Hi Steph,
Sorry I don't know the detail of school in Australia, but my biggest question is: Did you sign a contract for your DS to go to back to the private school in January or February?
In otherwords, on top of everything else, do you stand to lose a pot of money?
Is the school large enough that he could go to 8th (now or next academic year - when do your kids 'rise to the next level,' around September or around January?) with a different teacher?
Good luck. Sad but not suprizing that you can't get any interst in the Explore results. What kind of tests are normally given to help kids get into college?
Do not worry about the grades and comments being an impediment to a grade skip. You probably want the skip on the grounds that the current situation isn't teaching him how to be a hard working, responsible student, and his current comments only tell you that that goal isn't likely to be met in the current situation. The Doctors concerns about Depression are serious, and a situation that can cause Depression isn't likely to teach good work habits.
You are SO not alone. So many people think that the bright kids 'have it made.' It's just not always so. Personality plays such a large role, and the giftedness fuels the personality differences.
((Hugs))
Grinity
