I imagine, the child isn't shy or even lacks confidence....

I imgaine what he is lacking is social skills...and don't get me wrong, I imagine the child his a quite the 'shinning star' around adults in particular his family. But he as not learn't (from experience) to socialize with his peers.

Personally if it was me, I would remove the child from said school and send him to the one where at least some of his peers from primary school attended....

Emotional problems will eventually impact on his academic achivements, regardless of the quality of the school.

Lets face it if a child as been unable to make and maintain friendships after so long it isn't going to get any easier...Better to start a fresh.

If he is shy or lacks confidence (generally) than I would question the motives of sending him to a school out of his nieghbourhood and where non of his primary school associates (don't have to have been friends) attended.

With the appropriate support network (and especially ability) a child can succed in terms of ' academic' achievement whatever school attended... My mum sent me to some poxy school in the sticks and I am still traumatised...and prior to that I was one member of the only Black family to attend my primary school and the only one of three to attend my final secondary school

But then I am a support of state education and committed to the idea of sending your children to 'local schools'....My son goes to a school literally, across the road...The friends he as made in the two years he's been there all live within 5min walking distance from my home. Whilst he still maintains contact with the many peers that came from the same primary school.

Concequently I know who my son's friends are, I know where they live, I know to see, or nod, who their parents are...It means I can give my son freedom/independence and yet still maintain controll.