Starting Year 7

[Blandmum]

Some hints from a year 7 form tutor

Label everything. Especialy label the sports kit and all the shoes/trianers etc......these get lost so often.

At the end of the first day they should have a copy of their timetable. It is a good idea to take a copy yourself incase it gets lost (as they so often do!)

From the start get them to pack their bag ready for the next day in the evening.

Make sure they know the ultimate destination of the shool bus....makes it so much easier for them to check that they are on the right bus.

Reassure them that stories about kids having their heads flushed down the loo have been doing the rounds since I was in school.....and that is in the days of quill pens and parchment. They are just stories.

If they get lost, ask an adult or a prefect if the school has them.....no-one will be cross.

If there is a problem contact the form tutor, but don't expect and instant answer, your child's form tutor may very well not teach them at all. The form tutor will also have a full teaching load and cannot instantly answer phones etc if they are in the middle of a lesson. neither can they personaly search for lost items of clothing, or replace lost books etc.

Don't let them take valuable items like MP3 layets etc into school, it is begging for them to get lost.

Check with the recptionist how much a school dinner will cost....one enterprising child of a MNetter last year tried to tell his mum her needed £5 a day!

Promace them that they will settle in....my kids have written about all their experiences and too a child they have all settled in wonderfully well. Even the biggest sixthformer was a little squit once.

[chestnutty]

Thanks, Miss

[Pixiefish]

Lovely mb. never been a year 7 form tutor- I was year 8 and 9 but obviously have taught year 7.

Tell the kids that teachers will give them leeway if they get lost for a few weeks. They also tend to get to go to dinner first in the first week or so until they settle in.

Cover their books as this goes down well with staff and shows respect to the school adn property (old wallpaper will do)

Check their homework diaries every night and get them to do it as well

[ikklebrighteyes]

Hi.
My ikkle son is starting secondary school in september and i think i'm the one who's more worried! We did the induction day thing and i came out feeling bewildered and he came out with a big smile on his face. I am worried for all the obvious reasons - bullying, him not liking the school etc and i hope this is normal . Its hard to get your head around that for the last 4 yrs, i have seen him in the school playground and knew he was safe (when he started taking himself off to school without mummy!) and now he will have to get a bus and make his own way there (as i have another child starting yr 5 and my baby starting reception full time). How can i reassure him when i am feeling so worried about the whole thing? Isn't being a parent hard!!