not yet - shall I start one in anticipation ?

Do we have a year 8 thread yet?!

ds1 broke up yesterday.

We are busy having a sorting out/tidying up day. I've just sent him shopping with dh as we discovered he had virtually no clothes that fit!

Thanks for everyone who's posted here over the year. Here's to year 8!

DS finishes about 2.00 ish after doing a 10 mile walk!.

Have a fab break everyone and look forward to seeing you in Yr8

Can't believe they are finished Yr 7 already? What are yours doing for the summer holidays? We are visiting family for one week and going on holidays for 10 days but not sure what dd will do to occupy herself the rest of the time!

DD breaks up at lunch time. She's had a fantastic first year at High School. I'd also like to thank you all for posting on the various yr7 threads it's been a great help to me and lovely to hear about everyones experiences and achievements. Have a wonderful summer and here's to yr8!

They are expected to put in 20 hours - some of which has already been done. It does mean that he will have to get together with the other two boys in he holidays and either work at one of the houses or go in to school - they just need to ring the school the day before and make sure the tech guy will be there.

Yes, he is in Yr7 and adores IT!

He has gone off today for a school trip - non uniform which he was pleased about.

Well done your DS, Bellavita!
DD had her last day of lessons and uniform today. She has three days of fun outings and they break up on Friday. The other two are not impressed, they have over a week of school ahead of them still.

That's wonderful Bellavitia.

and well done roisin's ds1

wow bellavita, that's fab !!

Wow! £100 each How many hours work is he expected to put in?
Is this your ds in yr7? He must be very talented in IT.

Well done to your ds roisin withthe report . The special activities sounds good....

DS and two other boys are redesigning the school website and he has just come home tonight to inform me that the deputy head and head teacher have told them today that they will each be paid £100 for the work , blimey, that is a lot of money.

Hiya! I've been to France with school trip for a week and am exhausted! If your kids go on a residential please thank the staff as they do work extremely hard 24/7.

Well done to everyone who's had a great report!

ds1 got a fabby wonderful ROA (report) too: I'm so proud of him. But it came in a binder/file and we are supposed to return it to school asap! I'm going to get it photocopied first, so he can show his grandma.

The school is 80 years old this week so they are having all sorts of special activities, concerts, parties etc. That seems better than the normal wind-down at the end of term.

thanks LGP - he has taken the letter to show his grandma

Fantastic, MAS! Well done to your DS!

aww,thanks !

MAS - that is so lovely, hooray for your ds

thanks magenta - I am happy for him (and me !) - anything that makes him feel more confident - he will be secretly pleased I think !

MAS thats fantastic I bet you are all thrilled.

am v excited - letter from school to say that ds is invited to the Celebration of Success at the end of term as he is the most improved boy in his tutor group - woo! they have a party and he'll get a certificate and small prize -yay

hey,well done bellavita's ds !

Well done MAS and Bellas DS's

Grapefruitmoon, I am not quite entirely sure what ST is short for, but it is a black mark.

He is now talking about some sort of monetery reward for bringing home such a fab report.... kids of today

Don't know what an "ST" is but dd has had lots of "codes" in her homework diary for forgetting things - was averaging one a week at the start so think your ds has done very well Bellavita!

Yay for MAS's DS.

DS has brought his report home today - it is fab, just fab. We are sooooo pleased, they could be talking about a different boy though

The only thing to spoil it was the two ST's in his planner today for forgetting to take his science homework in and for not writing it down in his planner.... He got 1 ST at the beginning of Yr7 for taking in the wrong English book and then these two near the end of Yr7, don't suppose it is too bad in the grand scheme of things eh?

thank you LGP

Well done, MAS's DS!

woo ! ds's tutor group team came 2nd, losing by just 3 points..3 in each team and 7 tutor groups altogether -hooray -a huge confidence boost to him. Have also allowed him to open a facebook account (strictly secured by me,well as much as you possibly can) as several of his friends have them and it might help him keep in touch over the hols etc)

Please do start a Yr8 thread as this one has been great, plus I'd love to know how everyones DC's are getting on.

Well done to your ds MAS, bet you are really pleased

Hope dd enjoys the science trip LGP.

thanks LGP ! hope science trip goes well
Yes, let's definitely have a year 8 thread - it's just nice knowing we are in the same boat so to speak and we can approach teenagerdom together !

Congrats to your DS, MAS.
How did parent's evening go Roisin?
I think we definitely need a thread for Year 8, as I am told it can be a tricky year.
DD is off on a science trip today, by the skin of her teeth! The teacher rang at 8.30am when they were boarding the bus, to say he didn't have DD's permission slip. I had already left the house and DH was on his way out the door but luckily stopped to answer the phone.
I KNOW I sent back the permission slip - it was with the cheque!

I definitely would welcome a thread as they all approach their teens! I am starting to dread the teenage stage - not so much that I am expecting dd to be horrendous (though she might be!) but because of the general worry about their safety as they get older. Three Yr10 kids died in the same week here a while back - all awful tragedies and in at least two of the cases it has got me thinking - what would I have done as a parent (not saying the deaths could have been prevented but....)

Thanks MAS - have just had to have a little rant in chat about mum's sister-in-law. Gah!

Yes, I would like the thread to be carried on, although our posting has become less frequent, we are all still here if we encounter any problems... or need reassurance

hope things ok with your dad today bellavita..
Ds has been chosen to represent his tutor group in the yr 7 quiz - he casually dropped it into conversation -am v pleased for him !
Shall we continue this thread next September as the Year 8 thread ? Can't believe it's almost a year since we started this !

Have just asked Ds about his new timetable, he has said it will start in September when they go back.

Have just had a letter about the last day of term. Every year, the school do a 10 mile walk (weather permitting) . I am not sure I can think of doing anything worse on the last day... but he might enjoy it.

That's good news LGP.

Magentadreamer - your school is organised to have timetabling and class lists sorted completely so that they can trial them straight away!

I still don't know exactly what settting/streaming happens for ds1 next year. Though interestingly he has had more challenge/differentiation this year - in complete mixed ability classes - than ever before!

Also in one subject only - Maths - they have a 'high aptitude' class, and this is the one where he gets a bit of hassle from some other students. So I am a bit about him spending more class time with "the brighter" students next year.

Just back - it didn't finish till after 10 and boy was it hot in there! DD will be shattered tomorrow.
Back in tomorrow morning for her house awards ceremony...
Your DD's new timetable sounds interesting Magenta. I hope it works out well - the setting should make a difference.
DD was called out of class yesterday after I spoke to her head of house and told that she didn't HAVE to move teaching groups, it was her choice, so she and her friend got together at school today and have written a (very polite) letter to say that they would rather not. I wonder what will happen now.

Bugger I should preview! You not your

hope the school hall wasn't too hot and sticky this evening for your LGP

DD came home today with her yr8 timetable - they will be following it from Monday. Dd's school have now decided to stream the DC's from yr8 onwards and set within the streams for Maths, Science and English. One of the major changes in my eyes is the going from 6 x 50 minutes lessons a day to 5 x 1hour lessons. Humanities seems to have drawn the short straw. DD used to have 2 Geog and History and will now only have one of each a week! DD loves Geog and has even in the last term with a new teacher muttered about History being rather good. On a plus side at least now lessons in the non setted subjects can be pitched at the right level for all pupils. And hopefully her English teacher this time around might actually shock horror mark some of her homework!

ours was yesterday and it was fab..ds sang in his choir..very hot and sticky in the sports hall though..

Summer concert tonight and DD remembered to get me a ticket! It will be lovely to hear her (she is in the choir) - I am not looking forward to hearing the head rabbitting on for hours in a stifling hall though.

