New Year 7s - how are they getting on

Then, maybe, farrow unless things chang soon, you do need to look elsewhere, I don't think wasting a year at that school is going to help him academically, and certainly not socially,

bubby It is known for being very strict.

No, he doesn't enjoy them and is bored. His primary school teachers raved about his enthusiasm for learning - he is v academic but not enjoying his learning now.

TOSN- That is really poor, can you have a quiet word with her form teacher or head of year to voice your concerns, humiliation is not a tool to get the best out of your pupils!
Farrow, are they just being strict at the start of a new year to establish authority, or do you think it will be an ongoing thing, and also, is he actually enjoying the lessons? I ask this as my 2 are having fun in lessons, and learning better because of it, but the rules of conduct at breaks, lesson changeover etc are quite strict in order for chaos to be held in check! Mind you, there is some laughter going on during break times, so there are lighter moments. The fact it is not a CoEd school might also have something to do with it. I think you should observe for a term and then make your mind up, are there really no other available state secondary schools, even if it meant travelling a bit further

DS is having a wobbly . It has all gone swimmingly so far ... until last night.

We had severe reservations about the school because it is a serious, single sex sporty school and DS is not sporty in the least. It seemed the best of a bad job, so we went for it.

DS is finding it very serious, no one has much fun (we noticed there wasn't much laughing and smiling when we looked around) and he finds the atmosphere heavy going (very strict - lots of detentions given out). On the plus side, he gets to go and come back with his primary school friends, and we have a decent standard of living (because our other main option was private, which would have been a great strain).

I'm not sure how much this seriousness is going to be the case in any secondary school - presumably good secondary school are going to be strict.

We have told him to hang in there and he needs to give it time. We wouldn't consider re-thinking for at least a year.

What does everyone else think? Are most secondary schools very strict/heavy going?

All good, except this, which I'm quite annoyed about.

dd started her second ever period, and can't quite get to grips with tampons just yet. Gave a note to the teacher asking to be excused swimming, and was given a Code (disciplinary - 3 in a week = DT) for not having brought her shorts and t-shirt so she could do different PE! I didn't bloody know there'd be other PE on offer, or I'd have sent her with it, but to discipline and humiliate an 11 year old in an already awkward situation was really quite unpleasant, I think.

Am trying not to say too much to dd as I don't want her hating this teacher, I want her to get over it and we'll know better another time. But GRRR.

phlebas Glad you are finally getting things settled, must admit, contact with our school activly encoraged, either direct with the lesson tutor via email, or form tutor or head of year, HT even has fortnightly "drop in" sessions if we want to see her about anything, as well as an appointment diary. I was one of the things that helped get them a really good Ofsted report last June.

jut wanted to say that we have established contact wit the school!

We've exchanged emails with form teacher & head of year & have had a phone conversation with dd's form teacher ... all feeling much happier. We have a few issues remaining but feel that they are surmountable now. DD had a wobble on Friday, but it was dealt with well by the school & on balance she is still very happy :)

Homework battle continues here, they just seem to fight SH and I on it every evening, I have now decided to not nag them, I will say it once, then give a reminder after about an hour, then try to ignore and wait for the inevitable panicked meltdown on the morning it is due in, and continue to stand my ground. If its not done in time, or rushed and looks awful, they will just have to take the consequences!

I disagree about not giving DTs - I am a year 7 form tutor (and an experienced teacher). I have had several of my tutees in for DTs - never for a first offence but if what I have asked to be done hasn't been done on the second time of asking it will be a DT. However, I have never shouted at a child which I think is degrading but I will bring them back 10 minutes early from their lunch. I am nice to the children I have on DT and I don't think any child would say they are scared of me giving them one - jut annoyed to miss out on play time.

I don't think you can give teachers a hard time about giving out DTs as it usually comes from above that that it what has to be done. New teachers in particular will want to be seen to tow the line. The other issue is if you decide not to give DTs because they are year 7 it can be difficult to implement them later on, leading to behaviour problems.

