Starting secondary support thread 2

New thread is here for anyone that wants to join: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/secondary/3649336-Year-8-Support-Thread

Yes I'm up for a year 8 thread.

Anyone up for a year 8 thread?

I think if we keep this one it's going to get confusing.

Thank you @PenguinsRabbits that's good to hear. I really hope he doesn't have to start then change schools. Keeping my fingers crossed we hear something over the summer. I imagine no shows in September are pretty common!
I'll check out the thread for new Y7s. It feels such a big step!

Hi Popfan Good luck on getting your first choice - we got our first choice for DD in July and then more places came up end August / first week September so would imagine you will get a place.

We have all got children just finishing year 7 on here (I also have a year 8, about to start year 9). You're most welcome to join here though think there is another thread running for new year 7s as well in secondary education.

Hi, sorry to crash the thread as I can see you all have got to know each other! My DS has a place at a pretty good school, not our first choice but it's fine. We really liked his form tutor and I was v impressed by the year head. Anyway, I'd written off our first choice but then there was a flurry of later admissions (one child lives down our road) and we are now 1st on the waiting list!! Part of me wishes we could forget it but we did really much prefer it and although my DS is happy with the school he has a place at he would still like to go to the other one. He has friends going to both. He doesn't know the waitlist position as I just want him to look forward to starting his new school. So, we will see what happens over the summer!

Hope you are all having nice summers. Glad to have got there.

Got all summer with the kids. DD is going to France to stay with MIL for 5 days or so and DH suggested we go away too - DS was very happy at the idea of a weekend with no sister. So we will go to Torquay for a long weekend. Then have 2 weeks in Norway and Sweden.

Good luck for A level results Witchend We have mysteriously disappearing homework which is never the fault of the DC here too If your DD is doing that well in tests wouldn't worry about predicted grade, we have a few odd ones, normally correct over time.

So hot here, DD made the rabbit a paddling pool but he was rather unimpressed. He's happy though to have DD home. Cat has struggled, she fell in her water bowl 3 times one day when she was so sleepy with old age / heat but is now well enough to be grumpy when someone doesn't give her attention first. No timetable for DD yet, DH said he was told by TA they don't have all the teachers, kids told they got timetables muddled. DS seems to have 2 Spanish teachers for French.

Got as usual a bitty holiday with lots of things for each person, but little time all together.

All the children do one or more residentials, but none at the same time.
Dd1 has A-level results that come out the day ds needs picking up. I think she wants dh with her to help her think rationally if all's gone wrong, so I'm going to be travelling as a bundle of nerves. Ds has swimming lessons, and dd2 is going to be told she isn't going to spend the entire holiday on Discord. That's going to be a fun conversation.
However we have now acquired some budgies that can't fly, and ds is besotted with then, as is dd2. Dd1 was not impressed to arrive back (from first residential) to find them. However I found her sitting in ds' room talking to them because she thought they might be lonely. I think she has come round to the idea.

Interesting reports for them. Ds has apparently not always handed in homework in a number of subjects. He claims this is because he didn't hand in homework over the week his was absent (authorised) performing. I reserve judgement on that, I suspect he's just discovered they don't do much if he doesn't.
Dd2 has her lowest estimated grade for next year GCSE in maths. Which is interesting as she's top of the top set (never out of top 3 in tests), and we discussed this last term with her tutor commenting that either the teacher was underestimating to try and make it look like they achieved better results than expected or this teacher is admitting to seriously underperforming. Her tutor (unofficially) agreed with that. We've now passed this comment to the head of maths (not saying her tutor agreed). Hoping that they give dd2 a different teacher next year. Unfortunately ds has seen his timetable and seems to have this teacher too. I can see we might know the head of maths very well by the end of the year if they both have her.

Hello again all.
DS is struggling with the start of the summer holidays - sleeping badly mostly. Hopefully he’ll calm down / relax in a few days. It was activity week the last week of term, he enjoyed the trip to a museum but the day at school doing DT all day less so. I had thought 2 busy days out would be too much but in hindsight that probably would have been better. Am planning to give him his first few days at home alone and over the summer, 1 day a week for 3 weeks. I won’t be far away and can probably get him into holiday club / work from home if the first one goes badly. Am debating whether to leave a packed lunch or just instructions. The rest of the holiday will be a mix of me, DP, PILs and holiday club.

hello, thought I'd drop in here to wish everyone a fantastic Summer.
and DS's comments witchend, he's got a brilliant sense sof humour there.

Wave @ Penguins, will probably see you around the G&C. I hope you get the answers you need from school, their approach is bonkers and bizarre, I hope the LA find a way to put them in their legal place.