Teaching group is for all lessons except for those where they are set by ability - Maths, Science and MFL. The change is for next year - normally children are put in teaching groups at the beginning of year seven and stay in the same group throughout their time at the school.
What I am cross about is that she was told she had a choice of whether to move, but had to make the decision on the spot. Now she is unhappy because she feels she made the wrong decision under pressure.

LGP - I would not be happy with that at all. The least they could have done was to send a letter home advising of their plans so at least your dd could be warned of what would be happening. Also, as magenta says, tis only 3 weeks till the end of term, surely the regrouping could have been done when they went back in September?

When you say a different teaching group was it just for that one particular lesson or for all lessons? I do think its a bit off asking a child to make that choice and especially when it was done without your DD being able to think about it. I'd have thought with it being nesr to the end of term they could have carried on with the numbers then next year swapped children over. Hope the Head of year comes up with a good reason as to why the move was needed and handled in such a way.

DD was called up by one of her teachers during class on Thursday and told they wanted to move her to a different teaching group as there were too many in her current group (32) and that she could choose a friend to go with her. She had to choose on the spot and then her friend was asked and had to decide on the spot too.
I'm not terribly happy about the way it was handled and am considering having a chat with her head of house (her tutor is on sick leave) as DD is rather upset about having to move groups.

Report here today too - luckily she has plenty of improvement needed with her handwriting and presentation so she has something left to work at!

Apparently she told her PE teacher she doesn't do any extra-curricular activities - so it is obviously someone else's child we have been ferrying around to swimming and dance classes

school report today - seems fine but nearly every teacher has commented on his shyness/quietness/lack of confidence which really does seem to prevent him from shining in class - I know he has loads of ideas etc but he just can't push himself forwards - obviously something to work on. Hoping that his singing lessons will boost his confidence anyway. I sometimes want to say 'look here - he is funny and clever and can sing and draws fantastic things at home ! ' because he is so reticent to do any of that at school - gah !
Good for roisin's ds1 !!

Well done to your DS and his history essay. It must be great, as a teacher, when you find a pupil has done a really good piece of work.

Roisin - the girl told her. DD was even more that she seemed quite proud of it.

How does your dd know this happened? Did the pupil tell her or a teacher?

Aww... bless. Ds1's history teacher thanked him today for cheering him up. It was late at night and he was marking a huge pile of history essays, feeling very tired and rather fed up. ds1's was right at the end and he said it was superb writing and made his day.

My dd doesn't even want us to come and watch some play she has a minor part in - she would be most at that!

!

OMG!I just can't imagine ringing DD's school and demanding she be put on the athletics team. DD would disown me and beg for foster care! But at least now you know what to say if your DD won't do something....

DD has now realised that we are not THE most embarrassing parents in the school. That honour has gone to the parent of a classmate who phoned the school and complained that their child had not been picked for the house athletics team and insisted that they were chosen. DD was .

Yea for GrapefruitMoon's DD!
I showed DD the Junior Maths Challenge website and she noticed that if her friend had got one more point she would have got Bronze too (they read the marks out in class). She wasn't sure whether to tell her or not.

My dd got a bronze too! Her ex-best friend (long story) got a silver but dd was able to trump that by getting a 6A in their tests versus ex-BF's 6B [petty emoticon]

Yes it's interesting about single-sex schools. Where we are there is still an all-boys and all-girls state school - used to be grammar schools before they got rid of the grammar system in our area I think. They used to be very over-subscribed but since the mixed schools have improved drastically they are less popular now and the mixed school is impossible to get into...

Yay, well done LGP's dd and roisin's ds

Well done to both

Hey well done LGP's dd too!

well done roisin's ds and LGP's dd !!!!!

Level 8 is amazing! Well done Roisin's DS!

I have a little boast proud mummy moment too. DD came home and said she got a bronze award for the Junior Maths Challenge.
I am really pleased for her.

Can I have a quick boast proud mummy moment?

ds1 just got his results from his maths test (that he didn't enjoy as it was so challenging) from earlier in the week (see post above).
He got a Level 8!
He was the only one in his half year group to get L8. And he isn't even 12 yet.

It is interesting how it varies by area. There are no single sex schools in our part of the world at all, the only one I can think of is a private school on the other side of the county.

No, it's a mixed school. There are no single-sex options round here, but I would necessarily object to them, unless there was a massive focus on sport.

Roisin, does your ds go to a single-sex school and if so how are you and he finding it? (I am already agonising about secondary school for ds1 - think a mixed school would suit him better but he is unlikely to get into one in our town so it is either single sex here or try for a selective mixed one in an adjoining borough...)

ds1 doesn't get loads of homework, and it does tend to go in cycles - ie not very much at this time of year.

But he is often really inspired by about 50% of his homeworks, and I usually end up trying to persuade him to hurry up and finish it and spend less time on it!

This week, for instance, he is working on an optional homework that his history teacher suggested he might like to do. He's creating an animated powerpoint (it's rather good, actually) for him to 'teach' the lesson to the class! Apparently a few weeks back his answer to one of the teacher's questions spoiled his thunder, so Mr.S. has suggested ds1 do the lesson instead. (ds1 worships Mr.S. and usually spends hours and hours on his homeworks.)

That's interesting about targets Roisin. I think DD's school must fall into the ticking the box category.

Yes, Grapefruit, we did get more homework in the old country, didn't we? So I'm on a learning curve about what's expected of them here. But your worry sounds the same as mine - sure I'd love to believe that DD is a child genius, but I think she is just an averagely bright child in a school with low expectations. Their 5 A*-C at GCSE was 38% this year which is well below national average. But on the other hand it is a friendly school with good pastoral support and they seem to be dealing much better with behavioural issues than they did a couple of years ago.

The target thing varies from school to school. Some set easy targets so they can tick the box that everyone achieves their targets. (Do remember that many students 'drop' between KS2 SATs and the start of secondary.)

Other schools set very challenging targets without a real expectation that many students will hit them!

Before the demise of SATs there were ceilings for yr9. KS3 SATs went up to L7 only in English (and it was very tough to get a L7), Science and Maths went up to L8.

But now that SATs have gone these ceilings aren't really there, and many schools are actually accellerating students more. So ds1's school has plans for early entry GCSE in Maths and Languages in yr9, and then to go on and do AS/A levels in yr10 & 11.

LGP, I think you are originally from the same country as me? One of the problems I have is that I think I got a lot more homework at secondary school than is common in the UK - can't remember the first year specifically but it was common a lot of the time to have several hours homework every night.... I remember once visiting my cousins here and was very surprised that my cousin who was doing his A levels had time to sit around chatting and listening to music on a school night.

I have similar feelings about my dd - she often complains about being bored at home, homework seems to have tailed off considerably and we also had embarassingly glowing reports from all her teachers at parents evening! We actually spoke to her form teacher who said that it is a very academic school (which is true - gets very good results for a non-selective school) and not to worry about dd being stretched enough - apparently she often sees her doing her homework at break/lunch time so maybe she gets a lot of it done before she gets home...

But I must say that I am slightly worried that standards overall are low if dd is deemed to be so good - she is certainly bright but not exceptionally so imo.

I totally agree, Roisin. I was quite pleased when she was put in for the Junior Maths Challenge and found it really difficult. (Which reminds me, I wonder when they get their results.) Level 6-8 would be very hard I imagine, as I suppose that would probably cover topics up to the end of year nine. Well done to your DS for being able to tackle it.
Oh yes, and another funny one from the Science teacher - he said her target for Yr 9 was level 6 but she had already achieved it. I've heard other parents at the school complain that their children were given really low targets - surely children coming in with good level 5s shouldn'be given level 6 as year nine targets? It worries me that the school does not have high expectations of its pupils.

