Have we got a starting Secondary School Support thread?

Welcome back Titsy I would ask what numbers mean but both my kids reports are all over the place with grading and some are very clearly way out. DS I can understand as he hasn't gone to some lessons so they've stuck some random guess in and DD they are refusing to use last school's data or SATS so also full of random guesses and average seems to be default guess. It's quite annoying in DDs case but like banging head of brick wall asking them about it. In English she's gone back 1.5 years in grading in 6 weeks.

Titsy is that a 3 target at the end for the actual GCSEs, target for end of year 8/9 (depending on school)or a working at 3 now?

If it's working at D grade in year 7, that's doing pretty well. If it's target for GCSE that's a bit concerning.

Ime the grades they give on reports are not quite a random number generator anyway.

We got given a report and I can't make out what the mix of numbers and letters means at all.
Why couldn't they keep it simple with using A to G

Hey everyone,

I didn't realise this thread was still going! Haven't posted since Oct as DS has been doing ok. However we got his report yesterday and his results for english, maths and RE are a bit concerning (RE is also a core GCSE subject at his school). Teacher assessment mark for the term is 3 in maths and 2 in english and RE (they use the GCSE grading so this is D in maths and E's in english and RE!). He has always been good at maths and got 110 in his SATs, english isn't great for him as his ASD means he struggles with a lot of the concepts. Luckily we've got parents evening in 2 weeks but I am concerned. He says the teachers do things too quickly and certainly in some classes he is struggling with the noise of the other kids. Mainly though he is happy and gets on with homework with no fuss (amazing for him!). Classwork, homework and behaviour on his report are all good or excellent so that is something! He seems to be in the top maths group so I'm confused as to what the issue is. Anyway not much anyone can say to any of that but it's nice to get it all out! Hope everyone elses kids are well - I'[m just going to go back and read what I have missed on here!

Glad the Head of Year was responsive and not of a similar mind to the form tutor cheminotte.

All quiet from DS2's school, not really sure what to do about PE on Monday as it's all somewhat up in the air. Things going somewhat wrong for DS3 at his school, so I'm a bit schooled out. Just managed to write an email to the LA but send it to myself rather than them. Very glad it's the weekend!

Well my email did result in a chat with the Head of year so it was worth it. I think the issue is just ongoing really and it’s a case of managing rather than solving.

Glad DS had a better day and DD with her English. Long may it continue!

I got a letter today inviting me to a meeting about DS2's attendance. Not compulsory, but if I don't attend then they will assume his attendance will improve and issue a report detailing as such. So I've made an appointment.They use a 3rd party for attendance issues, google tells me they are all ex EWO who have set up their own management company. I rang the GP, they said I had to write a letter to them to ask them to write a letter for me. Which I did, just hope they will do it, and in time for the meeting. £18 which is less than I thought it would be.

I am always sending e-mails to school then thinking oops phrased that a bit too strongly though primary were fine with it, secondary seem to be passing me round people. 😂

DS said today was OK and I said was it better than yesterday as you seemed sad then grumpy and he explained he had been grumpy yesterday as a berry dropped on him. DD announced she put effort into English for the first time and teacher said it must be her best subject as it was so good so at least she's pulling her finger out there.

That's horrible cheminotte, did you get the issue sorted out for DS? I'm sure if school ever raise anything about your DS they would not appreciate you telling them you don't get involved in school matters!

I sent an email, now half regret it as I think it's just going to make things worse for DS2. At least he hasn't got PE until next week now. I'm going to ring the GP surgery to see if they will write a note about PE. I know they will charge which is fine, they are just so busy. It's so silly as he isn't just struggling with PE, he says using equipment in design leaves him shattered and he looks like utter crap when he gets home every day.

Yes DS’s form tutor apparently told him I should stay out of school matters when I emailed to complain about something. I’ve sat on my hands for an entire half term but this was too much to ignore.

Apparently the teacher only referred to me as rude though DS2 felt the teacher was annoyed with me.

I had a very frustrating conversation with the Achievement Director. PE teacher denies making any comments about the AD being able to work out what is wrong with ill children and was just trying to push back on me. Gave me email contacts if I want to complain.

I hate it when teachers start having a go at kids as I have raised an issue - though I think mine can both be "annoying" at school too.

Nothing from school but DS2 texted me to say thst head of PE (who I've never spoken to) said to him that I'm "rude and annoying" (DS2 used speech marks). Argh this is not going well

I rang the school. Apparently the "Achievement Director wouldn't do that" about pulling him out to talk about his illness. Maybe they need to tell the PE teacher that! They're going to look into it and call me back. They raised his absences being odd days here and there, I said I could keep him off for longer if they would prefer that, we've just been trying to keep him in school.

Bit worried DS2 is going to get a hard time for telling me and he has PE again this morning.

That is annoying Dobbins, wouldn't be happier either, horrible to be feeling ill and accused of faking it, like the workplace already.

Glad DS is feeling better now cheminotte. DS2's canteen choices are similar. Apparently the queues for healthy stuff are always too long!

Eek at the girl wanted to be DD's best friend penguins, I hope it all settles down. I have no idea where we're going to put a tree this year! Glad the cat is content.

