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Secondary education

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

Oh! Oh! My firstborn starts secondary school in September. Surely that warrants a support thread?

643 replies

Cadelaide · 19/03/2010 13:45

Am I a bit too early for this?

I mean it's months away yet, isn't it?

OP posts:
bebumba · 09/07/2010 09:08

DS had his two induction days this week. He had a fantastic time. He will not be with friends from his last school but some of the boys in his form he does already know. He also participated in a sports day organised by the secondary school where his school competed against the other feeder schools. He is so relaxed about it all.
Spent a fortune on school uniform Tuesday night.

deaddei · 09/07/2010 05:59

Ds doesn't know anyone in his tutor group but that's no problem- he's going there to make friends, and is going on the 2 day summer school where he'll meet a few.

LadyCad · 08/07/2010 19:06

He wept on the way home from school today.

They're doing "sex and relationships education" and it's all a bit much, i think. He's still a "young" 10yo. He's worried about moving up to secondary school and puberty and everything.

Greenshadow · 08/07/2010 16:16

I think it's rather a pity that some children aren't told what tutor group they are going to be until September.

DS wasn't looking foward to moving up as he was the only one from his school, but after induction day last week, he is a bit happier as he has found there are a couple of boys in his group who he at least vaguely knows from sports/clubs outside school.

LadyCad · 08/07/2010 14:06

Wow, they moved him to another tutor group so he can be with his friends!

(And his new tutor doesn't teach PE, but that's not the reason we got him moved, honestly! )

Two induction days next week and a horrendously expensive uniform/kit list. It's all happening.

bigTillyMint · 07/07/2010 15:45

LadyCad, my friend's DD is THRILLED to have the PE teacher for her tutor, and apparently she is very pretty too

My DD has had her Induction Day, but they have not been put in forms yet or met their tutor. - she'll have to wait for September for that!

stoppinattwo · 07/07/2010 09:43

Oh can I join....DS is starting in Sept, and I have just dropped him off for his taster day in the new school, could tell he was quite nervous as he was sooooo quiet this morning, as he walked into the area that they were all wiating in I could see clusters of kids from different schools, DS saw some of his mates and he was off ...delighted. Saw a mum i recognised and we shared our nervousness....however as I walked away, there was a cluster of girls and they were talking about DS (they were from another school so dont know how they know him) - they mentioned his name so i wasnt imagining it..."oh which one is DS?," and being rather girlie about him...I wanted to hisssss "keep your eyes off my boy" ....oh God he is growing up , god help the first girl who breaks his heart..!!

LadyCad · 06/07/2010 23:36

DP and I went to a meeting this evening, met DS's tutor.

I am not reassured at all. He has no friends at all in his tutor group and his tutor is, well....a PE teacher.

(I know, I know, that shouldn't mean anything at all and I mustn't bring along my old school baggage...)

MinaTannenbaum · 03/07/2010 19:19

Ds has his on Thursday. We have an evening meeting to be introduced to his form tutor, but he spends the day at school first.
He has already met his HoY - he came to ds' primary to chat to the four boys who are going to the same school.
Glad to hear everyone is enjoying theirs - I am finding the run-up to the end of primary school unexpectedly upsetting

roisin · 30/06/2010 21:09

ds2 had induction day yesterday, with a big meeting/assembly for parents in the afternoon, and information stalls/fair. He found out his new form tutor and met the other students in his form, including the one boy from his primary. [phew] Dh took him on the bus and he seems quite confident and happy about that too.

A couple of weeks ago we had our family interview, which was a useful opportunity to ask questions.

He seems quite happy about it now and looking forward to going.

OrmRenewed · 30/06/2010 12:23

DD has had her CAT tests now. There are 2 other girls and one boy from her primary. We had a 'family' interview although DD spent more time with the HT alone than with us She seems quite excited now but still sad to be leaving her old school

Next week for induction day and parent's evening.

FrogPrincess · 30/06/2010 12:21

It went very well, thanks. She enjoyed assembly very much, which is probably a first (apparently the boys' choir sang some very good songs), met a few teachers, did some games to get to know her classmates, exchanged numbers with a few of them, then did some music (it's a music specialist school).
She wants to go to the school's end of year concert next week, which is a great sign.
She has been very busy since the SATS, I think it's a real shame so many Year 6s seem to do nothing much afterwards, it sends the wrong message to children doesn't it?
Anyway, good luck to your ds for Monday 3plusbump!

3plusbump · 29/06/2010 21:23

How did your dd get on at her induction FrogPrincess?

DS1 has got his on Monday. He is so upbeat and confident about going to secondary that I think I'm worried about him going there on Monday, seeing what it's like and then coming down to earth with a bump! Hopefully that will not be the case....

Someone mentioned earlier that their DC had not done any 'proper work' since SATs and DS1 is the same. He is cruising along at the moment so I think he's well ready for a new challenge. He'll be 12 a week or two after he starts his new school so he's well ready to move up I think!

I'm dreading the primary school 'Leavers Service'. I cry every year and up to yet, I have not had a child that is leaving

AnnaSergeyevna · 28/06/2010 14:10

Ours is this week and I am much more excited than nervous for my ds.
The whole application and transfer process has taken soooo long that we just can't wait to get on with it. Helped by the fact that DS hasn't done any real work at school since sitting the SATs.
He'll probably have forgotten everything by the time he moves up in September

FrogPrincess · 28/06/2010 10:07

Parents' evening was great, and this morning dd has her induction, gulp. She was excited and a little in awe of her new school and the big people there. I think she'll have a lovely time though, can't wait to hear what she thought.....

FrogPrincess · 23/06/2010 13:58

We have our new parents' evening tomorrow, then dd has her induction morning on Monday. Gulp. She has a full induction day in September too. I am starting to think about uniforms....
Both exciting and a little scary for all of us (although dh is too cool to admit it)

LadyCad · 23/06/2010 12:47

I just wish he would let me kiss him, or hug him, or gently poke him with one finger even.

He's just not touchy. He left on Monday for a school trip and I wasn't even allowed a hair-ruffle.

RatherBeOnThePiste · 23/06/2010 09:27

This reply has been deleted

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AnnaSergeyevna · 22/06/2010 21:34

*Ratherbeonthepiste8 - what did they do at the familiarisation day?

RatherBeOnThePiste · 22/06/2010 17:02

Had our familiarisation day today. Gulp.

LadyCad · 22/06/2010 16:58

It's all getting a bit close now.

DS is getting a bit nervous, he's been fine until now. I'm doing a good job of being confident and reassuring (I think) whilst inwardly pooing my pants

roisin · 18/06/2010 19:09

Ha! Great idea! But ds1 and ds2 look very alike (just like dh). People always know straight away that they're brothers.

OrmRenewed · 18/06/2010 18:38

DD is determined to pretend DS#1 isn't anything to do with her . He's larger than life, she's quite reserved and respectable.

roisin · 18/06/2010 17:41

Big shoes for her to fill as well Orm! ds2 is a bit apprehensive that people will continually compare him with ds1, and that he will inevitably be called by ds1's name!

OrmRenewed · 18/06/2010 08:22

I'm doing this for the second time in September. DS~1 went up 2 years ago, DD us going this year.

It was fine! Better than fine. It was the making of DS who was bored of primary when he left. But DD is very happy where she is and not happy about the prospect at all

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