Sounds great LGP, but I agree it would be better if she were being stretched more.

ds1 is in top set for Maths. Today was maths exams all morning. I asked him how it had gone and he was quite despondent and said it was really tough and he hadn't even finished all the questions. I was very surprised by this and asked if it was a test for the whole year group. (At our school that's what they do for the end of year tests to 'level' everybody.) But no, Sean said some students had a L3-4 test, most had 4-6, some had 5-7 and a few (including him) had 6-8! He said there were things in the test that he'd never covered and he found it very difficult. Brilliant! It's quite damaging imo if able students become used all the time to just getting full marks for everything.

Parent's evening went well. Maybe too well. According to her German teacher she is the best pupil in the class, gets 100% in all her assessments and is a joy to teach. According to her French teacher she is particularly talented at French and a pleasure to have in the class. According to her Science teacher she is top of the class and will get an A* at GCSE if she keeps it up. According to her Maths teacher she is really good at Maths, has averaged 93% in class tests (top set) and her project was so good that it has been shown to the entire department's staff. According to her English teacher.... you get the picture.
Each teacher seems to think she is particularly gifted at their subject.
Are they just being nice? DD doesn't seem to think she is any better at schoolwork than most of her friends and she certainly doesn't do any more work than anyone else. And if she really is so good at school and finding it so easy that she gets these kinds of marks without trying, should we be doing more to stretch her, or just leaving it up to the school? I'm a bit nonplussed. This post probably sounds like I'm bragging about her and I don't mean to, I'm just wondering what best to do.

Don't have any specific questions Roisin, apart from wanting to know how they are going to make her work. She is coasting at the moment and it is pissing me off tbh. I can't remember when she last had any English homework - the subject that she gets the most homework in and takes the most time and trouble over is Art. Every time she does her art homework she waits anxiously to find out what grade her teacher has given her, because she knows she has to do really good work if she wants an A. In her other subjects she seems to walk straight A's just for turning up.
But I don't know how to discuss this in the context of parent's evening.

If you have any specific questions, make sure you jot them down in advance to ask.

It's probably too late but I would have also added don't try and see everyone, just those teachers of core subjects plus any others where you/dd have ishoos.

When ds1 gets his report in a couple of weeks there are three options:
a) specific teachers request to see us
b) we request to see specific teachers
c) no p/t meetings.

I quite like this model and wasn't sure which option we would be heading for. But I've just realised the date is when I'm away in France with school anyway! So it will be dh's problem.

Hope DD and her friend have made up Magenta. These fallouts are so traumatic -for them and us!

Hope everyone had a good weekend. We have parents evening tonight - any tips from those of you who have done it already?
This is our first chance to meet any of DD's teachers. DD has already given me instructions - don't say 'I've heard so much about you' or 'It's good to meet you at last' or make any embarrassing remarks of any kind. I don't know how I am going to speak to them at all with that kind of restriction in place.

Glad the sleep over went well and some sleep was had!

DD has had a bit of a pre teen angst week, having fallen out ( again) with one of her friends typical girl stuff and no doubt it'll all be back to normal on Monday.

Sleepover went really well, MAS, they were asleep by 1am. The two new friends are lovely and one of them even read DD3 a bedtime story!

oh,hope sleepover went well LGP !

not mean bellavita - just sensible -well done you !I think it's the only way to encourage responsibility for property.
Having said that,I did whizzz ds back to school the other week when he found he'd forgotten his planner and was distraught - I was very cross with him for being careless but he was in such a state..when we got to school (it was after 50 it was closed so he couldn't go in. Actually he calmed down after that and resigned himself to searching for it next day - and he did fine it, a friend had seen it and picked it up for him. But that's that last time !
He came home yesterday in a very distressed state and didn't want to go swimming,which he'd planned to do with his grandpa - apparently there had been some misunderstanding with some other boy and ds got himself into a state thinking that everyone would not want to be his friend because of it...really things do get out of proportion I think, but he was very upset.Did talk it through and he seemed to feel better. He is being particularly pre-teenish atm, - he was 12 on Monday, so it's creeping up !

Well, I am going to have be a really mean mum.

Do you remember a while back when someone took DS's pe bag by mistake from outside the canteen? We replaced all the kit. (The shorts found their way back a few weeks later by someone from Yr10). Since just before half term, I have said to DS, empty your pe bag and I will wash your kit, on every occasion he has told me it does not need washing . On Wednesday when I hoovered his bedroom, pe bag was on the floor and I thought perfect time to wash it. No white pe shirt in there and he had someone elses rugby shirt. I just despair.

So he finally admitted to me that the reason he did not want his kit washing is because he has not had a white pe shirt since before the hols. He picked up the rugby shirt on Tue by mistake. It did have a name in and he has taken it back to the other boy who incidentally, does not have DS's shirt.

He has just phoned me during his lunch break as I had read him the riot act this morning about going to look for the items in the lost property (he probably thinks it is easier to tell me over the phone) that he cannot find either shirt.

I have told him to wait until Monday till he is with all his peers in the same pe group and ask them all if they have his things. If not, then we are going to make him buy them out of his pocket money that he is saving (for an x-box360).

Me too LGP, me too!!!

Am prepared for plenty of giggling, oh yes! I asked DD what her friends would like for tea, and the answer unsurprisingly was pizza!
It's a funny thing, but although she has has lots of sleepovers already with her old primary school friends whom I know very well by now, I am slightly stressed by having 'new' friends to stay - I find myself needing to tidy up and make the house look nice, which I never normally do before sleepovers.

DS has a new school friend to sleep over this Saturday, he came to sleep a couple of weeks ago too. A very polite boy - he came into the kitchen at tea time and asked if he could help with anything , bless him.

I asked them to go to bed at 11.30 which to their credit, they did and went straight to sleep. Next morning though, they were up at around 7.00

LGP - think you need to be prepared for lots of giggling!

Hah! My dd had 4 friends for a sleepover recently. They were very sweet (more interested in pillow fights than boys still!) & it was lovely to meet her new friends. They got very little sleep though! Be prepared!

Glad the hoodie made it home!

I cannot believe this but I have somehow agreed to let DD have four friends sleep over on Friday night. I know two of them and the other two are new friends - the first time since she started Y7 that she has had new people round.

Yes he did roisin

phew from me too

Phew at rescued hoody!
Did he retrieve it in the way suggested?

oh what happened at the end of my post?

I put "sighs and rolls eyes emoticon", oh well!

Hoodie safely back home

oh bellavita - what a pain

Grrrrrrrr, DS has left his hoodie on the flippin bus

Have phoned the bus co who gave me the number for the depot. Nice man at depot said bus would be coming back through our village at around 5.10pm this evening if DS wanted to go to the stop and ask the driver otherwise we have to wait for the bus to go back to the depot and go and look for it. and rolling eyes emoticon

oh bless her for trying - that is fab -she sounds great !

It's hard isn't it when they try so hard then don't get picked. But well done to her though for trying.

Mmmm yes, Thai takeaway and homemade cake does sound fab.

She isn't at all sporty really, that's the funny thing. She is dyspraxic and has terrible hand-eye coordination (all inherited from me) so her dogged peserverance with all these activities astonishes me. I am proud of her for trying, but it is heartbreaking too, as she doesn't often get picked for teams even though she never fails to show up for practice - she was crying tonight because she wasn't chosen for the rounders team. I don't know what to say to her except keep on doing your best.
Glad your DS had a lovely birthday - Thai takeaway and a homemade cake sounds fab!

and bellavita, yes,proper bike for appropriate use is best idea

wow ! LGP what a sporty dd !
thank you for the welcome back - not only as my transformation back from MM but also I feel I've neglected this thread a bit !
Ds has had a nice birthday tea (Thai takeaway and grandma baked him a lovely cake)..

