Archived Forums

Another school doing what is needed here . Small classes, plenty of individual attention, good pastoral care. Last year ds2 had a difficult year, with a dreadful maths teacher and it was spilling over into all sorts of other areas with his behaviour and work. He never used to behave badly at school, bottling it up till he got home, so, in a way it as a tribute to the school that he felt safe enough to do so. It was on a knife edge though, whether he should continue there. I asked him to think over the summer where he really wanted to be. He came back saying he wanted to return so we kept him there but worried every day in case things went haywire. But since school started back in mid August( it's earlier in Scotland than England) he has come home relatively happy , at ease, and we had no reports of trouble.He has even committed to the Duke of Edinburgh scheme. The nurse ( trained counceller and knows about adoption issues) went round every one of his teachers for this coming year, at the end of summer term in June , as soon as the timetables were known, and explained to them all why he responds certain ways and triggers. He now has less subjects as this is choices for NAT 5/Highers, And another boy who was a major player in classroom disruption, and distraction for my son (another needy boy ) has moved to another school so the whole class are apparently much more settled. Last night we went to his s3 parent night and every single teacher was warm and positive about him, even those whose subjects he is not best at. Several said how much they liked him, what a lovely boy he is, and his English teacher enthused that he was a reader, and often got references that the others didn't pick up on ( all those night when he couldn't sleep and I read to him, ( everything from Winnie the Pooh to Lord of the Rings over the five years from age seven till twelve, obviously helped there !) We came home from parent night with a warm glow and he was obviously chuffed at the positive feedback when we told him. No doubt there are trials to come but for now we will enjoy his achievements.