11yr old ds in tears over summer school.

why would they bring them in to do schoolwork

Some schools use the Y7 pupil catch-up funding to bring in pupils who didn't meet the expected level at KS2 to do extra maths and English to try to boost them before school starts, and avoid the summer slide.

Expect way more of this next year when they bring in Y7 SATs resits.

Our summer school has also been cancelled, which I think is such a shame - what a great way to mix up the kids from the different primaries and get them feeling comfortable and familiar with the school surroundings before the big kids are there getting in the way

However, my ds was quite ambivalent about the summer school (before it was cancelled) as he's quite shy, and I think I would have had to persuade him on the basis of a couple of fun activities, maybe the day out to the seaside or whatever. I wouldn't have pushed it because it's the summer holidays and he's already had two brilliant transition days at the school, plus he knows it reasonably well from activities they've done there in Y6.

Do you have Stay the Day activities at the local Council gym? I wonder if maybe you suggest he should do a couple of those during the hols, to make sure he doesn't get too isolated (not that you would use that form of words with him).

It might also be worth talking to the Summer School people about techniques they've found useful to help make the sessions attractive for kids with special needs. Maybe he could go in and see where it's going to be and hear from a young person about what all the fun activities are?

It's tricky. If he doesn't go will it make September harder for him?

I'd be inclined to encourage him to go just so that the start of next term is less daunting and also because there may already be some friendship groups forming after the summer days.

I and my dd who has Asd are both gutted our summer school has been cancelled. Does your ds realise it's games etc and are designed to help dx particularly ones with Sen feel more confident about September.

Without sounding nuts- could you text him??

Sometimes when really upset, young teens can process simple information more easily. Consider it the modern day equivalent of sliding a note under the door 😁.

Would it be possible to negotiate that he goes for first two sessions and then if he really hates it, you won't insist that he goes for the rest of the sessions? I appreciate that this may not be possible if your son has 'pulled down the shutters' on the whole concept - I have a child on the autistic spectrum.

Do you know what they will be doing?

maths, english, school work?

or

getting to know each other, team building, finding way round the school, using the lunch hall, lockers, sports etc.

it might be really useful if it is the latter (i imagine it is, why would they bring them in to do schoolwork?)

I think any benefit of the additional support will be lost if he is that upset about going.

I'd try and go through whatever reasons he has for not wanting to go, and reassure him with logical explanations why he doesn't need to worry, big up all the positives, and offer the deal that if he goes the first day he doesn't have to return if he hates it, but if he was still that upset I wouldn't force it.

Different if it was a childish tantrum objection, but that's not the case.

Why doesn't he want to go?

It's a shame as it sounds like it could be good for making friends before school starts.

Give him a day to decide, and of course turn it down if he doesn't want to go, but let him really think about it first.

Oops cross post. I would discuss it when he's calmer in a it's just so you can meet people way and leave it at that. I just wonder if September is going to be even more daunting if he's so upset now. Is there anyone from CAHMS that you could talk to? This raising children lark isn't easy, is it?

My friends son had something similar. He has some additional needs. It wasn't to do school work but to get to know some of the children from other primary schools as well as familiarise themselves with the school.

They did things like learning how to use the combination lock on the lockers and finding out where their classrooms were for each subject.

Can he tell you what is upsetting him so much? I would be inclined to accept the place and then see how things are closer to the day. Has he got friends who are moving with him or would this be a chance to meet potential classmates? I only ask because DS struggled with the transition because there were only a few of his primary school friends who moved to the same school and they were all in different classes. He missed the first 2 weeks of the first term due to having surgery, so he missed out on orientation and getting to know the people in his classes, which made that term a bigger struggle than it needed to be.

Following a lot of discussion with the school, they started holding 3 day summer schools in the groups that the kids were going to be in so that they would have a chance to get to know each other. It was mostly team building type stuff and being shown their way around the school etc. DD is planning to go to the same school and I'll be glad that she will get the chance to meet people before school starts.

Just out of curiosity why shouldn't it feel like "he's got his way"? Would it be such a bad thing for him to know his feelings are being taken into account and that he isn't going to be forced into something he clearly finds distressing? It's the summer holidays, he found year six stressful, he needs this downtime before going to secondary.

I wouldn't send him!

is the summer school for all the kids? or is it due to additional support needed?

if the latter i'd let him skip it

if the former i'd tell him he has to go for the first day only. it might be fun. it is probably designed to make september less daunting.