Should my daughter move to a different school?

Q. My 7 year old daughter attends an independent school and they have recommended I move her into a state school as she is struggling with her work – what do you think please?

A. The most important issue is whether your daughter is happy at her school. This is unlikely if she is struggling with her work; an unhappy child cannot learn. Unless your daughter can be successful at least some of the time she won’t grow into a happy, confident teenager and then she could develop more serious problems than academic ones.

Another important question is whether her current school is selective. If it is the likelihood is that the pressure on her will steadily increase each year.
What is your daughter good at? Perhaps she is artistic, musical or sporty. Try to find a school which will value her for her talents outside the classroom. Perhaps there is a less selective independent school in your area which would support you daughter more effectively and help her to find areas where she can succeed.

Most schools do not recommend that a child should leave unless it has very good reasons for believing that it is the best interests of the child herself. I hope for your daughter’s sake you can find a school that is better attuned to her needs where she can flourish.