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Secondary education

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Original poster

What is a typical day like in secondary?

27 replies

fourthdimension · 29/03/2021 11:25

DS won’t be in secondary for a few more years (so I’m hoping covid will no longer be an issue), but he has a statement of special needs (EHCP) and I need to start thinking about how he can be supported in secondary. However, I don’t really know what a typical day might be like and what he might be up against! Can anyone give me a general idea of what might be expected of a child in Y7? He has some mild learning disabilities and struggles with attention and organisation - is it going to be difficult to navigate the school and know where to go and what to do?

OP posts:
Original poster
fourthdimension · 29/03/2021 12:01

Thanks for your reply. My understanding was that there are TAs to help in individual classes but not between classes, so it’s good to think there might be support between classes. That’s wonderful that your daughter is so comfortable with the school - best of luck to her! I suspect DS won’t be daunted by secondary, only because he has no idea what he’s getting in to... but I have a feeling he will be the one who is always sitting in the wrong classroom, carrying the wrong books, forgotten about homework, etc.

OP posts:
user1471530109 · 29/03/2021 11:33

He will follow a timetable and have to move between lessons. I would expect him to be supported with this. Most schools would have prefects or teachers showing new yr7 to each lesson in the first week. I'd then expect him to have further support because of his needs.

It is a massive change between primary and secondary and all kids find it daunting. But a good school is understanding of this and makes steps to help.

My dd (additional needs but mainly emotional) is going into yr7 this September and I happen to work at the one she is going to. She mentioned that all her friends are really nervous but she feels ok as she has been in the school so many times already and met many of the staff. This has surprised me immensely as everyone is expecting her to struggle Blush.

Obviously you won't have that situation, but I'd be discussing transition with both schools to see the plan. Our school gets the kids with extra needs (I'm not sure of my phrasing there, sorry) in for an extra day for example and it gives them more time to get familiar with all the people and the actual typical timings of the day.