How do Hogwarts' muggle-borns drop off the radar?

[Geoff Bannister]

No: HPFGUIDX 127799


--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Steve" <bboyminn at y...> wrote:
> 
> --- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Geoff Bannister"
> <gbannister10 at a...> wrote:
> > 
> > --- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Steve" <bboyminn at y...> 
wrote:
> >  
> > > bboyminn:
> > > 
> > > I'm not sure if this solves the problem entirely, but in 
England 
> > > all 11 year old kids leave school. ....
> 
> > Geoff:
> > Excuse my being pedantic, but large numbers of pupils change 
schools 
> > at 13+ and some at 12+. The percentage of transfers at 11+ is far 
> > less than it was in the past.
> > 
> > ....edited...
> > 
> > End of education history lesson. :-)
> >
> > Geoff
> 
> bboyminn:
> 
> Thanks Geoff, I knew there were people in the group who had more
> direct experience than I did, and hoped one or more would expand on
> the idea with more accurate details. My knowledge comes mostly from
> bits and pieces picked up in our many education discussions.
> 
> Curious though, what are your thoughts on the level of monitoring 
and
> the ease with which Hogwart's students could slip through the 
cracks.
> Even when students change schools, the old school would likely get a
> request from the new school for student transripts and records which
> would indicate to the old school that the students were still in 
some
> school somewhere. Would that be significant enough that the old 
school
> would contact the authorities if that request didn't come?

Geoff:
This post is an attempt to cover points raised by Steve, Sandra and 
Tammy among others.

If a child transfers to a school in a different area, the old school 
would normally expect to receive some sort of contact from the new 
one for records etc.

Where students are in years 10 or 11, they will already be taking 
options for their GCSE (General Certificate of Secondary Education) 
national exam which they will sit in Year Eleven (the old Fifth 
Year). The modern GCSEs contain a large amount of course work and, if 
a pupil transfers into a different area - and possibly a different 
exam Board, that portfolio of work is vital for the student's final 
grade.

Again, if a younger pupil changes schools, data on their Standard 
Assessment Tests (SATs) - which are carried out at a specific group 
of ages - will have to be passed on.

So, strictly speaking, there should be a contact between the two 
schools. Hwoever, it is possible that this link may not be 
established. 

A child might leave the country with its parents and move to a 
totally different overseas system. 

There are often problems with the children of Travellers. These are 
groups of folk, sometimes including gypsies, who move around the 
countryside, camping or settling for short periods, usually in rural 
areas. Their children will often drop in (and out) of the education 
system and it can be quite difficult to keep tabs on them. 

If a parent chooses to withdraw a pupil for home tuition, then the 
LEA in coperation with Social Services would be expected to monitor 
progress.

It is possible that a family would move without warning (Sometimes 
called "doing a moonlight flit") and in those circumstances, a 
student could just disappear off the radar. Vernon Dursley might have 
notified the local school that Harry had transferred to St.Brutus' in 
which case his old school might be awaiting a contact.

There are places here where the link might depend on how meticulous 
staff are in following up children who have "disappeared". If a new 
school seems unwilling to contact for details it might depend on the 
ability of a teacher in the old school to keep trying to contact and 
whether under the pressure of other work, the item gets lower down 
the "Pending" tray. Away from schools, there have been a number of 
incidents involving children where Social Service Departments have 
been understaffed and overworked and cases have slipped though the 
net.

There is, of course, the suggestion made by RedLena that the records 
of Muggle children going to Hogwarts be magically "adjusted" at the 
appropriate time.

I hope that will clear up some of the items raised.