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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

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39 replies

TeachWithMsL · 01/01/2026 21:11

I am a secondary school teacher, so I work with teenagers and families every single day! I find that often parents have lots of questions about school and how teachers support their kids, but nowhere to ask.

Feel free to ask anything about secondary education and issues that we see every day (mental health, exams and revision, social media, general teenage chaos)

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79onOrange · 22/01/2026 12:28

Thank you so much CurlyKoalie, this is really helpful. I will print this out and share with my DD. 79onOrange.

CurlyKoalie · 22/01/2026 11:15

Lots of students spend time re writing notes in lots of pretty colours and say they have revised but don't actually test any retention or understanding.
IMO this is only the first stage of 3 in revising.
I think it should go like this:

  1. Content: Read through the course content. Quality here is important. The class teacher should be able to direct students to appropriate resources. Revising from exercise books can be quite limiting. For KS 3 BBC Bitesize is good for a lot of subjects. Rewriting notes is time-consuming. Better to have a printed set of notes and use highlighters to emphasize key points or write bullet points of key facts. This saves time got stage 2& 3.
  2. Test retention and basic understanding.
The end of section test questions are quite good here on Bitesize or recall questions based on the bullet points previously mentioned is good. Parents could help here if they felt able especially marking the questions. Students often mark and correct questions without really understanding their error. Was it a recall error ( in which case back to step 1 for that section) or was it application error? 3 Application. Top marks on secondary tests often require taking the information and applying it to a new context. Some students find it difficult to recognise which ideas to apply to an unfamiliar format of question. Your daughter should have practiced some of this in class so it should be in her exercise books. Failing that, see if the teacher can direct you to some appropriate practice questions. I know this seems a lot but hopefully you can see how each section relates to the different demands of questions in most tests. It gets easier to go through the stages the more often you do it
79onOrange · 22/01/2026 10:30

CurlyKoalie · 21/01/2026 21:36

Another secondary teacher here!
May I ask how she actually revises for these tests as this may be the key.

Show quote history

Hi CurlyKoalie, to be honest I don't think she actually knows how to revise. What I have seen, is my DD reading through the topic work,making notes and that's about it. She's bright but I think her revision technique is letting her down in the frequent testing that takes place at secondary. I would be grateful for any suggestions/ techniques that she could follow. Thank you.

CurlyKoalie · 21/01/2026 21:36

79onOrange · 04/01/2026 17:31

Thank you for creating this discussion thread OP. My DD is in Yr. 7. My question is about revision for the frequent tests and end of module exams. Do teachers teach the kids in Yr. 7 how to revise, tips and techniques etc. I ask because my DD is hard working and revises, but then when it comes to the actual test, she doesn't perform well. We would like to help her, but don't know how or what to do. Thank you.

Another secondary teacher here!
May I ask how she actually revises for these tests as this may be the key.

79onOrange · 04/01/2026 17:31

Thank you for creating this discussion thread OP. My DD is in Yr. 7. My question is about revision for the frequent tests and end of module exams. Do teachers teach the kids in Yr. 7 how to revise, tips and techniques etc. I ask because my DD is hard working and revises, but then when it comes to the actual test, she doesn't perform well. We would like to help her, but don't know how or what to do. Thank you.

Original poster
TeachWithMsL · 02/01/2026 20:56

GucciGin · 02/01/2026 20:17

My son is in Yr 11, naturally bright, however he didn't do very well in his mocks due to pure laziness and going over content he already knows. His been practicing papers over the holidays and has done really well compared to the first papers he was practicing on.

Have you seen children get low grades in mocks and do well in the actual exams? Lovely to hear good stories.

P.s You rock and do a grat job. Thank you!

this does sound like the context that I would most expect a child to do better in! if he is bright and has done the work in lessons but just hasn’t revised then some consistent revision between now and exams will make a huge difference! I would 100% encourage him to speak with his teachers for some support though, especially as it sounds like he has a lot of potential but might just need a little more encouragement and push!

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GucciGin · 02/01/2026 20:17

My son is in Yr 11, naturally bright, however he didn't do very well in his mocks due to pure laziness and going over content he already knows. His been practicing papers over the holidays and has done really well compared to the first papers he was practicing on.

Have you seen children get low grades in mocks and do well in the actual exams? Lovely to hear good stories.

P.s You rock and do a grat job. Thank you!

catpigeon · 02/01/2026 19:43

That's great @JustMarriedBecca 🙂

LadyGAgain · 02/01/2026 19:39

Thank you to all you teachers for this thread, comments and of course for the role you play in influencing these young people. It’s a tough job. I admire you.