I sent an email the various people at DS2's school about his illness and referral to paediatrician and PE etc. He was excused from PE assistant duties, but the PE teacher told him that the school is very good with health, and the Achievement Director is very good at finding out what is wrong with ill children . She will be pulling him out of a lesson to talk to him. DS2 also said he felt the PE teacher was trying to catch him out about being ill.

I am of course delighted that a teacher thinks she can solve what 4 HCP's at the GP surgery and 2 blood tests haven't been able to, and DS2 may be able to fake an inflamed throat and swollen glands. I always knew he was a clever clogs, but this makes me very proud! I may ask her to fix my back problem! DH is ringing the school tomorrow as he is not amused.

Nothing like a school row Dobbins, our primary was an endless source of them.

DD said one of the girls who told her to kill herself is now back at school after having skived two days last week and is trying to be DDs best friend. Hope that doesn't materialise as DDs current best friend is a drama queen so is DD and the prospect of a third one Ordered a Christmas tree for our new - well 500 year old house - DD begged me to get fake "as real ones come with insects" but our ceilings are quite low so its only a small one. DD rushed out to buy tinsel as we apparently need new tinsel and has got red and white which looks beautiful not and got super excited putting it up. DS has been singing lots of Xmas songs and tells me the tree is the size of one and a bit large pandas. Cat had eyes tested and awaiting results, has mild diabetes, heart problems but no kidney issues according to tests. Still purring away and stuffing herself silly. Went swimming at weekend for first time in ages and got a chainsaw to do back garden of old house, its past point of shears.

That’s a very good point Dobbin , I hadn’t thought about it being skewed like that.
He’s all better now and back to buying junk food in the canteen and not eating his packed lunch (he was off cheese and fatty foods for over 2 weeks).

That sounds tough for your DS too.

GP said he doesn't have asthma, "just" viral-induced wheeze penguins. But he also suffers with hayfever and gets wheezy then. Also allergic to the cat.To be fair, he's been a lot better the last couple of years with wheeziness. He had awful reflux and the worst eczema on his face as a baby. He has normally manages to have the worst illness in school holidays so he's attendance has never been an issue, until now.

Poor DS cheminotte, hope he's all better now. It doesn't help that attendance percentages are so skewed by days off early in the term, and this time of year is quite typical for all the sickness bugs. There's a few upset parents on the FB tonight about the latest attendance/illness email. Looks like a row is developing now

Attendance does seem to be very high priority at secondary. Ds’s Half term illness dragged on and he was sick again a week later so I kept him off for another 2 days, but he got a lot of grief so although it took nearly 3 weeks for him to be back to normal I sent him in anyway.

It is hard to get the balance right. I don't want to dismiss him when he's not well, but I don't want to "feed" the idea he's too ill either, IYKWIM.

He's currently griping about history homework. They don't need to fill the full page but will get in trouble if they only do a couple of lines. So try for 3/4 suggest I. Oh the hurrumphing!

Sounds like not bacterial then. Has he been tested for asthma? Zero medical background here though but wheezing every winter isn't typical. DD used to wheeze and a friend who is a doctor suggested asthma though doctor told me they couldn't test but other people said doctors can. I do find sometimes your immune system just goes and you get hit by everything going for a month or so. It might be worth trying a week's rest avoiding germs at school I would guess doctor would write something if needed though may charge. Seems very harsh to put it as unauthorised, implies he's skiving, though anxiety also goes as unauthorised.

It's so hard, isn't it? When DD2 was ill, I actually asked the GP if she was 'malingering', but he said that her glands were up and she was genuinely ill. But it was all quite low-level, non-specific, non-diagnosable stuff that couldn't be pinned on any one disease. 'Viral'.

They've authorised his absences so far, but I'm just a bit concerned about what to do until he is either better, or he's been seen by a paediatrician for the evidence they may start asking for. He didn't respond to antibiotics, it was a 10 day course.

Asides from the fatigue, he does consistently present with an inflamed throat and enlarged glands. He's been examined 4 times, roughly 2 weeks between appointments. So it does present that there is something physically going on. Probably just a virus that will hopefully go of its own accord, but in the meantime the minor things, like the cold he currently has, are totally wiping him out. He's always gone down hard with things, toddlers years until about 9 it was viral-induced wheeze every winter. Inhalers and nebuilisers etc

The trouble is that stress can manifest itself physically, too. I have no idea whether that is contributing here, but DD2 was clearly physically ill in year 1, but also not coping emotionally. Her attendance was down to 79% before I removed her and changed schools. She managed 100% attendance at the next school, but only because once she fell apart, they withdrew her from afternoon classes for nurture group, and when that stopped, I withdrew her altogether and HE'd.

When she went to school 3, she managed pretty much 100% attendance, because it was a tiny school, so they could nurture her within the class. Now, at secondary, she gets through by having 2 sessions a day with the dog.

It's interesting, she said that she goes to the SN block to spend time there (she isn't classified as having SN, as she's too academically able, so doesn't get taught there) as she feels like she is more like the people who are taught there, and she fits in there. She feels like she should be there and should be taught there, so when she goes there, she feels like she's arrived 'home'.