DS2 finished on Weds. He's health seems to be improving nicely, though Winter will be the tell I think. The parents evening was just basic and rushed, seems to be doing o.k. Tendency to daydream in the subject he doesn't like (English) working hard in all the others I could get appts for. Got a couple of top in class certificates, not for maths even though DS2 finished top of class in the end of year exams etc. But they generally give to the pupils doing the Elite Scholar thing, as outside effort counts more?

Had a lot of struggles and woes with DS3's school , so that's why I've not really been on MN much and have just felt a bit generally clobbered by life at all angles! Even DS1's transport has been up the wall and we've had so many sagas it's just ridiculous. Looking forward to the holidays as I'm not sending DS3 back this term so we are good and done.

Have a lovely summer. Have you got anything planned?

We have 3 days left and that's not painful at all Wednesday is sports day.

DS got his timetable in advance today - he's got same form tutor which is great, same English and history teachers which is also great. Both those have been amazing and last English he got an 8/9. Science still at war with and I called LEA in. LEA have told school what they are doing is illegal and so school are thinking of another plan, same teacher next year though. French, well DS has gone from 8/9 at start of year to a U largely as he's a French test refuser, did 1/3 of test and got 100%, been similar all year. They have put him next year with a 'Spanish co-ordinator' for French I presume this means he's in bottom set - I told him I wonder if she's a teacher or if she speaks French and he said its fine with me if she speaks no French and isn't a teacher.

DD got timetable envy as hers is not out yet and told DS he had the most horrible teachers in the school for every subject. She has been approached and told that music is oversubscribed next year and can some children who put it 4th like DD please choose another option. Lots of kids then declared music was vital to their future careers. DD then said well as its so vital to you I will change and do drama (she had changed her mind anyway but when she had chosen options before drama teacher said she recommended DD chose art or music not drama). DD has since improved at drama. Looks like she might have been moved to other half of year.

I saw Dobbins on the Goose and Carrot thread in SN chat.

How are all at the end of the year now?
Ds finished today and is very pleased to say that he will not be the smallest in the year any more.
He also knows quite well a couple of the girls who will be starting year 7 and says "no more peace"

DS got sent home again yesterday and is now banned from all science practicals. Still only 5 weeks to go. Also got a lovely long apology e-mail from the science teacher re maths competition.

Went out last nice for fireworks punting which was nice but sillily late.

Glad your DS is happier now Taswama

The kids were giggling a lot at the idea of optional detentions and the idea you could just walk out

Hope the show goes well Witchend

Hope you all had a good weekend. We went on a steam train for Father's Day and went to May Bumps garden party on Saturday. DS said he loved it there and asked what extra things you can do at university - I went through lots and he said he would do debating and drama And not much sport as there would be lots of people better than him and that wouldn't make him happy.

School also said we should give DS packed lunches as he doesn't eat at school. Thought that's odd his card shows he eats unless he's upset and has always refused packed lunch. Quizzed him and he often eats at break to avoid queues and has bacon sandwich. He also tells me he is boycotting apples due to 'unreasonable school apple inflation' as school apple prices have risen from 35p to 40p whilst apples have halved in size. Another 'school rip-off'. He has discovered oranges have been miscoded as ketchup and only cost 10p so has shifted to those though says they are small.

DD had 3 chapters of a book to read as homework so we had all 3 chapters on audio this morning as its due in today.

I think I'd ask if detentions are option at your school, what's the point in them as no one would do them

Ds said he's had the best last lesson the last two days. Apparently he had maths. A maths test. He said he completed in 15 minutes and spent the remaining 45 minutes gazing out of the window. Have told him if he had that amount to spare he should be getting 100%. He says not his fault if the teacher didn't make the questions clear enough...

Last rehearsal for his show tomorrow. He's winding his sisters up by singing "only one day next week". He leaves at 6:45 tomorrow morning. Yuck.

DS seems happier in his new form. End of year exams have been ongoing for a couple of weeks, with the final ones next week.
Have convinced DS he doesn’t need to do any more maths or science (which he loves) and should do English and German.

Thanks Witchend I was furious especially as I explained as politely and calmly as I could to maths teacher what had happened and asked him if DS could sit it later. Maths teacher gets DS and says you deliberately didn't sit the Maths paper did you and so DS comes home crying as he has been wanting to do that paper for months but science teacher said he had detention. Then Deputy Head sent him home when could have sat it later. Today we had Ed Pscych who raised it with them and they told her DS should have understood the detention was optional and ignored teacher and gone to Kangaroo. The Ed Psych told school they must communicate better and that they caused this issue.

Glad your DS has a week off. Hard on your DD if she has mocks but it will switch round at some point. DD has started singing lessons and now singing all round the house.

@DobbinsVeil how are you? Update us when you get chance.

DD finally got moved to top set French - think Head got involved - and had first lesson and she beat all of them in every test. She is desperate for Olympiad score - she wouldn't practice as no-one else she knew was in it and I said you will be bothered after. Think she's messaged about 20 people about it and told me I had to set up a MN thread on it. Did find 1 other but really she will have to wait for results back. The paper is on there but I haven't got a clue.

