Yvonee, Good to hear that your son has found something he enjoys and he is doing well. It is generally better for kids that are not happy at school to leave and do an apprentiship. I wonder why your son stayed on to Year 11?

I had no choice but to push for appropriate placement for my daughter. She wouldn't shut up; she refused to go to school. Said she did nothing all day except look out the window and that the view wasn't that good. When she started school she said that socially it was embarrassing, as all the Kindergarten kids would run up to their Year 6 buddies and sit on their lap every recess and lunchtime and carry on like babies. My daughter saw the behaviour as so childish and embarrassing.

Kids often know what they need. My daughter knew what needed to be done and she hounds me to do something about it. She says that it is my job as I am a mum. She feels so much more appropriately placed where she is, socially and educationally, despite her date of birth.

Her older sister is also accelerated, it made things a little better as it was one year less of high school that she had to consider but it was and is too little, too late.

If my children were not happy at school they didn't want to stay and they asked to change. They saw it as a total waste of their time and our money. With change there was always 'hope' that things would be better and it helped the years go pass. Didn't do much to preserve my repuation. I was pretty much seen as a pushy mum.

All this educational and intellectual difficulty and neglect when all that time these students were in schools 5 days a week for 6 hours every day wanting to learn.

Surely the system can do better?