Yes, quite a good one, or so I am told! DD has had no interest in tennis before, but she has started playing after school now as her beloved netball is not played in the summer term and has realised that most of the others she plays with have actual lessons.
She has also taken up cricket and rounders and apparently goes to the weights room one lunchtime a week as well.

Have you got a local tennis club LGP?

Happy Birthday to your DS, MAS.
Glad you are back as MAS, I was always very fond of her.
Bellavita - it makes total sense to spend a bit more to get the right bike and one that will stand up to hard wear!
DD has now requested tennis lessons for her birthday.

MAS - you are back!

DH informs me that MM won't be on next years Apprentice as she is going on to do a PHD.

Happy birthday to your DS - are you having a special birthday tea?

Tbh, we have never ever spent a huge amount on birthday presents, but his friends have bmx bikes and I really don't want to hold him back making him use his mountain bike that is so not designed to do what he wants it to do. We could have got a lot cheaper bike at say Halfords, but this make of bike is renouned for being good.

He is having a friend over on Sat (his birthday) and we are all going out to Pizza Express in town and then the friend will sleep over.

It's ds's 12th birthday today and he has a microphone thing to attach to computer which hooks up with his garage band application (don't ask me the technicalities) which was expensive I'm afraid but he absolutely loves it and will use it a lot (singing/making music is his big passion)..he has also a nice book and a few Simpsons things from us..I don't think spending loads of money is a good thing and ds is very modest in his wants- in fact he never asks for things-but we knew he would really appreciate this more costly than usual gift. Hope DD1 does buy herself a Flip thing LGP -ds has used his a lot -was a very worthwhile present.
I know what you mean about WHS vouchers - ds gets them and of course is very grateful but ours is small branch too and we are awash with drawing stuff and pens.
Amazon vouchers sound a great idea.

This year the DCs main Christmas present was a computer between the three of them which worked out at about £120 each, but that was more than we usually spend, and justified by the fact that DD1 really needs it for her homework (and the others really need it for Club Penguin).
Normally we would look for a main present to be £50 or so.
I strongly suspect that DD1 could buy the camcorder herself in any case as she hasn't spent a penny of her allowance for months - she must have close to £70 in the bank.
Anyway I asked her at teatime what she wanted for her birthday and she said watercolour paints and a sketchbook.
She

This year the DCs main Christmas present was a computer between the three of them which worked out at about £120 each, but that was more than we usually spend, and justified by the fact that DD1 really needs it for her homework (and the others really need it for Club Penguin).
Normally we would look for a main present to be £50 or so.
I strongly suspect that DD1 could buy the camcorder herself in any case as she hasn't spent a penny of her allowance for months - she must have close to £70 in the bank.
Anyway I asked her at teatime what she wanted for her birthday and she said watercolour paints and a sketchbook.
She

It's hard isn't it... this will be the first year we have spent anything like we are doing on this bike. DS2 had £40 spent on his last birthday, so no doubt we will have to match it this year, but it is very close to xmas .

I suppose as they get older, they want different things and we have to get used to spending more money - eek!

Maybe I am out of touch on what other people normally spend on their dc's?

No, nor do mine Bellavita. I have three sibs none of whom bother to remember birthdays, so it is just my mum, PIL (who only do the aforesaid Smith's vouchers) and two of DH's sibs (one of his sibs ignores all family DC completely and quite possibly doesn't even remember their names).
But my

Unfortunately, my ds's only have me/dh, my parents and my brother, so they don't really get a lot in the way of presents/money.

We were thinking of suggesting Amazon vouchers to anyone who asked. PIL tend to ask what the children want, ignore any suggestions and give them a Smith's voucher - which is v irritating as our local Smith's is tiny and there are only so many felt-tips a child can buy!
That sounds a bit ungrateful, but DD2's birthday was quite close to Christmas so that was TWO vouchers to find something to buy with, and it taxed our ingenuity slightly.

Is your dd likely to get any birthday money LGP? Could she put that towards the Flip thing? My dd got a DSi for her birthday but only because we have a large extended family who all gave her money or vouchers so she was able to fund it herself...

I was going to get DD1 one of those Flip camcorders for her birthday next month, but DH has pointed out that we had set a limit of £40 for birthdays this year as we were vv broke for the first three months of the year (DH is self-employed) and even though things have picked up, that is all we spent on DD2. Which is fair.
So I am now clueless again.

Yep, he will get the bike - all £185 of it . Tis a good one though (and one of the cheaper bmx bikes - a lot of them are £300 and £400). A farmer in the village has donated a tiny bit of land to the kids for bmxing and as the older kids have moved on to cars, the younger ones that are growing up have taken over looking after it and remodel the jumps etc, dig more holes. He has a mountain bike at the minute, which is totally no good for what he wants.

We did go to Halfords and they had a sale on, this was after going to the proper bike shop and him seeing the said bike, but I must admit the one he wants looks far superior. I did ask they guy if there was any leeway on price (DH faded into the background at this moment), he did say no, but would throw in a proper bmx helmet. We have looked around on the web for this particular bike and they all come in at the same price.

Does your dd do her homework on the family computer?

So will he be getting a bike? I was thinking of getting DD a laptop/notebook for her B'day in August so I neeeeed a money tree as well!

He would like one of those too magenta! He has a better phone than I do, a fab laptop (I have a dinky netbook) and is hoping for the bmx bikes of all bikes for his birthday a week on Sat.

I neeeeeeeeed a money tree in the back garden

But of course he neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeds an Xbox just like my DD neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeds an iphone!

aren't they all! although for some strange reason ds helped me unload the dishwasher tonight whilst telling me that he really needed an x-box360

Not likely my son...

Yes, I think he was very embarrassed!
One of the reasons he worked so hard on it was that he didn't have much time. We were away for most of half term, and he wanted to get it finished so that he didn't have to take it on hols with us. On the first weekend we went over to my mum's and on the Saturday morning I gave him a choice of helping us in the garden and so on, or doing his homework on my laptop! (He's allergic to manual labour )

Hellooo roisin - haven't seen you for ages

Well done to your ds, I wish mine would put as much effort in. Was he embarrassed then with your post-it note . I am sure if I had of done something like that, it would have gone in the bin long before reaching school!

Hello all! Long time no see!

ds1 had to do the introduction to his history essay over half term. He did some fantastic writing, but there was almost two sides of it (typewritten - fairly small font and little margins). I told him to check with the teacher whether it was too long, and stuck a post-it on the front saying "too long?"

His teacher read it through today and gave some comments. He asked what this was. When ds1 told him, he replied: No, it's not too long, your mum's wrong, and screwed the post-it up and put it in the bin!

Am now wondering where she actually is as she told me today she would be straight home after school as her rounders match was cancelled.
I guess it was uncancelled.

How nice is it to be told something like that, I bet she was walking on air all day.

Well done LGP's dd

I bet she is! It's lovely when their hard work is acknowledged.

Good news yesterday - DD1 came home and told me that she her head of house had stopped her in the corrider and told her she was 'one of my little stars'!
DD is thrilled.

LGP, at my dd's school they all refuse to take off their jumpers in the summer - because they have to keep their shirts tucked in then and that's not cool .

Bellavita it is worse for the boys who have to have their top buttons done and four stripes of tie showing at all time.
The girls at least have open necked blouses and they do all roll their sleeves up to their elbows.

LGP - really long sleeved blouses? Thought that sort of uniform went out with the dark ages?

Our boys and girls have to wear polo shirts (perhaps not as smart as blouses), but a lot cooler. Although they all do have to wear long black trousers.

