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

Polgara - DS has D & T, Art and Cookery. He has all three every week, although the cooking is one lesson theory and then the following week practical.

He is doing CATs tests next week.

With regard to lunch times - sometimes he can be at the front of the queue and other times finds himself at the back, he does prefer the canteen though to taking pack (he did take pack on Wed because of dodgeball).

DD1 was looking forward to doing cooking but they don't seem to be doing any as yet, I assume they rotate the things they do in Tech?
How do lunch times go at your schools? DD1 has been taking packed lunch because she spent all her lunch time just queueing and eating earlier on in the week when she had hot dinner. I know there are a lot of children but I feel they could be better organised somehow.
I think they are doing CAT tests next week but am not sure.

DS has an inset day. But the school that most of his friends at hasn't. So he's playing PS2 with neighbour's son. He took DD and DS#2 to school this morning, enjoying being the grown-up and lording it over the LOs

ds1 has had loads of tests too, but I think they are all finished now. As well as 3 CATs tests he's had 2 tests in Science, 3 in Maths, and 3 in English!

Not sure about the scales, I just assumed that the school did not have any?

I said we could weigh the ingredients out the night before at home, but DS said how am I supposed to take in the syrup then or if I take the bottle in how much will I know to use? I do however have some spoons that go from 1/4 tsp to a full tbps so maybe I could just send him with those for the syrup? and do the other ingredients at home.

I have just gone and looked at his recipe - it asks for 3 tbsp so problem solved!

Yes - very good news about the bus monitor (just have to keep my fingers crossed that it does not happen again in between time)

I can understand though magenta about she feels about doing all the tests - I used to dread them at school.

Bellavita Did they say why DS has to bring his own scales in? Sounds odd to me! Least it's not the cooker Good news regarding bus monitors!

DD has CATS today and tomorrow - she was grumbling about it last night saying how many more tests do I have to do? I've done 3 Maths tests 1 Art test 1 music test 2 English tests and I've only been there 3 weeks! She gets all drama queenish dunno who she takes after...

Tonight I have spoken to someone who has just gone up to 6th form at the same school as DS.

He said bus monitors will be elected soon and they will sort anyone out and report them if this sort of thing happens again.

Making flapjacks next week. Am a little annoyed because he has to take his own weighing scales in and the ones I have are really heavy (the old fashion type with weights), so have to now go buy a cheap set of scales at the weekend.

Thank god tomorrow is a day nearer the end of the week!

Told 'ya!

Aww thats a shame!

Dodgeball - they lost

Your poor DS Bellavita, I'm just so glad DD doesn't have to do the school bus. Hopefully it won't happen again. How did Dodgeball go? DD used to play it in Yr6 and loved it. As for the other boy hopefully he'll have learnt his lesson!

Polgara - my DD loves lighting the Bunsen burners too and science is the best thing EVER! I was talking about it at work and all of us remembered the thrill of doing experiments with the bunsen burners!

Your poor DS Bellavita, I'm just so glad DD doesn't have to do the school bus. Hopefully it won't happen again. How did Dodgeball go? DD used to play it in Yr6 and loved it. As for the other boy hopefully he'll have learnt his lesson!

Polgara - my DD loves lighting the Bunsen burners and science is the best thing EVER! I was talking about it at work and all of us remembered the thrill of doing experiments with the bunsen burners!

Well, DS has come home to say that a Yr9 boy physically pushed him out of his seat this morning on the bus (he landed on the floor) and was told that was "his" seat. I said to report anyone that does this to the driver.

The boy that I talked about earlier (one without the bus pass) I have just had to ring him and give him a piece of my mind - arrrrgh

Last night when I was at work, there was an incident between DS1 and a (younger boy - but bigger in size to DS) whereby the boy kept ramming his bike into DS. Now DS is quite soft and rarely stands up for himself. After about 10 rams, he hit this boy in hindsight perhaps he should have gone and knocked on his parents door and explained what was going on, but I think in the end he just saw red. DS's so called friend was witness to what happened, but he has told DS today that he is going to get the Yr10's to "get him".

So DS has come home with a very heavy heart.

I told him to ring the said friend up and to say to keep out of his business - nothing to do with him and I could hear him on the phone going like yeah yeah blah blah. So I rang him and said if this did not stop, I would go to his parents and to the Head of Year - he turned round and said oh but I did not say that - I told DS that I would say to the Yr10's to leave him alone - well hello, why would you come out with a statement like that if you have not had something to do with it in the first place. Trying to cover his tracks imo.

I have told DS not to worry and not to put himself out over calling for this boy in future.

Kids eh!

I don't want to appear like the nagging mother, but I cannot see any logic in what they are doing.

Next time that this boy comes to see DS (and I normally let him in the house and have fed him on quite a few occasions because he has turned up at tea time as his mum does not get home from work until about 7.00 so quite often he does not get his tea till late) saying, no he cannot come in because it ain't convenient.

Yes, I know, I am being pathetic........

Oh I know what you mean! I HAVE to drop dd1 off at her friends so that they can meet up with another friend down the road at a time convenient to HER! This means I have to make 2 almost identical trips to get both dd's to schools which are next door to each other.

and breathe ...........................

hey Polgara2 - DS was using and lighting bunsen burners yesterday - he loved it.

I have just got one little gripe though - nothing actually to do with school but here goes -

one of his friends did not get bus pass when new term started so did not know which bus he would actually get on but at the outset until pass received he could get on either.

He started from day one calling for DS and then they would go on to call for another boy - fine this carried on until the middle of last week and then this boy's mum rings council to see where the pass is for her to be told it is on its way however he is allocated on to the 5W bus (was getting on 6W), so he start calling for another boy who gets on the 5W.

Now yesterday, DS informs me that himself and the boy who he still calls for are now going back on themselves to call for the boy who now has bus pass - he is actually to get on their bus, tis like err just snapping fingers and they go running.

I have tried to say it would be easier for said boy to come to us, then they go for the second boy who has one of the bus stops near his house arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhh

he is not having any of it!

Things still going ok for DD1 (keeping fingers crossed). She was late getting out yesterday though because her maths teacher took exception to most of the class (not me Mum!) putting everything away as soon as last bell rang and he made them get them all out again and put them away again and then leave row by row! Had to laugh at her indignance at suffering for others! Oh and she came out all excited today because they had used bunsen burners and she had been lighting them (on my own with a flaming stick Mum!). Oh this is taking me back to my first days at secondary.

DS did CAT tests at the school at the end of Yr7. He said they were very easy Don't know the outcome. Perhaps at parents evening they'll actually tell us.

Yes, markings of A, B or C's etc are much better imo to understand.

DS is starting a lunchtime activity today - Dodgeball, he is excited. Has taken a packed lunch which will save time on queuing etc so he will have more time to get changed.

He is also looking forward to the cookery lesson - they get to find out what they will be making next week.

Magenta - I hope you have a good time in London - sounds fab, DS would love to go see a football game.

I don't think I can keep up with all these different tests! wanders off to sit in the confuddled corner

And another thing why oh why do they have to mark things in NC levels? Dd had to do a test drawing for Art - I thought it was pretty good but I'm biased The Test drawing was marked 4b Soooooooooo is that good/ok/bad/try holding your Pencil and applying it to the paper Magenta jr? A Good old fashioned A B C or F would have helped. Why they have to be formally tested in Art is a different matter and I'll not go into that mini rant but can't they just do Art for Art's sake and be allowed to have a bit of fun while exploring their creativity??