JustMarriedBecca · 02/01/2026 17:30

catpigeon · 02/01/2026 13:30

@JustMarriedBeccayour child needs to learn how to correct the teacher appropriately maybe. Just as an adult might to a kid

We've role played it so many times. Including not correcting before the class and speaking to the teacher after and saying "I'm really sorry to mention this, and I've checked but I think the answer is X, Y and Z". It's still a problem.

Its at the stage now where the teacher will not speak with DC after the lesson.

I think her ASD does mean she finds it quite hard to control her facial features and even if she is saying the right thing, her face gives away precisely what she thinks.

catpigeon · 02/01/2026 13:30

@JustMarriedBeccayour child needs to learn how to correct the teacher appropriately maybe. Just as an adult might to a kid

Original poster
TeachWithMsL · 02/01/2026 13:26

JustMarriedBecca · 02/01/2026 13:10

We have two bright children, both test at 130+ for English and Maths (the elder is 140 for both). We're sending them to a state secondary after state primary (the experience of which has been variable based on teacher to be honest). Will they be challenged and pushed in lessons or is this going to be a repeat of primary.

Eldest is ASD and we've been pulled in several times over her correcting the teacher / supply when the teacher has it wrong. Hoping specialist teachers at secondary will alleviate this problem but really struggling to know how to manage without sounding like a dick.

They already do a lot of extra curricular of their choice - chess, music, sports etc.

They should be challenged - but encourage them to actively seek out challenge and ask their teachers for more work if they are finished etc too!

in terms of correcting teachers, I honestly don’t feel that teachers should have an issue with that. I know that I am very appreciative if I make a mistake or a slip of the tongue and my students let me know! Maybe speak to the SENCO and get it written into their SEN info so that teachers are aware that it is simply meant as an informational correction and not as a challenge.

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Original poster
TeachWithMsL · 02/01/2026 13:24

puffyisgood · 02/01/2026 12:27

Roughly how often are you [pleasantly or unpleasantly] surprised by your kids' performance in GCSE or A level vs how often are your predictions/expectations [written or unwritten] more or less spot on?

Edited

Mostly their GCSEs are in line with what we expect - by the time we have two sets of mock data added to their predicted grades it tends to be quite accurate. In a year group of just over a hundred there are probably 3-4 pleasant surprises and 1-2 who bomb unexpectedly each year I would say.

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OttersMayHaveShifted · 02/01/2026 13:18

Although on exchanges we stay with teachers, so there's actually no accommodation cost.

OttersMayHaveShifted · 02/01/2026 13:17

TheNightingalesStarling · 02/01/2026 06:31

Residential trips... are tge teachers coerced into going or are they doing it as they genuinely want to?

Not coerced exactly. It's very unequal though, in that some departments (MFL, geography) have to or are expected to run trips. My school has been doing French, German and Spanish exchanges for well over a decade with the same partner schools. I'm Head of French, so I pretty much have to run the French Exchange. It causes massive extra workload which other departments don't really have. Though PE and drama do loafs of extra outside-of-school stuff too. Some parents are appalled that staff fares and accommodation are paid for by the money parents pay for the trip Confused

JustMarriedBecca · 02/01/2026 13:10

We have two bright children, both test at 130+ for English and Maths (the elder is 140 for both). We're sending them to a state secondary after state primary (the experience of which has been variable based on teacher to be honest). Will they be challenged and pushed in lessons or is this going to be a repeat of primary.

Eldest is ASD and we've been pulled in several times over her correcting the teacher / supply when the teacher has it wrong. Hoping specialist teachers at secondary will alleviate this problem but really struggling to know how to manage without sounding like a dick.

They already do a lot of extra curricular of their choice - chess, music, sports etc.

puffyisgood · 02/01/2026 12:27

Roughly how often are you [pleasantly or unpleasantly] surprised by your kids' performance in GCSE or A level vs how often are your predictions/expectations [written or unwritten] more or less spot on?

CheerfulMuddler · 02/01/2026 12:11

TeachWithMsL · 02/01/2026 10:50

Unfortunately his classroom teachers probably won’t get that much advanced information (depending on how fast the SENCO is at information sharing) - I know for many of my year 7s I was aware that they were on the SEN register but had very little additional information as to why at the beginning of the year. I would strongly recommend arranging a meeting with his form tutor and the SENCO before the transition to share information and come up with a plan to support him that can be put in place from the start. When you have a child with SEN, particularly at secondary level, there is no such thing as being “too pushy” - the parents who push are the ones whose children get the best support (which is very wrong but unfortunately how it is)

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Thanks, this is really helpful, I'll do that.