They are selling ice lollies at mid-morning break and lunchtime. So DS had enough money after his sandwich to buy one, but this morning he has asked for an extra 45p to get on at mid-morning too.. I have said to him yes it is nice to have something cool, but I cannot fork out extra 45p's for him and if he really wanted a lolly this morning he would have to take his own money (which he has). Tis not really fair on DS2 if I keep giving DS1 extra.

I did notice though when he came home last night that the bridge of his nose was pink from the sun and also across his cheeks, so I have put suncream on his face today - not that he was impressed with me doing it, kept moaning it was going in his eyes!

DD came home yesterday and apparently has managed to get us appointment slots with nearly all the teachers we want to see for parent's evening.
She was moaning about how hot the school was all day - I wish there was some way of modifying the uniform for summer long-sleeved blouses, black trousers and heavy black shoes are a bit of a drag when the temperature is mid-20s.

He was ok thanks, especially as he was not given any homework

DS would have liked the exploding bit!

How was he when he got back from school?

DD practically ran to school this morning carrying her model volcanoe with her, they exploded them in Geography this afternoon.

DS's guitar teacher has rung and asked if we can move tonights lesson to Thursday this week, so this is a plus for DS - at least he can chill out after school.

aww, hope he is feeling a bit more chipper this afternoon bellavita ...ds went off happily, let's see how he returns !

Morning all to you on this gorgeous sunny day.

DS1 asked for a headache tablet this morning and said he didn't feel well. DH said he did look kinda pale.

He did eat his breakfast after about 5 minutes of sitting there looking at it, but, I think a) he is tired from the weekend, he had a fribnd to sleep on Sat night, late night, up early yesterday, they went swimming and b) he has realised there is a piece of homework he has not done which needs to be in for today oh and c) he has pe either dance or athletics cannot remember which and he does not like doing it.

So bad mother emoticon because I sent him to school.

Hope everyone else is ok and your Monday morning has got off to a good start

DD had a good time at the craft club on Thursday and is all for going back after half term.

Roll on Wednesday when we're off to London. Hope everyone has a good half term holiday.

at jamming sessions!

I hope your DS feels better soon too roisin.

I can imagine the jamming sessions with 3 wanna be rock stars and a budding classical guitarist! I'm sure they'll find a way of catering for all tastes.

Hope your DS is feeling better soon Roisin and I can't believe that it'll soon the end of Yr7 and they'll all be sooooooooo grown up and Yr8's!

I can't believe it's almost summer half term already.

ds1 didn't go to school today. He wasn't really well yesteday, but went in as he wants 100% attendance

Today he put his uniform on but looked really grim and I managed to persuade him to stay home for the day. He looks a bit brighter now, so I hope he'll be OK for tomorrow.

Aww that was awfully kind of of the teacher magenta. Glad you had a good parents evening.

Yep, the audition went well and it looks like he will be doing the lessons in a group rather than a 1 to 1. There are two other boys that already play the guitar like ds and one other who doesn't play yet but also wants to learn something other than rock (which is what the rest of them are interested in) so am not sure how that is going to work. Am assuming I will get a letter from the school regarding a start date..

How did your DS's "audition" go Bellavitia?

We had DD's parents evening tonight - which wasn't the scrummage I'd feared thankfully. We managed to see all of DD's teachers bar her MFL and Geog teacher. I can really understand why DD loves Science, Maths, ICT and DT the teachers she has for those subjects came across as being really fun but firm IYSWIM and enthusiastic about their subjects. DD's DT teacher is fab, DD is fairly shy and I suspected the reason she didn't go to a couple of after schools clubs was because her friends didn't go. On Thursday her DT teacher has suggested that DD meets her in her room and she'll walk down to the craft club with her so she won't have to go in by herself! I thought that was really lovely.

Just had another note home asking for a further £10 for another school trip (all the trips now seem to be at once!) gah!

DS has an "audition" on Monday at 9.00 to see if he is able to have guitar lessons at school. One of his friends had an "audition" yesterday for the piano, so I have asked him to ask the friend if they gave him a piece to play to see how much of the piano he knew or if they asked him to play something of his own choice, just so that DS can be prepared.

Gosh that's unlucky Polgara - hope they are at least in different forms!

DD's school seem to have managed to put lots of girls with the same first names in the same forms, surely it would have made sense to divide them between the 6 forms....

We had parents evening a few weeks ago and although they gave out appointments no-one stuck to them so it was a question of seeing which teacher had no/the shortest queue and trying to get around to as many as possible.

Polagra that sounds a right nightmare, at least the other girl isn't a right tear away!

DD has started writing again last night she spent 2 hours on the lap top typing out the first chapter of her book - an adventure story set in London about a schoolgirl who so far seems to be in and out of trouble at school - I'm hoping no personal experience has been used!! It's lovely to see her actually writing stuff because she wants to and enjoys it. I of course am encouraging this in the hopes I will be able to retire and live off her royalties

I thought DS being in the same form as 4 other boys with his first name was bad enough Polgara! Perhaps they could number the girls?

Oh don't get me started on marking! The amount of dd1's books that are very rarely marked makes me very cross. How on earth are they supposed to know if they are getting things right if they don't mark it. AND they mark themeselves or the person next to them a lot which is better than nothing I suppose but still doesn't show the teacher how they are doing! There.... rant over!!!

Am also annoyed at dd1's school because amazingly there are two people with her (full) name (how unlucky is that) in Yr 7 and I have always been concerned about things getting mixed up. She came home to say that they had had a celebration assembly and yet again the progress certificates given out had no clue on them as to which of the 2 girls they were for. So dd1 went and got them all and they sorted it out between themselves later who they were for . If they get this mixed up what else may they do so with and it just should be better organised so I will have to speak to her Head of Year I think but am not really sure how to do this yet.

Lol@ your Dd telling you off for daring to talk to a teacher! My DD would probbly do the same!

LOL at singing the register Magenta! That would make DD cringe! DD's music teacher is actually the only one I have met because he was sitting near us at a concert last month and came over to introduce himself much to DD's embarrassment. She actually told me off for talking to him!
It's great the other teachers have slotted you in.

You may well ask foofi! I am hoping some teacher will turn up on this thread and tell us that it is a brilliant learning strategy -I am not so sure.

Phew@shoe turning up LGP Hope your DD's lesson goes well

DD's Art teacher slotted DD in for parents evening in the change around time as did her English and History teacher. And I will finally get to meet Mr Drama-Music! I'm sure he's a very nice person but DD is very animated when she lists his latest hideous crime - singing the register is a favourite crime of his!

Teaching maths in Y7?? What are the teachers doing?

DD came home without one of her school shoes yesterday, having lost it somehow playing rounders after school. Luckily the PE teacher spotted it on the field and put it in the changing room for her - I do NOT need to buy new school shoes this close to the end of term.
Tomorrow she and two or three others are teaching a maths lesson - the class was divided into groups and each has had to prepare and teach a lesson on a different topic. She said so far some have been good and some not so much. I think she is pretty nervous about it.

Thanks everyone
Am v excited as was chosen to trial the new 'cybersentinel' program for MN and have today installed it on dd's laptop, so now I will be able to see what she's doing from my laptop and monitor her chat etc - it's spying obviously, but am looking forward to knowing what she's talking to her friends about.

in haste, just passing by briefly...but welcome foofi

Robin - yes, quite a bit of DS's work is marked with a level.

