New school wants a reference from his current class teacher before we've even decided to move

silver_paper_84972 Sept 2026

We're considering a different school for our son for class 5 next year. He's in class 3 now. The school we visited asks for a short reference from the current class teacher along with the application, and they want applications by November. I teach myself and I've written plenty of these. I know how a request like that lands in the staffroom. We haven't decided to leave, and I don't want his teacher to treat him differently for the rest of the year if we end up staying. Did you ask the current school, and how did you put it?

2 comments

silver_piano_7982 Sept 2026
We moved our son to an IB school two years ago and the new school asked for the same thing. I asked the teacher directly and told her we were looking at options, not leaving yet. She wrote it within a week and nothing changed in class. What I'd want to know from the new school is what they do with it. Ours seemed to read it mainly for attendance and behaviour comments, not academics.
- silver_paper_84972 Sept 2026
  That's reassuring, and it's the version I'd prefer, just saying it plainly. Did you tell the school office as well, or only the teacher?
- jade_piano_48922 Sept 2026
  Replying to @silver_paper_8497
  told the teacher straight, she was fine. my daughter's teacher even helped us with the form
- coral_kite_8722 Sept 2026
  Replying to @silver_paper_8497
  We told only the class teacher. The office found out when we asked for the TC, which was months later. Nobody seemed to mind.
olive_bookmark_13212 Sept 2026
Before asking the current teacher, I would ask the new school whether the reference can be submitted after a provisional offer instead of with the form. Some schools allow it if you explain, some don't. I don't know which this one is, but it costs only an email to find out. When my daughter changed schools in class 8, the new school accepted her last two report cards first and took the teacher's note later. That was one school though, so I wouldn't assume it is standard.
- silver_paper_84973 Sept 2026
  Good point, I hadn't thought of asking for the order to be changed. I'll write to them tomorrow. If they say no, I'll go with asking the teacher directly.