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Original poster

Y7 day 1: I'm already cross.

91 replies

PiqueABoo · 02/09/2014 17:23

The [bleeps] threw two lots of CATs at them.

If you wanted to depress the results and also make them a bit unreliable, then I can't think of a better time i.e. when lots of the children are a teensy bit anxious to say the very least.

Can anyone talk me out of that view?

OP posts:
mychildrenarebarmy · 05/09/2014 20:28

It wasn't too bad because she knew there would be tests on the first day. She was a bit shocked by how many though. I think it some ways it was better to get them all out of the way in one go.

They had the first two days of term as inset days. I'm quite glad because today was her first ever day at school having always been home educated until now so it means we get the weekend straight after her first day.

Original poster
PiqueABoo · 05/09/2014 19:40

@ BitOutOfPractice, @BackforGood

I think you're cherry-picking my comments in a very negative way, amplifying what you want and ignoring what you don't. Perhaps we should call it quits?

@mychildrenarebarmy

That's mean too.
How did they manage to delay that start until Friday?

OP posts:
mychildrenarebarmy · 05/09/2014 19:33

DD started today PiqueABoo. They had assembly and registration then were doing tests until 1.20pm.

AppleAndMelon · 05/09/2014 00:23

They will all have the same disadvantage surely?

If your child under performs, the school aren't likely to keep her in the wrong set surely?

BackforGood · 04/09/2014 21:35

Agree with Coolas's last post.

Very much agree with BitOutofPractice's 2 posts. The way you are coming across in your posts sounds very negative and almost like you are determined to dissect everything the school does, and pick holes in it. It might not be the case - but that's the impression you are giving off. I'm picking up a vibe that maybe you didn't want dd to go to this school?

~Why not try being really positive about everything for a month or 6 weeks, and seeing how that effects both your mood, and the way your dd settles.
Secondary school takes 5 or 7 years - it seems if you are this angry after the first day, you've got a very stressful time ahead of you.

BitOutOfPractice · 04/09/2014 20:56

You're going to have to be super careful that this negativity about the school doesn't rub off on her OP

Hassled · 04/09/2014 20:55

Every time I see one of these "different ways the school cocked up on the first day" threads I think about some poor poster years ago who related how they all sat at desks in the hall on her first day and were told to write about how they felt when they first learned that Father Christmas didn't exist. Up until that moment she had been a believer. She sat crying in the hall while everyone else scrawled away furiously.

HSMMaCM · 04/09/2014 20:43

DD did this. Didn't bother her.

Coolas · 04/09/2014 20:36

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Original poster
PiqueABoo · 04/09/2014 19:29

@PSBD, it's water under the bridge now, but I'm certain schools that do "back in July" have contemplated the best way to manage such tests and have good reasons for doing that. In essence, the remains of my complaint are that my DD's school don't appear to be very organised or thoughtful. It's not just day one informing me and I've got a strong feeling that over the next few years hundreds of parents and children will routinely pee away lots time trying to decode the incomprehensible.

Re. the CATs it's not that they're tests, DD enjoys tests (I think she might be an alien imposter), but on the first day she came home complaining of having had a 'headache' for most of the day which is very rare and I expect that was general purpose first day anxiety not the CATs: the kind of thing I would expect expect and an obvious reason to avoid any tests on that day. She has been quite sanguine since with no obvious or subtle signs of misery.

Well except for lunchtime, which is now 'boring'. The reason is that up to the very end of primary, DD's class always had huge amounts of fun chasing each other around at lunchtime in games they'd devised. Apparently although some of the girls would still like to do that, they don't because no other girls at the secondary do it and they don't want to stand out and be teased by the older children. I thought they'd gradually grow out of playful childhood themselves, but peer pressure appear to have killed it.

I think you're right about the friends and she'll very likely find some that suit her better than the primary school friends, a couple of whom I wouldn't miss for being a bit obnoxiously competitive etc. She's plotting to join a few after-school sports clubs and would have done some music, but she's a little pianist and that just doesn't fit with their several varieties of music club.

OP posts:
PastSellByDate · 04/09/2014 12:12

Hi PiqueABoo:

My DD1 also started Y7 this week. She actually had CAT style tests (computer based) on her induction day back in July.

It's a big change and a nerve racking time (and that's just the parents) - so of course it probably threw your DD (and by extension you) to learn there was a series of tests on Day 1.

However - as Coolas quite fairly suggested - schools need to quickly get up to speed with their new pupils abilities and it often is a huge intake to deal with (ours is an ordinary comprehensive - 150 pupils from 10+ primary schools) - so mass testing early on may be logistically the easiest option.

On testing - my advice is to accept its a necessary evil. I've always taken the attitude that as long as you've tried your best, the result doesn't really matter - and often it's consistently trying your best (paying attention in class, asking questions when confused, getting help when struggling, regularly keeping up with homework, reading a bit ahead, etc....) which reaps rewards at testing.

On making new friends - it really is tough to start out in a form (?school) as the only one from your old primary school. But friends with older children who've been there and done that all say that although old primary school groups cling together at first, gradually as you start to do things in class/ outside activities with other kids you'll start to make new friends as well. One friend's daughter told my DD1 her advice was to be nice to everybody at first and if you see someone at a loose end, ask them to join you (at lunch/ on your team/ in class groups/ etc...). In a few weeks things will settle down into a routine and strange new faces will become friends (or at least known classmates). Certainly looking back now, my great friends from 'senior school' turned out to be classmates I was randomly grouped with for classes/ especially on in-class projects or through school clubs. Shared interests/ experience usually leads to friendships.