Hello and welcome Foofi

DS has a had a bit of trouble with some drama homework on bullying. He hates drama with a passion, probably because he is not very good at expressing himself and sometimes when he asks us things (could be about anything) he has to take 3 or 4 goes to get his sentence out. I am not sure if this is to do with DS2 or not who is rather forward and always use to speak for DS1. DS2 always has to be first at everything and I think DS1 just used to let him get on with it in the end. Someone would ask DS1 a question and DS2 would be in there like a shot answering.. The teacher put a comment on the work "see me with a face". But after seeing him DS1 still didn't understand it and it has to be in today. It is all to do with techniques used in the role playing. I don't think there was just DS that didn't understand from what I can gather.

Welcome to the thread Foofi

Hi you lot - I am obviously coming to this rather late, but can I join you?

Since DD has been at secondary school I know almost nothing about her life!

Robinpud - I do hate it that everything seems to be about levels now. At parents evening in March (the first one we had) that's all the teachers did - read a list of levels for various pieces of work. Reports are the same, a list of levels. I would like more COMMENTS...

Having said that, comments about dd are only going to be about being disorganised. It's the same at home - v. messy at the moment.

Magenta - the "parents evening scrum" didn't turn out to be as bad as I had been led to believe. Generally had only one family queuing in front of us at each table. Didn't take DD with us, as many parents did. I prefer to talk about her when she's not there! Also, I noticed that lots of the teachers spent the valuable 5 minutes asking the child how they thought they were getting on, rather than the teachers having to say anything themselves!

Am up early today helping her with her English as she never asks for my help but did last night but I was going out!

Have just remembered I haven't topped up the lunch money card (we do that online) so am just nipping off to do that.

Robinpud re giving out levels on peices of homework I always took it to be that it was that particular peice of work was deemed a level what ever and not that was the level my DD was at for the subject as a whole IYSWIM. My DD has recieved Science projects leveled at about a level higher then her half termly tests. Regarding asking questions then yes I would especially the marking thing. One of the reasons I really wanted to see my DD's English teacher was due to the lack of marking. DD herself comments on the fact she does English homework putting alot of effort in and doesn't even recieve a mark or a comment. I don't expect homework which is find 5 things about so and so to be marked I'm assuming that this kind of homework will be fed back in class but I think things like stories and longer peices should at least have some kind of feed back if only to show her where she went wrong and how she can improve. *ranty hat gets taken off*

Bellavitia - do you not have the parents evening scrum to contend with? We had a tutorial with her form techer but that in November I think.

We have parents' evening tomorrow night. Not sure whether to sit there and say nothing- her report was quite gushing.. or to ask question such as
" Is it standard practice not to indulge in any marking apart from a mad rush the week before parents' evening?"
or " why was dd and her friends told to play with their mobile during a history lesson?"
<< I do know the answer to that- it was becuase the teacher wanted to show them the battle scence from Lord of the Rings as part of their work on sieges etc and a lot of them were scared>>

btw does anyone else's child get a level on a piece of homework.. e.g RE design your own religion- levels range from level 3 to 7c.. in Year 7. I just don't get this.. how do they know it is independent work? How can one piece of work represent an achievement at a level?

magenta - we have already had our parent consultation (through the day and no school for DS). It was a 15 minute slot and we saw his form tutor. He gave us all the info from his other teachers.

From what I can gather I don't think we get to see other teachers until after year 7.

I can imagine she would be LGP! Well done your DD.

DD's evening isn't until mid-June. I don't know when we get the chance to book appointments. I will want to see as many as possible - she won't want me to see any .
She was on cloud nine today as she got an A* for her art homework.

Can I ask how long other DC's parents evening are? DD's is next week the day after her report is issued. They are holding it from 5pm till 7.30pm. The bookable slots are every ten minutes but that allows a five minute changing over time. I've counted that up to be 12 slots from 5-7pm and 3 from 7pm till the last bookable slot at 7.20pm so 15 slots in all per teacher. I didn't expect to see all her teachers but would have liked to have seen her Science, Geography, History, MFL and especially her English teacher - they are all fully booked up.

DD has been on a trip to Plymouth Aquarium and will be going to the Bristol science museum in July. She missed out on a history trip because there were limited places and she 'forgot' to hand the form in early enough. There is a residential week in July at a PGL centre, but she won't be going as she has had three residentials in Yr 4, 5 &6 and has to wait until Y9 now so we can afford to let her younger siblings have the same opportunities with the primary school residentials.

DD had one trip to see a musical in London before Christmas, was supposed to be having another day trip at the end of this term but it seems to have been changed into an optional weekend at an activity centre... which will be more expensive of course.

I am bracing myself for when the trips abroad start!

DD has been to the Science Musuem in Manchester and a local trip to a musuem in town for Geography/History. She is going to Alton Towers in a fortnight for the annual praise trip her school do.

Next year knee permitting she'd love to go on the school ski trip.

DS had loads of trips in yr 7, cost me an absolute fortune. He went to

Induction Day
Warwick Castle
Science museum
Paper factory
Overnight trip to German Markets
Day trip to France
Theatre trip to Lord of the Rings.

Not so bad this year but we have said no to a week trip to France.

We have just got the starter pack for DD to start in September, so will have it all again next year.

ds off to Cabinet War Rooms this week,postponed from the snowy weather and a day trip to France coming up in June

DS has done a geography field trip to Manchester and an RE trip to the church local to the school, there have been no others.

I suppose roisin that it helps the students enjoy the subjects more?

How many trips have your dss done this year?

At the school I work at there are endless trips/special workshops all the time. Often just into the locality, but still.... There is also a 3 day residential for yr7s in June and an optional French trip. We also have Key Days which often involve outside agencies coming in and doing 'exciting and fun' things. Some of these are heavily subsidised, so parents don't have to fork out all the time.

At ds1's school there's been hardly anything. No residential trips this year. He has done a few things holidays/weekends/evenings with Boys Singers. Once he went to the next town for a science/rocket talk. The "Key Days" at his school (6 this year) have been run pretty much entirely by the regular school staff.

Now my question is, to what extent do all these 'extra' things really contribute to their education? Or how much they enjoy school? I know they take up an enormous amount of staff time to plan and organise, but I sometimes question their true value.

DS brought a letter home on Friday asking for £36 for two school day trips.

One is to a theme park and the other is to The Deep Aquarium. Both in the last week of term in July.

I hope you manage to get some more appointments to fill your time magenta!

We have parents evening on the 19th DD has managed to so far get 3 appointments - one at 5.10pm one at 6.50pm and one at 7.20pm I think we might be popping home for a cuppa at this rate. I told DD we really needed to see her Maths, English, Science, MFL, History and Geog teachers. DD wants us to see the ICT and DT teachers as they'll say nice things about her apparently and out of her 3 appointments two of them are ICT and DT. I'd like to meet her Music/Drama teacher only to see if he's really as awful as DD makes out -she has me in stitches recalling what Mr Drama-music has done today! If anything she's become a very good comic recounting tales of his lessons.

DD has to go for an Xray on Monday luckly the Xray dept has an open door policy for Xrays from GP's so she can go after school.

magenta !!

Oops! I once binned DD's homework when she was in yr6 as I thought it was just a tatty bit of paper!

DD had me in stitches tonight -she gets very animated when telling me stuff about school. Apparently one of the other girls made some snidey comment about DD's shiny sleek straightened hair ( took me aggggggggggges to do it!) so DD offered to buy this girls Mum a loo brush to stop her using X's hair as one! DD is normally a polite child who would have retorted "and your point is?" or something similar and walked away but since getting her hair done on friday appears to have become a bit of a girlie! and you don't diss a girls hair!

