Have we got a starting Secondary School Support thread?

We had a wailing tiredness meltdown yesterday but he was fine once that was out of the way. He's brought his history book home to do some homework. Am I allowed to cover it in clear sticky plastic or will that be instant social death for him?

Gileswithachainsaw
Blazers often look big on new y7s. I think a lot of parents (sensibly) err towards the bigger size in anticipation of a massive growth spurt and because they are stupidly expensive for what they are most of the time

We also had a mad sock scramble yesterday, sure I bought some but the sock monster ate them. DS loves school uniform and sometimes insists on wearing the trousers and socks in the summer.

Well a bit of moaning about the blazer being too big or well every thing being a bit big really but other than that fairly smooth morning

Apart from discovering that despite spending weeks and several hundred pounds getting it all together I sodding forgot to get socks didn't I...Thank God her tights arrived. Organic 100 percent 10 a pair tights cos she has eczema ... They better not be damaged by the time she gets home...

Still she went put the door pretty happy and she said she will text at lunch....

So the waking up late and mad scramble to get to the bus stop on time happened today. At least we now know if necessary DS can go from fast asleep to out the door in 15 minutes. Shame it is school photo day and he still had bed hair!

My DD was up at 6am singing away so hopefully a good sign.

DS did say his homework was to research a mathematician. I said which one, he said I don't remember it might have started with F So now we are playing guess the mathematician. They were doing sequences and DH guesses Fourier but who knows.

DS is currently stressed as DD apparently emptied his bag to nose at all his things and so half his things are missing. Poor DS is ASD but at least she is repacking it.

DD was saying this morning that she needs a break and was hoping it was Saturday. I hope it's just tiredness, I had to remind her she was on the bus this morning after she tried to get into the car (I did offer her a lift but she plodded off down the road!).

I'll be glad to get the first week out of the way myself tbh! DD's school does the two week timetable thing, so we have another week of firsts to go. We'll have a celebration tea tonight and some big breakfasts over the weekend to restore ourselves!

Hope everyone else has a good day!

I spoke too soon. DS just said he doesn't want to go tomorrow because it's "boring". Same thing he said everyday for the past 7 years of primary. Oh well, I'm not too surprised.

DD2 got bus 2 home alone today, which was a triumph. Although her neighbour's mum was then really worried, because DD2's assumption that the neighbour had left her behind and got bus 1 (which was too overcrowded for DD2 to get on) was wrong, and it turned out that the neighbour hadn't come home at all. After some investigation, it transpired that neighbour decided to stay behind at school and cover a book without telling DD1 or her Mum, so didn't get on bus 1 or 2! I've told DD2 that she's going to have to just carry on coming home at the right time and tell her neighbour that she needs to follow the rules I've given her, and if that means that they sometimes aren't together, that's too bad.

Tonight was 'parent information night' and 'meet the tutor'. I thought DD2 would come (DD1 and DD3 were going to their grandparents), but she informed me that she had already been at school for 7 hours, that it was 'parent' information evening, and she couldn't see how she needed to meet the tutor when she had just spent the last 4 days with her! So having 3 very strong arguments against attending, she felt that she should go to Nanny and Grandad's while I went to the school.

I'm glad I went, as the form tutor was lovely, and said that she'll check in with DD2 daily to see how she is, and reassure her that she can tell her any worries about any lesson. She's said that it's no surprise that she's waiting for ASD assessment, and she's already finding her quite comical in her little ways, but thinks she's very lovely.

The SENCO was great. I got lots of cuddles with the new school dog (which made DD2 Curtis and jealous when I told her) and we're going to start keeping a "what if" worry log, and she's going to arrange a once weekly pre-school session where she can go and chat with the SENCO and the dog about those worries, and they'll write down the answers to them.

Glad to hear DD is feeling a lot better Lougle.

After a rather rushed morning and some fussing about a purple pen and then coming back to get his phone, DS2 had another good day.

DS2 is certainly making good use of ParentPay and the canteen! DS1 is in Yr8. I put £10 when he started in Yr7 and he still has the same £10 on now as he won't go in the canteen even though it serves burgers and milkshakes good things he would eat and packed lunches are really difficult. (he has ASD and is an ASD base).

Glad your DD had a good day Sassitude

DS didn't seem to notice they hadn't been expecting him 😎 and all y7s do same so not much impact. DD said all the teachers were 😱😱😱 at her being there and seemed put out the Spanish teacher didn't let her answer questions (She's never done Spanish and was in top set Spanish class where they have done it a year though claims she understood everything). She was going through the other girls names and said Kitty and our cat came over to her and went meow. She seems to have a new super posh accent which she says is her new fake accent, she changes how she speaks to how most of kids speak at each school but its really overdone this time 😂

Best day so far here, liked the lessons today and didn't get lost at all! Slightly late home due to a bus issue but nothing serious, I was more worried about the rain as DD had gone out without a coat.