Hopefully that's the end of testing for your DD and she can relax into her first week at school and learning where all her classes are, the names of new friends and deciding which teacher she likes best/ least (endless source of conversation at that stage I find).

HTH

tiggytape · 04/09/2014 10:25

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Madsometimes · 04/09/2014 09:23

Dd's first day was yesterday. It was a short day, and most of it was spent with their form tutor. They did a treasure hunt around the school to help them learn where everything was, and also had a session of drama and PE. After that was lunch, more form time and home.

It was quite nice to have no academic work and only Y7 was in school. I think doing tests on the first day is a bit harsh, but dd would have been fine with it. However, I think getting to know class mates and the school was a better use of the first day. Dd's school use cats for tracking purposes rather than setting, but she will be taking them at some point in the next few weeks.

HibiscusIsland · 04/09/2014 06:11

I agree it's not very friendly and welcoming op. Noblegiraffe's description at 18.40 of what Year 7s at her school do on their first day sounds better.

steview · 04/09/2014 00:07

We do CATS around week 3 (and a reading assessment). They are not better or worse than SATS - just different!

CATS tend to pick up students with particular strengths/weaknesses with their current working ("which pattern comes next?" "which of these words is the odd one out?") which are really helpful to teachers.

SATs are better predictors of GCSE outcomes (both are based on taught knowledge) but CATS are pretty good too although that's we don't use them for setting etc.

BitOutOfPractice · 03/09/2014 23:38

Sorry about my crappy bracketry - it's been a looooong day!

BitOutOfPractice · 03/09/2014 23:34

I think you've hit the nail on the head with this statement OP "[I} just can't help being sensitive about whether that was a wise decision" - try not to second guess everything the school does and be determined that they are in the wrong before you even start. That way lies madness!

Original poster
PiqueABoo · 03/09/2014 23:25

@tiggytape, I did think that might be the case, that it would be more data driven regardless of whether you're hands-up girl, so yes that confirmation is a consolation.

DD holds back, avoids limelight, largely because she doesn't want to be seen as boastful, a show off etc. Tell her to go stand in a spotlight and that suits her because she can perform and blame the teacher for leaving her no choice but to do it.

OP posts:
Picturesinthefirelight · 03/09/2014 19:47

My dd knew no one at her new school but most children were in the same boat - a few knew each other.

Considering she previously went to a private academic junior school I'm very impressed with her secondary. They've picked up her strengths & weaknesses very well - picked up on a n SEN which explains a lot & differentiate extremely well challenging the most able & supporting the less able.

tiggytape · 03/09/2014 17:54

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Original poster
PiqueABoo · 03/09/2014 14:51

@Coolas, you're quite persuasive. Good effort! Wink

It's an OK-ish comp not selective. We don't have any selectives close enough except for super-selective that still seemed too distant, but maybe-just feasible at a pinch. DD is very bright and looked like a credible enough contender to contemplate the latter, but I simply couldn't stomach the prospect of sacrificing cheerful childhood for training to match the competition's. I think she will be much happier as a bigger fish in the local pond, but just can't help being sensitive about whether that was a wise decision and how far they'll rewind the (already capped at primary) curriculum clock.

Her summary of English began "All we did was..." and if they were trying to figure out the children I hope they’re good at it because only the one (older, long-experienced) primary teacher got her measure and those teachers had her all day, every day. She’s a bit of a chameleon, quite analytical and strategic in public, routinely "holds back" in order to fit in and that has worked very well for her in social terms. However we’ve had a few too many “Well, I didn’t expect that!” moments from teachers who apparently didn’t see past a bit of a construct partly based on DD’s view of their very own expectations.

@Picturesinthefirelight, on their transition day in the summer term it turned out that DD was the only girl from her primary school class in a form without any familiar company. All the other children in her form clustered together based on their source primary schools and she was left to sit on a desk by herself. She saw those little Sad looks you can’t hide on hearing something like that and now appears to be intent on proving it isn’t problem, thus likely won’t say anything much about social aspects for a while. So we got very little of the social side (presumably to minimise the risk of any parental concern) and some long, boring stories about specific CATs questions.

Normally it's the other way around i.e. academic and other achievements are forgotten in favour of social stuff.

OP posts:
tiggytape · 03/09/2014 12:43

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Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Picturesinthefirelight · 03/09/2014 10:53

Dd didn't infirm me until weeks afterwards that she had CAT tests.

She was more interested in what she had for lunch & who was in her class.

IrianofWay · 03/09/2014 10:36

It makes sense to me. SATS are not that reliable and many secondary schools don't take any notice of them. Ours did their CATs last June on one of the visit days they had to the new school. My youngest is not the most academic of children but he found them perfectly straightforward. They aren't difficult tests at all.

I guess you might have an issue with the timing but maybe they couldn't get all the children to the school last term.

HolidayPackingIsHardWork · 03/09/2014 10:27

Well of course Oakmaiden, but there are times everyone lets things slip. It's nice to know when you really shouldn't.

Pressuring a grumpy kid to eat an egg when they say they are nervous and just want a bit of white toast for instance is the kind of thing a reasonable parent might do on the first day thinking that the first day is going to be mostly orientation and "easing in." Not nice to find out that the child is taking a high stakes test. And frankly, a test that determines the child's academic setting for the first year of secondary, would be considered high stakes by most parents.

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