Yr7 new starters

Me too!!! Thankyou I could cry for him expecially as he is only one of 5 from his primary and most have split. I need to keep cheery and positive in the morning. Glad everyone is doing ok I guess they just have to where they fit I guess. Does anyone else have mixed age tutor groups I think they call it vertical?? I remember forming friends in my form class so find it weird if they split them for tutor group, and classes. How do they make their friends iykwim

well, the rest of her day went well. She found someone to talk to, although she did say that a lot of the girls were 'girly and talked about shopping'
Dd is not into anything girly at all.
I am hoping she finds others like her. Shouldn't be too hard should it?

Oh dickory what bad timing! Hope he is OK tomorrow

Don't worry, it is not unusual, all staff are aware how difficult it is and will help plus friendships are still shuffling around!

I'm feeling sick with nerves has Ds has been off all this week with sickness not sure if it's anxiety linked or a bug. He goes back tomorrow after only attending one day on Friday I feel sick for him and I can sense his nerves and he must sense mine!!! Of all the weeks he had to be ill!! I'm really hoping it was just not a big as I used to be sick with stress when I was a kid.

DD had her first day today in Y7. Only Y7 and 12 in the school so it wasn't quite so crowded as it will be tomorrow. She walked part way there herself and came back on the bus. She gave the day nearly full marks, only taking off half a mark for the lunch which was good but not as good as her dad's cooking. She said she nearly died of happiness that so many others in her class were disappointed at no homework on the first day - she feels she finally has soulmates who love learning as much as she does. I hope the rest of the term goes as well.

From a teacher's perspective I taught my first Y7 class in 6 years (as SMT I usually only teach exam classes). Well, I had forgotten how lovely and enthusiastic they are. If the class I taught is representative of current 11year olds you are all to be congratulated. They were keen to participate and all made the effort to include other, quieter, children even if they didn't know their name ( this was a set subject so they were from 8 different tutors). At the end of the lesson they all left the room thanking me for a lovely lesson!!! The most you get from Y11 is a grunted "that went quickly". Good times!

Hope everyone is getting on ok. DD starts in the morning. I'm feeling a bit nervous . Hopefully will feel better when tomorrow is over and done with. I think her nerves are rubbing off on me. The fact that she is the only one in her class going there is the main thing although she met some nice girls on her induction day - who can tell whether they will still be friends when they properly start though!

AChicken you daughter did the right thing - well done her.
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Steppemun* that sounds a very stressful start to the day. Hope the rest of the day was a lot calmer.

actually, I think it was more stressful for dh!

How stressful for you steppemum - lesson learned, hope she has a good day.

Right, so off she went. Year 7s only, so dh cycled her to the station, went with her to ticket barrier, and guess what? No train ticket. She had put her new train ID card and ticket (and her purse) in the pocket of the wrong coat last night, and so, despite my careful checking with her that she had EVERYTHING, and all my plans, here is spare lunch money in case, here is £10 emergency money in case you loose your train pass, etc etc etc. She had no ticket, (and no money)
After a panicked phone call (from dh) I realised what she had done, he bought her a new ticket just for today and took her through and got her bike locked up etc. They were still early. 3 other new girls on the platform waiting for the train, (tiny local train, only 2 arriages) so they had a chance to meet and get to know each other. One of the mums was going on the train with them I think (dd has done the journey a couple of times, and because ds does it, she is very blase, wouldn't be seen dead with us accompanying her!)

All fine. Then when dh gets home, I say - so you gave her money then? No? Why? BECAUSE HER PURSE WAS WITH HER TRAIN TICKET!!! (apparently he didn't hear me say this, didn't occur to dd to tell him, and didn't occur to him as he was panicking over ticket)

Oh. So I have had to text her and tell her to go to student services so she can get something for lunch.

(she's fine, texted ds from the train, but hasn't texted me!)

Hour your daughter has a lovely day steppemum!

Oh, just found this.
dd1 starts tomorrow. No primary friends with her, and a train journey to get to school.
Her (girls) school is next door to her brothers school (boys) so they are going to be travelling together on the train.
Dh will cycle her to the station for the first few days though.

