What should be made public?

Absolutely not . They could be personal.

I know the existing head teacher has to sign the form to agree to the move before the LEA will consider it and the reason for the move request is on the form. (Well that how it works in our LEA anyway) Not sure what would happen if they didn't agree though?

I can't imagine any reason as to why it should be made public, it's of no concern to anyone except the child and parents, surely? There could be dozens of reasons for a child to change schools.

When we have made (unsuccessful) change of school requests it has always been because of the distance the children have to travel every day. But the reason could be very personal couldn't it?

Family break down. Non molestation order by the courts to protect a child. Protection order. Parents moving house for work reasons. Child being bullied at a school. The possible reasons for changing schools are endless. None of them, for whatever reason, are any business of the wider public to know about.

Yes chewy I totally agree.

Just asked because one parent suggested that not revealing could be covering up something suspicious. Parents who do you want to make it public do so very vociferously in the playground if they're annoyed with the school and share it just with friends if it's a personal reason.

You will never stop playground gossip and quite often a parents might take offense at their little darling being told off by a teacher. We can't be in school with them all the time and they are not all angels (well mine are ) What I am trying to say is that some people can't take being told their child is less than perfect and might want to remove the child and slag the school off. Whereas there are usually 2 sides to every story.

I'm rambling....... it should be left as it is, anonymous.

Surprised anyone should think a change of school is other than a private matter between the school and the parent!

hundreds of years ago my parents were very unhappy with the Grammar school they had sent me to and registered me with another . Before we knew it there was a taxi at the door with a flutter of Nuns descending like crows ! They were very agitated and demanded my return to their School ! The neighbours had a field day , gossip turned my removal to Expulsion ! Mum didn't care and I was happy with the change ....... it was also a Convent School but not as strict , no one believed me anyway , people take what they like from a situation

I suppose the suspicious parent is thinking that the child might have been moved because of misdemeanors by the school, physical or sexual abuse or something like that.

If that was the reason, it is very unlikely that the parent would keep it secret. Failing to discuss why a child is moving school isn't 'secret' just because the parent doesn't discuss it. They have simply chosen to keep it a private matter.

Changing your child's school is a private matter. If there was a suspected abuse issue the staff member would be on immediate suspension.....guilty until proven innocent and even if subsequently found to be innocent it stays on their record.

I wonder if the parent wasn't in the need to know group so feels offended.