pfb -in fact only child - off to secondary on Thursday...

He's managed quite well to be organised. One week he did lose a piece of homework and had to go and get another copy from the teacher and re-do it overnight. But generally he's managing well.

He has a clear plastic file (a robust thing not just a poly-pocket) where he keeps all loose sheets in his bag.

Then at home he does all his homework at the kitchen table and he has a box where he keeps any books he doesn't need at school next day.

When he's doing his homework he uses the equipment from his school bag and puts it back afterwards.

In his bag he has separate pockets for:
planner/basic pencil case
additional equipment - calculator, crayons, compass etc.
drink
wallet
emergency money

After he's finished his homework each evening he checks the timetable and packs his bag for the next day.

We also have specific hooks in the hall where he hangs his PE bag, tech apron, food tech apron, perf arts uniform, etc.

Crikey, it sounds like boot camp, doesn't it?

Obviously I've set up most of these routines for him, but he's maintaining them himself and it seems to be working.

eeek another £5 next year

Wonder whether DS has managed to sort his out today - perhaps he is going to come home (mmmm should be walking through the door any minute) and say his £5 only lasts one year.

ds1 has a locker but again just for PE kit. But he had to pay £8 for it, and apparently that is £3 deposit for a key, plus just one year's rent! So if he wants it again next year he has to pay another £5

But he is pleased to have it means he can leave his trainers, footie boots and shinpads at school and just brings home PE kit that needs washing.

Thanks roisin. I was about to place an order with them too

magenta - hope you enjoyed your "red"

Not sure if the £5 is refundable. I really, really, could not trust DS to just bring planner, said books and homework home and leave the rest in the locker - would not work.

Yes, we do have an Ikea (about 40 mins away) so will have a look. What I would really like is for him to have a desk underneath together with a pull out futon type thingy for when he has a friend staying. At the moment if he has a sleepover, they have to stay in the guest room which has a hideaway bed (for when my parents come). We really want to spend as little as possible, but we want something sturdy.

Is the £5 refundable? DD was told on her first day to bring a £1 for her locker key and she gets that back at the end of the year. She makes great use of it - last night her bag only had her planner in it and the homework she needed to do.

Have you got an Ikea near you Bellavita - DD has one from there wasn't ouchingly expensive if I remember.

DS is going to ask for a locker today - they are £5, just so he can put his pe kit in (has pe Monday and Tuesday) and also he can put his bag in there at lunchtime. After last night with the homework, I don't trust him to leave books in it overnight etc.

After last nigh'ts drama, we are going to go and look for a desk over the weekend which will go in his bedroom, that way he can keep all school stuff in one place.

DD is now outraged - she was looking at the school website and found a bit about the book clubs. They have a boys and a girls book club which I can understand. They've a scheme going for Yr7's - read 7 books comment on them and do a Quest - loads of different stuff they can do eg how would you publisice a book, design a book cover etc. DD was up for this as she loves reading and will devour a book in a day or so if I don't make her do things like sleep! The children once they've read their books and completed their quest then get to go on an activity. The girls get to go on a pamper evening and try new make up etc and the boys get to go paint balling.... DD is now totally put off by the idea as she's not as she put it a girlie girl and bets the books for the girls will all be girlie girl books she'd rather read crime/spy/mystery books then teenage angst about snogging type books. I have suggested she talks to her form tutor who runs it to see if they have a book list or can chose their own books.... I can just see her at a pamper party... NOT!

whispers to Bellavita my red is rather nice

DS has learnt his first hard lesson tonight, keep your homework safe until you need it. He has lost a piece of homework that needs to be handed in tomorrow............. now at this time of night he is having to do it again.

I have come upstairs out of the way before I blow a gasket. I keep finding books, pieces of work, rulers, pencils etc all over the place instead of it all being nice, neat and tidy on the dining room table - well anywhere really as long as it is together and tidy.

Ormirian

this german dictionary is fab

They are designed for learners and are far more user-friendly than the regular dictionaries we had to use from the outset when we were learning.

ds1 is doing German too and loving it. But he will do 3 languages this year for one term each, which is a bit odd I think. I don't know what happens in yr8.

DD's school have finally relaunched their website plus added loads of new stuff. Apparently they will send home termly progress reports which will show levels they are working at and that terms target level. Plus in their planners they'll have their half term targets! I just hope they said home an idiots mum's guide to the levels!

DS#1 has shown a remarkable enthusiasm for German. I am gobsmacked. It's never been his sort of thing before. He even wants a german/english dictionary. This school has a policy of putting some of the brighter pupils up for German GCSE a yr early. Maybe it means he's one of the brighter pupils

Lol@selling the gum for more than he paid for it!

Hi ladies,

DS loves his coat - so that's a bonus.

A local boy in the village that we use as a babysitter (now in 6th form) is a bus monitor on DS's bus, so he said tonight that if there are any problems, DS is to go straight to him.

He has also settled in better than I imagined.

Hey and get this - he bought some gum last night (I know, I know) and had used some - less than half the packet left this morning, he sold it on the way to school for more than what he paid for it

The flapjack he made today was actually very nice

DD has amazed me in how well she's taken to High School. Apart from her music teacher who also takes her for drama she likes all her teachers and admits to actually shock horror enjoying school!

ds1 had a long chat with me this evening about things at school generally: I'm just over the moon with how settled he is, what a fantastic school it is, and how things are working out.

I can't believe he's done almost 4 weeks already: almost half way through the first half term!

MaryAnnSingleton - did he remember his PE kit home? ds1 now has a locker which means he doesn't have to cart it all around continually, but does also mean he doesn't bring it home very regularly.

He's not started puberty yet, and doesn't get sweaty/smelly, and I think aims to do PE with as little exertion on his part as possible! But his games socks were pretty niffy when he finally brought the stuff home on Tuesday after 1.5 weeks without a wash

thanks MaryAnn, but he has not seen it yet! he could also do with some winter tops but I will probably wait until the Oct half term and then he can choose himself.

Unfortunately, with TK Max, if you don't buy it there and then, there is not guarantee that it will still be there tomorrow, at least I can take it back if he does not like it.