She is excited. year 7s only tomorrow, I am worried for her for friendships as she has always just had one or two close friends.

less nervous than I was when ds started though.

It's so reassuring to hear about other children who are having wobbles. Totally normal but hard to hear when it's your own child.

FiveMoreMinutes - we are having issues with a group of friends who originally said they'd walk with DD, but are now determined to meet up at a place that means crossing the main road in a really dodgy place, instead of using the pelican crossing. DD2 is now feeling very conflicted because she actually wants to take the safer option but is very sad about walking alone. I'm proud that she was sensible this morning and walked the safe way, but I do feel for her inside.

Day 2 for my DD. She loves the school but is very nervous and shy of approaching girls to make friends. She doesn't like the walk back though and is scared of the main road ( understandable after being knocked down by a passing van in year 6). She has to do it though to get get confidence back. I've told her she is very brave.

DD1 started y7 today, she is in tears now after putting a brave face all day and feeling very proud of herself having taken the bus home on her own. I feel terrible because I decided to send her off to a different school than her friends from primary. I still think she will get more out of this school and it is entirely normal to feel this way to begin with but it is hard to see, poor DD.

Dd enjoyed her first day today after a miserable induction day at the end of last term. She seems to be friendly with lots of new people already and looking forward to doing d and t tomorrow too. Phew.

DS started today- 2 lots of homework was a shock...

Everything seemed to go well thankfully.

Day 2 today, and the first day when all the other (enormous) students have been present. It's been a roller coaster. Texts from DD2 at break time and lunch time asking how long till she could go home, saying all her (old school) friends are being mean - which is entirely believable sadly - and that she is scared. Moving ahead to 3:30, she arrives home all smiles, with the same friends, and brandishing the prize she won for her summer holiday project. So it's definitely been a game of two halves and I am an emotional wreck!

Ds was sick last night so had to keep him off really gutted for him as it's the first day of proper lessons. He is behind academically any way so this is not a great start :-(

DS starting on Wednesday and doesn't seem worried at all. I guess it helps having an older sibling at the school.

Of course we've left it until today to buy school shoes/gum shield/pencil case/football boots.

my son has quite a lot of anxiety issues and its worth speaking to the school in advance so they can watch out and support your ds. my sons school seem very caring and they were pleased i let them know . having said that, he seems ok at the mo, starts fri. good luck

My lovely DS is just going into year 12, he was the most nervous, upset and unhappy year 7 starter ever. He would happily have stayed at primary school forever and was very anxious about going to a new school (which we had appealed for) without his friends. I just want you to know, they will all be fine - yes, it did take DS a good few weeks to settle but the school knew exactly what they were doing. He was lucky (and so were we!) that he had an fantastic form tutor who spent a lot of time reassuring him that he would be alright). I look back now and I am so proud of him, he did exceptionally well in his GCSE's and is a kind, bright and confident young man, so different from that anxious little boy. We got through the early days with lots of tlc and reassurance. We even agreed that if he really hated it by half term we would look at other schools. In fact, by then, he was fine and as we went to pick up his results a fortnight ago he told me he couldn't imagine ever being at another school and "thanks, Mum". Good luck to you all, it's hard being a Mum sometimes, but they will be fine and you will look back and wonder what you (and they) were worried about!

Having to write in pen an issue.
Anyone suggest a non smudging pen. Left hander here.
We are experimenting with pens at the moment.
Also likes a good comfy grip. It can be the little things that trip you up!
He wrote in pencil at primary.
Apart from that, seems happy. Rules and regulations do seem stricter than primary but he will have to learn to adjust with everyone else....

My DS started at yr 7 Friday and it went fine. He was nervous but trying not to show it, as was I. He has been split from his friends and will only know 1 boy from primary so understandably he's a bit anxious! But he was immediately approached in the playground by a boy he met during induction & off they marched in the gates together hardly looking back. To say I was relieved is an understatement. He came home full of stories re rules & regs but definitely was upbeat & even admitted to looking forward to Monday! So don't worry , we all went through this and came through it as will they. It's all part of life's journey isn't it?