It's the induction day visits to secondary school...

Thanks mychildren - i think i will but don't want to be the naggy parent!

Oh no FedupofTurkey. Was he ill? Get in touch with whoever is overseeing the transition and speak them. I expect (would hope) his primary school will have let them know about personality as well as achievement but it's still worth doing.

Gutted - my ds missed his induction day and I've discovered he 's the only one going up from his school who has no-one he know in his form. I'm concerned as he struggles socially and friends will have started to be formed from induction. Don't know if I should make his form tutor aware how quiet he is and ask his form tutor to keep an eye on him. I'm worried he'll become more introverted :(

AtiaoftheJulii She is my oldest. Neither of mine have ever been to school so it feels a bit strange to be preparing for her first ever day at school! So far she has been far more positive about the whole thing than any of her friends who are going from primary to secondary. She has had some very strange looks when her reply to the question "Are you nervous about going to school?" has been "No, I can't wait. I'm really excited." complete with a huge grin.

Her school do CAT tests on their first day for setting. DD just accepts the idea of that.

Lol at your dd2 circular ! Hope she enjoys them

My dd3's new school do some setting from September, but do it by asking their y6 teachers about their levels. So I had a very nice chat with the transition coordinator about how no, I really have no idea about dd3's levels! And then they do CATs some time in the autumn.

circular I'm sure she will! And let's face it, she's starting as she means to go on (with time off for doing her stuff). It's lucky the school are so supportive of that sort of thing. I'm sure your DD2 will be just fine with the CATs.

Herc I think the early CAT tests are because of banding. Not sure about tests on induction day though, but DD2 loves exams . Says yr6 been boring since SATS over.
Hope your DD2 enjoys performance.

DS2 induction day is 7th July, but he will be there all next week for a Primary Instrumental week.

He has done 2 of these already so he is an old hand. They are amazing.

He will go on the school bus too.

We will get a letter any day now telling us what form he is in and who his form tutor, with an appointment time to go and meet the tutor.

mychildrenarebarmy - that's really nice of your dd's school to do that for her :) Is she your eldest? One of my older daughters is at dd3's new school (but started in y9 so no y7 transition stuff) so the school at least have a good impression of home ed kids My ds found it reassuring when he realised that the whole process of moving from room to room for each lesson would be new for nearly all the primary schoolchildren too.

Groovee glad it went well for him! Hope the next couple of days are just as good :)

CAT tests before the summer? Blimey. That's quite full on. DD2 is being slightly sad faced about missing out next week but at the end of the day. being in the show is far more important to her - performing is her raison d'être.

DD2 has single induction day next week. Been told they do English, Maths and PE and some literacy tests. Also have new starter interview the week after, and CAT tests week after that - although they will have to be rescheduled as primary residential trip.

Further bonding residential mid-September, so sounds like plenty to help them settle in.

Shes very excited, even though seen school several times as DD1 only left last year.

My DD is going for her own personal transition morning tomorrow. She is home educated so they wanted to give her chance to look round the school without all the other new intake there. She can't wait.

AtiaoftheJulii she also has her outfit planned and like your daughter relishes being different and couldn't care less what anyone else thinks. Her response to "You are weird" is "So, I wouldn't be me if I wasn't weird".

She goes next week for the proper new intake day. One of her oldest friends is also starting at the same time so they are hoping they will be in the same form. I haven't told her that the Head of the Lower School has already told me he is going to put them in the same form.

9th July here only for the day. Still had nothing from the new school. All the children going to other schools have sent out loads of forms/information we have had nothing. Still not 100% sure if this is where she is going. Our appeal failed but we are high up on waiting list. Desperate to get uniform buying but the two schools have nothing in common except black shoes.

We have a town wide transition day on the 3rd July too. Rather oddly dd's school want parents to come at 3pm and meet their teachers, quite an awkward time but I've managed to get the time off work, thank goodness.

I think the whole borough, and possibly the whole county, do a transition day on 3rd July.
DD is going up with 45 from her year (of 60!), has had a variety of visits from the high school staff already and is going up there today for the morning. She seems to be really looking forward to it which is a big relief, how I will cope is another matter :)

DD2's induction day is next week - but she can't go. She's in a big production at our local theatre all week, and the induction day is the day of the schools' matinee so she has a day off school, to perform. Her sister (who is at the school she will be transferring to) and her brother are also in the show. She'd rather cut off her legs than not perform, and the new school is fine about it, but it is such a shame. Only 3 kids are going there from her school and the others are boys - induction day would have been a good way to meet some girls who will be going there (she does know a couple from G&T days). Ah well.

Ds has his next week. They go for two days. The majority of his schools yr 6 are going to the same school so he'll know loads there. He'll get to find out which of his friends are in his form class and which house he'll be in. They also have a day of lessons up there too. I seem to remember last years yr6 coming back with goody bags from their visit.

At the beginning of of July parents are asked to a parents evening at the new school to find out how things are done eg dinner money, transport and can buy items of uniform.

Exciting but scary times ahead.