In addition, if you have any concerns re: your child please contact the school. I've only known my form for 2 weeks and as yet can't pick out which ones re unhappy as I have nothing to compare it to as I didn't know them before. A good form tutor will want to know if your child is unhappy so they can help.

I have kept on at my 2 doing homework as it is given, and they chose to ignore that advice, the reslt was that they have spent most of the day getting their homework finished, and have not been able to go out with their mates, a lesson learned, i hope!

2 pieces a night except wednesday when she has 3

Thanks Tiggy- just trying to get him into the routine of doing it when he gets it!

Bump

Can I ask how much homework your DC is getting? DS has 1-2 pieces every night, usually has a couple of days to do or a week if bigger project. Last Fri he had 3 pieces!

phlebas - GET INTO THE SCHOOL - if they don't like it then tough!! To hell with appointments, if you've requested information and it's not forthcoming and no one seems to be listening - go there and make them listen!! It's your DD's future no one elses!!
And as regards detentions for anything - go tell them to take a hike big time for at least the first month!! They're still learning and finding their feet - I think anyone who 'threatens' a detention for a child who has been there a week needs a SERIOUS rethink about their career path. Okay - new teacher - been there one week - threatened with having to go to the head to explain their actions over their teaching methods, behaviour or what ever - wouldn't be tolerated (unless they were a walking disaster area!) so why should a child be threatened with it at the start of their senior education!! A child should not have to put up with that when they have just started senior school - they are stressed enough!!

My 2 DS love it, but are over anxious about everything in case they make a mistake and get detention! Biggest problems seem to be with organising themselves and with friendship groups. They both went up with friends from primary, and are in totally seperate forms (there were 4 sets of twins going up from their small primary class of 16kids, and they are all spread around 4 form groups) DS1 has already made several new friends, and DS2 only 1, so he keeps coming over to his brother during breaks, which, for some reason, DS1 finds annoying!
Also had a problem with instrument lessons(had filled and sent back form in June, but they were somehow missed off the list) which has been sorted, school bus(DS2 stopped the bus as his brother was not on it, v annoyed driver) and lost homework(already!) so school receptionist already getting to know them (and me!)v well. Hoping that as time goes on things will get a little less stressful!
Also, only just found out you do not have to print everything off for homework, but can email it to teacher or download to a memory stick!

thanks tiggy

the only point of contact we have is the incredibly obstructive (think nightmare GP receptionist) school receptionist. We have called several times & asked how we arrange to talk to whomever we should be talking to but have had no joy. We also emailed the general contact address on Monday & haven't had a reply or acknowledgement. We don't even know as she is 'unable to tell us' when the first parents' evening is.

dd1 has also been asking & is repeatedly told that we should've had a letter (we haven't) or that they covered that in the induction day (she was a late applicant from the waiting list so we didn't have an induction day). The set thing is particularly confusing since we discussed with the head of year prior to her starting whether she would need to have any assessments that would've normally be done in primary school but were told absolutely not. dd is coping brilliantly but given that she hasn't done school before I'd really like to have a chat with her form teacher at least.

Short of staging a sit in in reception I'm not sure what to do.

my dd also started last week - she's been HE before this & knows no-one in the school & has a 10 mile (bus/train) commute each way - she's loving it but was absolutely exhausted this morning. We're both really glad it's Friday.

We're not entirely happy - communication with the school is non existent; they seem to actively discourage parents from being involved at all (apart from requests for voluntary financial contributions). All my friends with children at secondary school have email contacts for head of year, form teacher & subject teachers - this school won't make (well, they have completely ignored our requests) that information available. Is that common?

dd was setted for maths on Wednesday - the 3rd of 4 sets "because that one had room" & she hasn't done CATs - that's one of an increasingly long list of issues we would like to discuss

Dd has a maths test today, from which they will be put into 1 of 3 sets. I hope she does well, but I think she is probably on the border between sets 1 & 2.
I would prefer her to be comfortable in set 2, to always struggling in set 1.
She wil be upset if not in set 1! aaaargh