Year 7 Summer Term !

Don't know what an "ST" is but dd has had lots of "codes" in her homework diary for forgetting things - was averaging one a week at the start so think your ds has done very well Bellavita!

Yay for MAS's DS.

DS has brought his report home today - it is fab, just fab. We are sooooo pleased, they could be talking about a different boy though

The only thing to spoil it was the two ST's in his planner today for forgetting to take his science homework in and for not writing it down in his planner.... He got 1 ST at the beginning of Yr7 for taking in the wrong English book and then these two near the end of Yr7, don't suppose it is too bad in the grand scheme of things eh?

thank you LGP

Well done, MAS's DS!

woo ! ds's tutor group team came 2nd, losing by just 3 points..3 in each team and 7 tutor groups altogether -hooray -a huge confidence boost to him. Have also allowed him to open a facebook account (strictly secured by me,well as much as you possibly can) as several of his friends have them and it might help him keep in touch over the hols etc)

Please do start a Yr8 thread as this one has been great, plus I'd love to know how everyones DC's are getting on.

Well done to your ds MAS, bet you are really pleased

Hope dd enjoys the science trip LGP.

thanks LGP ! hope science trip goes well
Yes, let's definitely have a year 8 thread - it's just nice knowing we are in the same boat so to speak and we can approach teenagerdom together !

Congrats to your DS, MAS.
How did parent's evening go Roisin?
I think we definitely need a thread for Year 8, as I am told it can be a tricky year.
DD is off on a science trip today, by the skin of her teeth! The teacher rang at 8.30am when they were boarding the bus, to say he didn't have DD's permission slip. I had already left the house and DH was on his way out the door but luckily stopped to answer the phone.
I KNOW I sent back the permission slip - it was with the cheque!

I definitely would welcome a thread as they all approach their teens! I am starting to dread the teenage stage - not so much that I am expecting dd to be horrendous (though she might be!) but because of the general worry about their safety as they get older. Three Yr10 kids died in the same week here a while back - all awful tragedies and in at least two of the cases it has got me thinking - what would I have done as a parent (not saying the deaths could have been prevented but....)

Thanks MAS - have just had to have a little rant in chat about mum's sister-in-law. Gah!

Yes, I would like the thread to be carried on, although our posting has become less frequent, we are all still here if we encounter any problems... or need reassurance

hope things ok with your dad today bellavita..
Ds has been chosen to represent his tutor group in the yr 7 quiz - he casually dropped it into conversation -am v pleased for him !
Shall we continue this thread next September as the Year 8 thread ? Can't believe it's almost a year since we started this !

Have just asked Ds about his new timetable, he has said it will start in September when they go back.

Have just had a letter about the last day of term. Every year, the school do a 10 mile walk (weather permitting) . I am not sure I can think of doing anything worse on the last day... but he might enjoy it.

That's good news LGP.

Magentadreamer - your school is organised to have timetabling and class lists sorted completely so that they can trial them straight away!

I still don't know exactly what settting/streaming happens for ds1 next year. Though interestingly he has had more challenge/differentiation this year - in complete mixed ability classes - than ever before!

Also in one subject only - Maths - they have a 'high aptitude' class, and this is the one where he gets a bit of hassle from some other students. So I am a bit about him spending more class time with "the brighter" students next year.

Just back - it didn't finish till after 10 and boy was it hot in there! DD will be shattered tomorrow.
Back in tomorrow morning for her house awards ceremony...
Your DD's new timetable sounds interesting Magenta. I hope it works out well - the setting should make a difference.
DD was called out of class yesterday after I spoke to her head of house and told that she didn't HAVE to move teaching groups, it was her choice, so she and her friend got together at school today and have written a (very polite) letter to say that they would rather not. I wonder what will happen now.

Bugger I should preview! You not your

hope the school hall wasn't too hot and sticky this evening for your LGP

DD came home today with her yr8 timetable - they will be following it from Monday. Dd's school have now decided to stream the DC's from yr8 onwards and set within the streams for Maths, Science and English. One of the major changes in my eyes is the going from 6 x 50 minutes lessons a day to 5 x 1hour lessons. Humanities seems to have drawn the short straw. DD used to have 2 Geog and History and will now only have one of each a week! DD loves Geog and has even in the last term with a new teacher muttered about History being rather good. On a plus side at least now lessons in the non setted subjects can be pitched at the right level for all pupils. And hopefully her English teacher this time around might actually shock horror mark some of her homework!

ours was yesterday and it was fab..ds sang in his choir..very hot and sticky in the sports hall though..

Summer concert tonight and DD remembered to get me a ticket! It will be lovely to hear her (she is in the choir) - I am not looking forward to hearing the head rabbitting on for hours in a stifling hall though.

Can you check out my thread here?

Teaching group is for all lessons except for those where they are set by ability - Maths, Science and MFL. The change is for next year - normally children are put in teaching groups at the beginning of year seven and stay in the same group throughout their time at the school.
What I am cross about is that she was told she had a choice of whether to move, but had to make the decision on the spot. Now she is unhappy because she feels she made the wrong decision under pressure.

LGP - I would not be happy with that at all. The least they could have done was to send a letter home advising of their plans so at least your dd could be warned of what would be happening. Also, as magenta says, tis only 3 weeks till the end of term, surely the regrouping could have been done when they went back in September?

When you say a different teaching group was it just for that one particular lesson or for all lessons? I do think its a bit off asking a child to make that choice and especially when it was done without your DD being able to think about it. I'd have thought with it being nesr to the end of term they could have carried on with the numbers then next year swapped children over. Hope the Head of year comes up with a good reason as to why the move was needed and handled in such a way.

DD was called up by one of her teachers during class on Thursday and told they wanted to move her to a different teaching group as there were too many in her current group (32) and that she could choose a friend to go with her. She had to choose on the spot and then her friend was asked and had to decide on the spot too.
I'm not terribly happy about the way it was handled and am considering having a chat with her head of house (her tutor is on sick leave) as DD is rather upset about having to move groups.

Report here today too - luckily she has plenty of improvement needed with her handwriting and presentation so she has something left to work at!

Apparently she told her PE teacher she doesn't do any extra-curricular activities - so it is obviously someone else's child we have been ferrying around to swimming and dance classes