Thursday, June 20, 2013

Making The Decision To Change Schools



As the girls and I return home after being out and about during our days, there’s a little routine of landmarks we recite on the last leg of any journey…

“Past the shops… Past Grace’s school… And here’s our street!”

As of recently, I’ve stopped saying the words ‘past Grace’s school’ because as of a few days ago, we have decided that Grace will be changing schools when she enters into pre-primary in 2014 (five days full time here in WA).  Major changes within her current school which we do not support have been the driving force behind us doing so.

Last week was filled with indecision, the weighing up of options, much deliberation over what was best for our gentle girl, lots of research and plenty of discussion (with a sprinkling of worry on my part). Grace will still be attending a government primary school, one which is fortunately within our same suburb.  However, it will no longer be the school conveniently located at the end of our street, the one where we take Asha for a run on the oval and which we drive past day after day.

With our decision now made, I am hoping that this change is going to be for the best, that perhaps Grace’s new school is where we should have been all along and where she will hopefully receive the type of education we wanted for her from the start.  Less pressure. A place where childhood is valued and not rushed.  Respect for our Australian culture.  A caring school community filled with like-minded families.   
For now, she’s happy in her little kindergarten class and so any talk of a new school won’t happen until the year is over...

For now I have to have faith in our decision and in Grace’s ability to smoothly transition to a new environment come February...  

For now, I have to accept what is and trust what will be…

12 comments:

  1. A tough decision no doubt. But one that is best done in the early years of school. It is very important to be happy with the quality of education your child receives. X

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    1. You're right Katrina... I'm happy we're making this change now and not a few years down the track when she's more settled into her school :)

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  2. It's not a decision that any parent takes lightly...all the best with the transition.

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  3. I feel for you Amanda - its a big decision and its so important to be happy with the education and the philosophy of the school
    We made the decision at the start of this year not to send Jack to the kinder that the girls had been at...for all sorts of reasons...but gosh it was hard to go against what I'd always assumed would be his school
    Luckily we're all super happy wtith where we've ended up.
    x

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  4. A hard decision, but I think sometimes it's hard to remember how resilient our little ones can be as long as they feel safe and supported. Matilda starts prep next year and it feels like such a big decision knowing that hopefully we've just selected a primary school that our 3 girls will love!

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  5. A hard decision.what are they doing at that school? Must be awful for a family to face such a big change. All will be well. x

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  6. a tough decision, but obviously not one that you have taken lightly...and being a teacher yourself, you know only too well how important the right school, the right environment, the right families and the right teachers are for your own children.

    take comfort in the knowledge that you are doing what's best for grace and for your family. i think all too often in life it's easier to take the easy street and keep going, or keep pushing forward, when really, what we should be doing is looking at what's best for us and changing paths if need be. that takes courage and strength, and may be hard in the beginning, but easier in the long run. x

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  7. Tough one but you're no doubt making the right decision for Grace. As you know we moved back to Tassie at the beginning of last year where we had 1 child starting full-time school and our eldest going into Year 2. We found the most important thing for them was to see us parents happy, positive and committed to the new school. I'm sure it will all work out fabulously. Mel x

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  8. It is such a big decision to have to make, knowing which is the best school for your little one. You are so very intune with your little girl, who she is and how she learns I'm sure you have made the best choice for her. It's a shame that it's not the one so close by to you, that that school wasn't quite right for her but it's so important to be happy which I'm sure she will be:) xxxx

    P.S. I love your new photo I can see where Grace gets her big eyes:)

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  9. Finding the right school can be such a hard thing. Thank goodness there are other options nearby. I hope the new environment next term is just the right thing for her. I know as a Kindy teacher I find it so hard to find the balance between play, social skills and learning time. Especially right now around report time!

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  10. What a hard decision to make! All the best with it Amanda, I hope that even though it is hard now it is easier in the long-term xx

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  11. Oh, gosh, I really feel for you. That gnawing feeling in your stomach, agonising over whether you've made the right decision. But you need to trust in your instincts; yours as 'you', yours as a parent, yours as Grace's greatest advocate, and yours as a member of your community. A year ago I changed the boys from a very local, very 'high demand' kindy (for which I'd waited over 18 months for two places!), to a Montessori that is a 20 min drive away, where the socio-economic demographic is vastly different, where my blonde-haired, blue-eyed, English speaking twins are most definitely in the minority, and they (and I) couldn't be happier. You know what's right for your babies. You're their mama xxx

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