ProfessorRizz · 02/01/2026 10:58

TeachWithMsL · 02/01/2026 10:50

Unfortunately his classroom teachers probably won’t get that much advanced information (depending on how fast the SENCO is at information sharing) - I know for many of my year 7s I was aware that they were on the SEN register but had very little additional information as to why at the beginning of the year. I would strongly recommend arranging a meeting with his form tutor and the SENCO before the transition to share information and come up with a plan to support him that can be put in place from the start. When you have a child with SEN, particularly at secondary level, there is no such thing as being “too pushy” - the parents who push are the ones whose children get the best support (which is very wrong but unfortunately how it is)

Show quote history

I’m SENDCo and transition lead and spend a chunk of my summer holidays making learning plans for SEND children. At my school, this info is shared immediately with teachers.

ProfessorRizz · 02/01/2026 10:55

LadyGAgain · 02/01/2026 09:31

Thanks @TeachWithMsL- academic performance compared to predicted…so in year 7 is this against SAT results. Ours didn’t do science only maths and English and one other and the year group as a whole performed below other local schools - many of whose pupils are now at this secondary. This worries me. Like the junior school failed them so the next 5 years they are on the back foot…

SATS are only part of the picture; there is usually a range of contextual data used to set targets. Your child will probably not be playing catch up for long and should find their ‘level’.

ProfessorRizz · 02/01/2026 10:52

gato21 · 02/01/2026 06:25

Thanks for this - two questions from me:

  1. What method do you use to teach the children (e.g. chalk and talk or own research) and which do you find more impactful for the students? and
  2. What impact does poor student handwriting have on their education?

Neither of these methods are used in comprehensive secondaries.

Teacher explains the new content, models the questions on visualiser or similar, pupils try the questions, move onto new content then revise old content at the beginning of the next lesson. This frees the teacher up to check in with SEND pupils.

Lessons at my (admittedly nice, leafy) comp are silent with some pair work (e.g. keyboards, science practicals, conversations in mfl).

Original poster
TeachWithMsL · 02/01/2026 10:50

CheerfulMuddler · 02/01/2026 10:45

My DS is currently in Year Six, he has an IEP and SEN support but no EHCP.
How much information will his teachers have about him when he walks into their classes in September? What can I do as a parent to help make sure this transition goes smoothly?

Unfortunately his classroom teachers probably won’t get that much advanced information (depending on how fast the SENCO is at information sharing) - I know for many of my year 7s I was aware that they were on the SEN register but had very little additional information as to why at the beginning of the year. I would strongly recommend arranging a meeting with his form tutor and the SENCO before the transition to share information and come up with a plan to support him that can be put in place from the start. When you have a child with SEN, particularly at secondary level, there is no such thing as being “too pushy” - the parents who push are the ones whose children get the best support (which is very wrong but unfortunately how it is)

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CheerfulMuddler · 02/01/2026 10:45

My DS is currently in Year Six, he has an IEP and SEN support but no EHCP.
How much information will his teachers have about him when he walks into their classes in September? What can I do as a parent to help make sure this transition goes smoothly?

Original poster
TeachWithMsL · 02/01/2026 10:31

LadyGAgain · 02/01/2026 09:31

Thanks @TeachWithMsL- academic performance compared to predicted…so in year 7 is this against SAT results. Ours didn’t do science only maths and English and one other and the year group as a whole performed below other local schools - many of whose pupils are now at this secondary. This worries me. Like the junior school failed them so the next 5 years they are on the back foot…

At my school we actually don’t use the SATs results at all because we find that they are pretty inaccurate as a measure, instead we do our own testing in the first week of year 7 and then use this. I agree that it isn’t always perfect, and we sometimes will use teacher judgement to alter the predictions if it becomes clear that they are not right.

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Original poster
TeachWithMsL · 02/01/2026 10:28

TweedTorso · 02/01/2026 08:21

Do you resent parents of well-behaved, academic children taking up places at parents evening? I know it can be a real battle for some parents to get a place and I am sure there are some parents you very much would want to engage with. I always feel a bit guilty taking places, when essentially almost every teacher gives glowing feedback. Is this a waste of your time?

Ps I know I sound like a tosser with an angelic child, that is definitely not the case, he is autistic and faces many other challenges that he and school are managing well, but as far as results/ focus/ learning, he does very well.

I absolutely don’t resent it - I think talking to the parent of any child is meaningful and important! I’m also very aware that just because a child is well behaved or academically performing well that doesn’t mean that they don’t need additional support in some way. For me, parents evening is the best time to have discussions about supporting students and what I can do differently and that applies to every single student I teach.

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