday - let's see how quickly we can turn the rejection into an invitation.
With friendship
x
You've done all you can for now, and did the right thing but not waiting for G. Taking the bull by the horns, baby! I'd would say wait as patiently as you can for the answer after the teachers talk, but in the meantime, can you book her in the other school as well - even if you lose a placement fee or something like that if it all works out for your preferred school?
ReplyDeleteWe didn't have a choice in which school mine got a placement in, since there are 2 and they were actually really good to put them in the same school, otherwise I'd have to clone myself. It's a good school, but 2 villages away, not our preferred choice or any one of the FIVE local schools that are closer. But then I wouldn't have met my two lovely friends I now have, one from each year. So things work out they way they do for a reason, which is one thing I know I don't have to tell you!!!
But I do hope that it works out that you get your preferred school, after all the agony you've already gone through. Keep us updated!
You do end up where you need to be for whatever reason that is LOL and it is a storm in a teacup really, but at the time OMG it's stressful.
DeleteG just phoned about 30 minutes ago and said exactly what you've just suggested - we can always pop her into the other school, the one she wants, and keep a place with the our preferred one and swap over if we need/choose to.
If she were older, and subjects mattered, it would be different indeed.
My shoulders are up near my ears from stress LOL.
G&T time me thinks x