That's dreadful. I'd be furious, but doubly so with your ds' issues. I won't advocate burning down the school, but that really is disgraceful behaviour from the teacher.

Ds is counting down the days until next week when he gets a week off to perform. He is happy. Dd2 has mocks that week and is Not Happy At All at the unfairness of it.

DS lasted to 9.05am on music day and school refused on Friday which was PE day.

This week went off huffing and puffing on Monday for reasons best known to himself but came back cheerful enough. Today was fine until science decided to give him a detention for not doing homework (said he logged on but nothing there) and she made him stay behind 15 minutes. This meant he couldn't sit his UKMT JMC Kangaroo paper. He and other kids tried to explain and were told to shut up or would get longer detention. He had been looking forward to comp for months and was completely distraught - DH had to go to school and carry him out. I looked up and they can sit it within next few days but he won't get a certificate it says unless school burns down or similar. I told him burning down the school for a Kangaroo certificate seems a bit extreme but he said it could be worth it if you get a real Kangaroo.

DD had better day and did the Olympiad which she said went fine.

Shame HoY stays Witchend

DS had Indian day today, he survived the day at school but suspect it did not go well. I asked how did your dance go and got it didn't as I refused to do it. How did the cooking go? He replied I just mixed two ingredients and stopped. Well how did the art go? I drew 2 pictures. I said that's good. Not really said DS they were rubbish so I binned them. Music day tomorrow, can't wait.

DD has been at Thorpe Park today, awaiting her home any minute. She was saying she wished it was a normal week. So does DS. Still 3 days down, 2 more "fun days" to go. Will be glad when all this fun is over. grin

Thought will cheer DS up and get a takeaway. 3 hours later after 10 payment attempts finally got one via DHs card. Just spoken to bank as they had blocked my card as my spending apparently follows a common fraud pattern. It was hiring a boat, Sainsbury's, annual travel insurance and ordering a takeaway. [Confused]

Unfortunately the head of year stays with them all the way up too.
I'd like to think she'll learn, but I suspect it's a mixture of pig-headiness and laziness.

I think ds would not be impressed with dance and art; he likes cooking.

The week of fun continued today. DS was home in 30 minutes and DD had 1.5 hours Indian dance, 1.5 hours Indian cooking, 1.5 hours Indian art then 1.5 hours of performing your Indian dance with whole year watching. DS has this day tomorrow. Good luck to school with that. DD has Thorpe Park in rain.

Sorry to hear you had problems at school Witchend Still at least its nearly a new school year, we have Head of House so you get same person whole time. One is fine, one isn't though school let DD and I talk to another staff member.

:D Sounds like a bit of a waste of time.
The army training day sounds a bit too much. We had cadets at school and it was much more about initiative tests, orienteering and things like that. I (and I suspect a good proportion of people) would have loathed what you describe.
Mind you, dd2 would have managed to get out of it after they'd said 1km run I'm sure :D She's an expert in not doing such things.

Had an interesting conversation with one of ds' teachers today. Don't really want to put details on her, but let's say my respect for the head of his year, which was low, has now sunk further. I said approximately (in a polite tactful way) as much to the teacher and he didn't disagree.

Congrats on being nit free Witchend Sorry to hear about Thorpe Park.

DS had a murder mystery day today which he described as underwhelming. Apparently no-one was murdered, just 3 CDs stolen. Only 3 suspects. DS most unimpressed, no murder and very little mystery.

DD had an army training day which sounded like bootcamp, first hour included 1km run, 50 push ups and 50 sit ups, all in 10 minutes then she had to carry a 20kg weight by herself round lap of school field, one of her group was being silly so that had to go under 50 people.

Tomorrow they both have a day of Indian dance and cooking, DS has exactly the same day on Wednesday. Can tell this week will be fun

Nits gone (I hope).

Dd2's "educational trip" this year is also to Thorpe Park. Only thing is I've had to warn the head of year that there is potential for huge upset. Dd2 has one arm. Thorpe Park has decided that if you are missing your arm you are not allowed of 25% of the rides. And no, you aren't given any money off, nor do you qualify for an exit pass.

It's not because the ride is unsafe. It's because if the ride gets stuck they have to climb down a ladder (wearing a harness) and apparently you can't climb down a ladder with one hand. I can assure anyone who is reading that dd2 would be the best and most confident in our family at climbing down a ladder.
Not only that, but if you have limited mobility, they ask you if you think you can manage that, and if you say you can. that's fine. One the same day that a friend of hers was pulled off the ride and told she couldn't ride, there was an article from someone who had gone with someone with limited mobility and blind who went on the same ride.

It's pure and simple discrimination, if you have any doubt look at for someone who would also be refused because he "can't" climb down a ladder.