to ask what year group is worst

Those that are on the other side now - did it get better?!

I'm so sorry to reserect this thread but I literally searched 'Which is the hardest school year for your Daughters' and this has made me feel so much better as my Daughter is in year 9 and I've never been so stressed in my life!!

Our DS will be in year 9 in September. He is changing very rapidly. His voice is changing, he is as tall as I am 5' 6. Very tired and generally a bit more grown up in some ways. So far so good.

I am so relieved to hear everyone else say year 9.

I remember year 9 being the most fun at high school. Feeling like a proper teenager without any worries about exams yet.

Generalising massively, but Yr 8 boys and Yr 9 girls.

End of Year 8 all of the little ratbags and top set Year 9.

Year 9 because if they aren't doing your subject, they don't give a shiny shit about anything other than doing as little work as possible and will expend significantly greater energy in ensuring that than they would had they actually shut up for once and tried doing some work. Top set because they're far more advanced in the principles of psychological warfare and hunting as a pack.

Year 8s because hormones. Girls border upon the sociopathic at that point and boys turn into lumpen muppets, sagging from the nape of the neck except when getting into fights over who kicked the ball best, who told somebody that somebody said that somebody said they were gay and doing anything other than football or fighting seems to be completely beyond their physical capabilities. Oh, and both have parents who still believe that they are their sweet little baby who would never say Boo to a goose and the big, bad six inches shorter than said child member of staff is picking on them.

They improve during Year 10, mostly. The few outliers either by the beginning of Year 11 or they do something really stupid and get kicked out by Christmas or they completely disengage by exam entry time.

In DD's case year 10 was her annus horribilis year. The nasty, bitchy psychological bullying she sustained from one particular girl has had some long term consequences. Nearly 5 years later DD is now ready to come of the anti anxiety meds that she needed as a result of being this horrible girls' target.

Thanks dance

She isn’t in the cool crowd and so far apart from some minor issues no real friendship problems. Long may it continue.
My son is going into yr 7 so praying he gets a nice form too.

Year 9 commonly but at my school it’s been Y10 this year and last year it was Y8. The Y9s are lovely especially considering how difficult they were last year.

Although my DS is just finishing year 7 and has had a great year. I was worried it would be awful after DDs issues and the fact that DS has Aspergers but it's gone great! Just depends on the kids in the year really - DS got lucky, DD didn't!

As soon as I saw the thread title I thought 'YEAR 9' - so interesting to see I'm not the only one!

Year 9 can be the most unpleasant to deal with but I think being head of year is Y11 is really difficult in a different way. You are so worried for them, lots crack under the pressure of GCSE and there are quite a number having to deal with 'adult' issues. You just want to help them all leave as happy and healthy individuals with confidence and the worry of how to help them get there can be immense. Thankfully it works out for most of them in the end.

For my DD year 7 and 8 were the worst - lots of bullying/self harm/friendship issues. She is in year 9 now and it has settled down a lot and I'm hoping the next two years will be so full of hard work for the GCSEs that it will be good socially. DD was on the receiving end of lots of the bullying so those first 2 years of secondary were very hard for her.

@dancingdemon it depends on the cohort. I teach at a university and did a workshop with Year 10s to encourage them into our field at a school this week which was horrendous in terms of behaviour. Completely shocking especially given that I was a total stranger and they were representing a school to a University. They were openly taking the piss out of me and making sexual innuendo before I even opened my mouth to introduce myself. Staff were present and they couldn’t control the behaviour either.

The teachers at the school couldn’t have been more apologetic and said that this year group are particularly bad. Prior to university teaching, I worked in schools and found that Year 9 was the flashpoint and how long it went on for depended on the cohort. My own Year 9 experience was ok but Year 8 was horrendous, Year 10 was fantastic but the year below had problems from Year 7 right the way to Sixth Form. The school was glad to see the back of them!

YEAR 9!!!!!!!

Interesting. My dd is going into 9. I hope it passes by without too much drama

Year 9. Lots stress, insecurities, friendship issues etc.
Luckily year 10 dd seems more focussed, happier and settled.

Really needed to read this at the moment!!

Year 9 has been absolutely hideous for my child, so it's really interesting to read all these comments!

I’d say Year 3 and Year 9!

That being said, with girls ages 8-11 can be horrible with very psychologically cruel bullying and class teachers have to deal with a lot of petty drama. Year 9 everyone seems to have lost the plot but issues often start part way through Year 8 and carry on through to year 10. Boys tend to get into physical fights, girls have spats and hold long term grudges. It’s difficult to keep up.

I wouldn’t be a Year Head for any amount of money.