Go MM!

argh ! a completely crumpled and torn worksheet retrieved today which I binned !

yes, hope knee is better soon - poor dd
I do try to put things in folders when I find them crumpled in the bottom of his bag,or get him to glue stuff in, but he gets very hufty...I guess he'll learn if the teachers complain and tell him off for scruffy work.It pains me as I cannot bear things not to be orderly and done neatly.
Hope ds has fun with 'new' friend bellavita - am pleased too that my ds is getting texts from boy he knows - socialising is coming along !
hope things improve for your ds roisin

roisin - I have a feeling that DS thinks I am going to criticise his work and that's why he has a thing about me looking through his books . Aww bless your ds with the lurching from one crisis to another.

Your poor dd magenta - hope the knee gets sorted soon.

DD did her first PE today since she hurt her knee. Unfortunately it's now swollen again so back to the Doctors in the morning. I've a feeling that the doctor will refer her to either physio or a bone man. DD hasn't done PE for the last couple of weeks and has been in her words "a bit bored" watching the others so I'm wondering if I could suggest to school that she went to the library -they have a librarian on duty and DD isn't the kind of child who'd not go and just roam around the school causing mayhem IYSWIM. I was thinking if she went to the library she could do homework/read/practice her German on the website she uses or do maths on mymaths or something similar. She's naffed off to say the least as she really wants to be able to do PE and more importantly to her be able to start her riding lessons again plus she wants to do a strret dance class at the community centre. So anyhows are the school likely to agree to this or is poor DD going to spend 3 lessons a week watching the others hve fun?

I look through ds1's books when he's there. Often when we're having a chat after school about how the day's been.

If he has loose sheets in his books, I pass him a glue stick and get him to stick them in there and then (if they need sticking in).

His presentation (ie handwriting) is not very tidy, and never will be, but he does his best.

He had a good day today - phew! Yesterday he seemed to lurch from one crisis to another. He loathes PE, and yesterday said the best thing about the day was PE

Just had a phonecall from a mum with a DS in Yr7 that did not go to our primary (he lives in another village) - she understands the boys have been talking about getting together and can DS1 go over to them. I am dropping him off on Sat morning

Phew MM - what a relief . DS1's lose papers are just shoved anywhere too!

Do you just let him get on with it then or try and guide him? Because the minute I open my mouth to DS1 I am met with the devil...

I am a list, colours, different piles in priority order type of gal and have a difficulty understanding why others can't be like that

yes I do and yes,it's untidy !! what irritates me too is that the book covers are all crumpled and any loose worksheets/papers are just shoved in anyhow and not folded or put into the plastic folders I've provided - gah !!!!
underlining is never done with a ruler !

Do any of you go through your dc's books when they aren't around?

DS1 is just soooo untidy - is it a boy thing? because I know when I was at school, I took pride in my work. There are a few comments from teachers - "keep things tidy", "underline", "why isn't this finished"

If I tried to look at his things when he was here he would go into a strop.

I'd definetly get one for your DD LGP. My DD has a very cheapo one which she loves making movies on. Our managerie are often found to be the stars of her movies!

Yes you can download straight to the computer...they're great little things - ds has made loads of films,usually of him 'presenting' or 'performing' or else he films me driving if we're on car journeys - we have many miles of motorway recorded ... on the computer he edits them and puts on a soundtrack and credits - great fun !

Oh tell my about those video cameras Margaret. I was thinking maybe DD would like one for her birthday. She loves making little films of her friends dancing about and suchlike, but our videocamera is old and has these stupid little tapes that are not compatible with anything. Can you upload the films directly onto the computer?

hello all..nothing much schoolwise to report really...had a lovely walk on Sunday with dh and ds who rushed around filming wild flowers (he has a wee Flip video camera and films everything) - he asked us if other people would think he was a bit nerdy to be interested in wild flowers and we assured him not..I love it that he knows about these things,birds etc -I really hope his enthusiasm lasts...

At least she's getting some History homework LGP. DD last had some History homework in the first term They have finally got their own teacher for History. As for their Friday English teacher don't get me started on that one, at the last count DD had had 6 different "teachers" but this one appears to be permanent -well she's taught them since the beginning of this term so thats a good sign and has set homework so she might be stopping!

DD has done her history homework. They have been doing Magna Carta and the homework was to write some school rules loosely based on it.
Frankly, I'm unimpressed.

DD is currently trying to do her English homework on the Romantic poets and isn't a happy bunny!

I'm in two minds about it.
For his 'own recipe' scone they could throw in anything they wanted, and they made a large round scone. They were in a group of 4 and each person chose a particular season as inspiration for their recipe. Then each student brought home 1/4 of each scone.

Apart from ds1's they were pretty disgusting, to the point of being inedible. One had peanuts in ....?! bleurghhh....!

But I guess they will have learned through the experience, which is the main thing ...?!

DS loved the cooking too and like LGP's DD, just followed simple recipes.

I mentioned homework to him earlier on (we have been out most of the day) and he said he had a bit - but as yet I don't think he has attempted to do any of it.

DD1 is enjoying cookery but it isn't as challenging as some of you describe - they follow quite simple recipes and don't stray off-piste as much, so she has done it all at home before anyway.
The maths challenge was HARD she says - the paper certainly looked hard.
I need to check on her homework situation tomorrow - she hasn't been getting much lately, but she has been out with friends or at a sleepover most of the weekend, so she must have SOMETHING to do.

ds1's loving cookery too. We've had apple crumble and a savoury crumble. Plain scones and 'own recipe' scones.

I'm quite impressed at how much they do planning their own cooking, rather than just strictly following a recipe.

This week he is making soup. They've just been told to bring in 4, 5, or 6 different veg, plus any seasonings they want!

DD1 doesn't seem to be having much homework still! Not that she's complaining. She has spent all morning on her art homework though (favourite subject) and is feeling pleased with herself, she is hoping for an A so I hope she gets it.

She is thoroughly enjoying her cookery lessons, so far we have been treated to apple crumble and jam buns (twice because she makes them again at home a few days later!).

I shouldn't laugh but thats what DD would do as well Bellavitia.

Wow that is organised magenta!

With regards to losing things though, I am sure girls are better at looking after stuff.

DS had a bit of an English essay to write last week (this is the first time he has told me how many words he needs to do) - he said between 350 and 1000 - guess which option he took! He did exactly 350 and was soooo pleased with himself that he was not under or over

When will he find out how he's done Bruffin?

I'm amazed at how little DD has lost since starting High School - I had visions of her coming home on her first day minus everything bar her polo shirt and trousers but so far she's only lost a pencil case and her PE socks. Fingers crossed nothing else goes astray!

DD's Maths teacher has impressed me - they have had their end of year tests last week. On Monday and Tuesday they had the main papers and on Friday the mental maths test. On Friday her teacher gave out the marks for the tests they'd done at the beginning of the week and told them they'd know their level by Tuesday!

He took the cautious route! You actually lose marks if get a question wrong after the first 16, so he only answered the ones he was really sure of. He said he really enjoyed it.

How was the maths challenge bruffin?

It just struck me that ds1 hasn't lost anything at school for ages. He did really well first term, and then in the last week before Christmas lost his jumper and a sports T-shirt, then straight after Christmas lost his school coat.

But I don't think he's lost anything at all since early January
Phew!

Wishing lots of luck to LGP's dd and bruffins ds for the challenge!

Ah, it must be Thursday then. I had a look at last year's paper from that link, thanks Bruffin. It looks hard! Shall I show it to her, or is that the act of a pushy parent?

sorry that was meant to say you can download last years papers.

My DS is Yr8 and doing the maths challenge on Thursday. He is second set,but one of the top of the class.
You download last years papers

LGP I think it might be the UKMT Maths challenge DD's school do it on Thursday for Yr7&8 according to the school web site.

ds's friend in yr 8 is doing the maths challenge on Thursday - not sure exactly what it is but last year he was top of school !