Penguin my DD would not have coped well if she'd turned up at a school and they were not expecting her, so well done to your two for that! Hope your DD is OK, Permanent

DS had another OK day. Wasn't so keen on some of the lessons like english and only did testing in maths and PE was just going over what they are doing this term. He has subjects he likes the sounds of tomorrow (apart from geography apparently even though he has never done it before!). He got lost again but his sister saw him wandering in circles and pointed him in the right direction.

DD seems better today as a few things are being sorted out to help her cope. It's almost funny how the child with ASD is fine and the NT one isn't coping! (it's not really funny I know).

Mine have just got back but the school didn't have either of them on the register though we did get places a few days before summer term ended.

They seem to be giving them places at least. Fortunately both seemed to cope OK even DS who is ASD. DS has been given a form tutor who he says is OK not the best not the worst, a history teacher who is apparently pretending to be nice but its clearly faked as the work was far too hard , a nice art teacher and a ridiculous maths teacher who said this work is for geniuses when DS said it was super easy squared numbers.

DD didn't get given a timetable just a girl to follow round as they seemed completely we have another y8 pupil. DD said girl was nice. Don't think she got a form tutor. DS said other children were OK but no friends yet. School not set up their dinner money scheme but are doing that tomorrow.

Hope others days went well.

It’s nice to hear some of your dc are settling, and problem solving - the bus mix up would have had my dd firmly back in her room refusing to go out again!

Dd2 made it to school this morning, which given how ‘wrong’ everything was (wrong uniform, shoes hurt, wrong socks, everything too new, etc) is a miracle in itself.

She had a major wobble and couldn’t go in by herself, and the planned workaround couldn’t be accommodated which left her in meltdown. Her form teacher rescued us, and walked us through to her classroom. More eyes opened as to exactly how affected by her ASD she is (she does a sterling job at masking usually). They say we can take it slowly, and move at her pace, but only time will tell on that one.

God knows what state she will be in at pick up.

BlueChampagne hope your son's day gets better after the bus drama. He did well to find his way there even from the wrong bus.

DD had her first day at a superselective yesterday. She enjoyed it and finished her maths homework in the lesson. She is too damn clever by half! (defo not from me).

DS1 had his first day yesterday. They stayed with their tutor group in the morning getting their timetables etc then started lessons in the afternoon. He seems to be loving it and apparently his English teacher is 'the best teacher ever'

I hope today is good for everyone! DD was a lot better yesterday and the teacher had touched base with her after receiving my email, it seems.

We had bus drama this morning (DS1's first day). The bus before the one he wants is the same number but goes a different way and doesn't stop at school! So he had to walk the last mile or so (with bag and PE kit). Phoned school to let them know but only got to leave a message. DS didn't text anyone to say he'd arrived safely, so scrambled grandparents (who are staying) to check he'd make it. Thankfully he had. Bet he won't make that mistake again!

DS fretting this morning because he has to speak to his (apparently lovely) form tutor about a minor clerical error on their system. They have his first and middle names down as a hyphenated first name and he was told off by a dinner lady yesterday when he just gave his first name and surname and she couldn't find him on the system and assumed he was giving a fake name All he has to say is 'Miss, the register has me down as R-L but L is my middle name - I'm just known as R', but I bet any money he won't do it. I'll drop the school an email as well so they have it in writing, but I want him to have the opportunity to speak to her about a straightforward issue just so that he knows he can approach her if anything more serious ever arises.

When mine had her first German lesson last year she told me in the first lesson she had learnt Guten Adolf was good evening. 😱

Both mine starting today at a new secondary in a new year, DS (ASD) in y7 and DD in y8. Both super excited and its got an outstanding reputation so hopeful.

DD was so unhappy at her last school, grammar, academically amazing but lacking in pastoral care. Got notice yesterday one of the other girls there died day before due back and DD said that was how it made me feel too so very happy I have moved her.

Got places late so hadn't been given start time or got school dinners set up but got through this morning and they are off with packed lunches.

Lougle pleased that your daughter felt a bit better after yesterday.
PermanentPortakabin fingers crossed that it is not too bad today for your daughter.
Titsywoo good that your son had a good day but sorry that your daughter didn't.

My DD started on Tuesday and seems to be doing OK so far. She said they asked for help when they didn't know where they were going for a lesson so that's good. I think there are lots of new things to get their heads around. The Year 7s have been going into lunch slightly earlier but half of her friends had left their lunch cards in their lockers in their form room. They couldn't get into the room at the time for lunch because older girls were having a lesson in there. Not a massive problem but it is all about thinking ahead a bit more. Different from primary school where they were told what time to line up for lunch and didn't have to think too much about it.

She had German yesterday - what did you learn. "Oh I don't know I wasn't really listening". Hope she was really and that was just stroppy child response otherwise she'll soon get found out.

Hopefully those starting today will have a good day.

Ds actually had a good day! Said it was better than primary school. He made a good impression in IT as he knew what binary is (bit of a computer expert!).

Dd however fell apart spectacularly after lots of change appears to have happened - all new teachers and changes to her form room. Sobbing for a couple of hours after school :(