DD appears to have had little or no homework for weeks.
She is doing a Maths Challenge on Wednesday - anybody know anything about this? Apparently it is for the top set and they have to do it in the school hall but what it is or why they are doing it she couldn't say.

well that's a start bellavita !! hope the rest turns up
ds managed to get the homework done - phew !

Oh dear MM, will he have time to get the homework, do it and take it back?

I sort of lost my patience a little bit this morning with DS. He decides at 7.40am that he needs to print off his geography homework that needed to be in today - why on earth this could not have been done yesterday is beyond me. Soooo, I have laid down a new rule, if homework is not printed off when it is done or the night before it is needed, then tough luck.

I forgot to say, on Friday evening, DS waves a pair of pe shorts in my face. Tells me that someone in Yr9 had them who gave them to someone in the same form that knows DS (they live at the farm at the end of our road). God only knows where the rest of it is...

tsk, ds forgot to bring his DT homework home - it was the only homework he had to remember too...so careless

DD's homework seems to be all or nothing. Her Maths and Science teacher set it on a very regular basis, the other subjects it's a bit sporadic. DD has got 3 maths test next week testing them on every thing they've done this year DD is hoping that if they do this her Maths teacher won't test them as normal before half term.

Your dd has loads going on magenta!

Well done MM's ds with the singing - how fab is that..

Website all done, thankfully!

It will be a shock to ds's system tomorrow having to get up, I plan to be up early though to start my cleaning -top to bottom.

magenta - they do keep your dd busy ! I was shattered having to get up so early too- I didn't sleep very well,knowing I had to be up and about at the crack of dawn !
Hope website design is going well bellavita
Ds won't do the grading until autumn term now

When will he do the grading MM?

DD is shattered! I think it was a bit of a shock to her system having to get up so early this morning.

She's got another Maths project and an ICT presentation and one for German to do I think she's going ot be a wee bit busy over the next couple of weeks.

Bellavitia did your DS manage to build his web site?

hope everyone who is back has had a good first day !
ds has made a nice drawstring bag for the juggling balls he made last term -and I'm very excited because he is going to be working towards his Grade 1 singing exam..yay !

Nope, he needs DH's help with the website!!

Hello

All homework done apart from finishing his website for IT and he needs DS's help for this.

Boys not back to school until Tuesday here.

DS1 has really caught the sun today - bad mum moment! I had to rub some aloe gel in across his kneck, arms and face. He has been at the bmx jumps at the other end of the village with some friends doing weeding for most of the day.

DH told me to go and buy him some new pe kit rather than cobble together odds and ends in the hope that his would return - 24 pounds later... sorry I cannot seem to do a pound sign. DH has bought me a netbook and seems to have set the pound sign up as a # - him being in IT....

It has been really nice not having to think about getting change for DS's dinner money.

DD has been to Oxford this weekend visting relatives, in true Mumsnet fashion I sent her off with the mission to look round all the colleges and find one she likes

All homework done, uniform clean and only 5 weeks till half term!

hello all..am back from a few days visiting ILs - v nice but ds hasn't done a scrap of homework yet...grrrr
hope everyone has had a good Easter and let's hope for a good new term

Ta for that LGP, I've had a look at the NT website and I think DD would love to do the tour. I'm going to have to stop looking at things to do in London or else DD and I will be banging on Museum doors at midnight demanding to be let in lol

Rofl at magenta's crap geog . You are spot on though - we will probably visit Beamish!

Do go to Hampton Court Magenta. We went last summer and really enjoyed it. I think we would have enjoyed it even more if there hadn't been torrential rain that day too! If you are planning to do the Tower of London too I think you can get tickets that include both and a boat trip as well.
The other thing we would have done if we had realised in time, was a backstage tour of the National Theatre. We went to see War Horse there and tried to book a backstage tour, but it was too short notice. We did the Globe instead which was also good, but the children were keen to see the National.

DD and I are going Wed-Sat of the half term week due to train prices. I left it too late to pick up a cheap ticket for the bh weekend would have been nearly £100 aposed to the £33 I've got it down to. I'm lucky in the fact I can get to either Leeds or Manchester very easily so when planning a trip to London I wait for the cheap tickets from both. I've never ventured up north to County Durham but DD went on a school trip to Beamish once which is kinda that way isn't it *runs off cos her geog is crap*

Hope your DS feels better soon as there is nothing worse IMHO then an ear infection

Oh magenta we should have been going to London for a long weekend when they break up in May but when we come to book the train tickets we decided against it. I am sure last year they cost us under £100, well this year they are asking for £200 + , like you we too had loads of things planned. However, we are now going to County Durham (about an hour and 30 mins drive away) and will visit various places (the hotel also has a pool and spa facilities).

I wish DS did not have any homework as he is coping with an ear infection at the moment

Personally I'm rather glad DD hasn't been overwhelmed with homework for Easter. She's worked really hard all term and a bit of chill out time is well deserved.

Is it only 6 weeks to half term in May? Yay! DD and I are off to London for a few days then we've been plotting all the stuff we want to do Science Musuem, Imperial war musuem, V&A, Ghost walk, Shopping, the Zoo and just maybe I'd love to take her to Hampton Court as I loved going there as a child. Plus I found a site that appears to do some great guided tours not just of the sites but on a whole range of stuff. I love wandering round London but often wish I was wandering round with someone who knew the histroy of the place IYSWM we plan to go on one of their ghost walks and if thats any good will do a couple of others that have taken our fancy.

my DD1 also in yr 7. She has only had some English homework, an argument for and against home schooling!

DD1 only has a couple of pieces of homework fortunately - one of which is to build a weather mobile and it is a competition. She has had all last week to start it and decides to start it today when her dad has gone out and is the only one who can tell her which bits of wood out of his stash she can use. Typical! After a strop about this she has calmed down, apologised and helped me peg the washing out so all is well again .

I can't believe that yr7 is getting near the end either. Where on earth did it go?

I know magentadreamer. And the next half term is a really short one - just 5 weeks!

I can't believe that there is only one more term and yr7 is all over!

DD didn't have much homework either so what bits she had she did while resting her knee. Swelling has gone down but if she walks too long on it it twinges but hopefully it's on the road to a full recovery.

DD has NO homework at all over Easter. She's had hardly any for the last couple of weeks of term. DD2 and 3 get more than her.
But she is voluntarily doing an hour's violin practice a day.

<<peeks in>>

DS has got quite a bit of homework to do -

IT - has to build a website
Geog
Tech - embroidery stitches, has been given some threads and bits of material
History

I have told him it all needs to be done by today - at the moment he is strumming away on his guitar

Roison - don't let him do too much otherwise all the other kids will want to be in his "gang" if they think they can get away with doing less.

yes, ds's school is the same ! hope your ds doesn't get too overworked roisin - lazy girls !

I know!
ds1's school is only 11-16, so it will soon be over.

He has a 'project' homework to do for Citizenship. They have to do a presentation on Human Rights. But instead of his usual groupings with his mates he's been put with two girls, who he doesn't know very well and doesn't get on with. He says they spent the planning lesson choosing Disney Princess backgrounds - different ones for each slide. And that they didn't allocate what each of them needed to do over the hols!

He's quite stressed about it, as he always puts maximum effort into homeworks. But after doing stacks of the work for a couple of other projects with his mates, he's (rightly) reluctant to do the lion's share of the work again for the benefit of two girls he doesn't even like!

I've told him to go in on Monday morning with a proposal for them, to say he will do section 2 and 3 (or whatever) and for them to split the rest between themselves. (Citizenship is on Wednesday.)

- we'll have done a whole school year by the end of that ! (yr 8 thread to follow)

Hey! Hooray - roll on summer.

Here is a brand new thread for the new term !