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

DS1 won't even let me walk down to the bus stop with him on the first day.
Although, I have a plan!
There is lovely local girl who will be going into the 6th form of DS1's new school in Sept so I'm going to mention to her that it's DS1's first day and get her to give him a prod if he looks like he's not getting on the bus!
DS1 need not know

My ds has been making trips into the local town on the bus with his sister, and has already arranged where he and his friends will meet to get the bus in the morning.
He also smells and has attitude, so I think he is ready for year 7!

I'm sure DD would be outraged if she didn't arrive on the first day on the bus.

Which is pretty weird since at this point she's never been as far as the village shop by herself. She will have to start doing that soon, and as there's a public bus which runs in parallel with the school bus we can do a dry run or two beforehand.

DDs school is a selective grammar, but they have deliberately kept the uniform fairly simple to keep down the cost.

We were told by the head of dd's secondary school NOT to take them to school, especially on the first day. There is a fairly small catchment area, so most girls walk or come on the bus.
They would die of shame if mum popped up on the first day. However, when it's cold and wet and they've been doing a club, it's amazing how that changes!!!
Sugartits- a friends uberselective grammar uniform cost £500

Hmm I worry about the bus journey too, luckily some of dd's friends are going to the same school so she won't be alone. Am tempted to take her myself, but not sure how that might affect her street cred. I just dread my little girl turning into a teen.

45 minutes there, 35 mins back. Its mostly a decent rural A road. She'll need to be out the door 7:30, which is daunting, but she's absolutely determined this is the school she wants to go, and realises she (and me and DH!) will have to shift our days a bit.

25 miles! That's quite a way. How long will it take her?

We decided against one school which is probably less than 3 miles away as it would take ate least 45mins on the bus and she would have to leave at 7.15 to be sure of getting there in time. (DD struggles to get out of bed by 7.30 now, though I still remember the days when she was up and ready for fun at 6!)

the other day, DD was alternating between "I'm so excited at going to .... but I'm sorry I'm leaving ... but I'm so excited I'll be going to "

which I guess is how it should be!

It does help that she's got a good friend going too - will be on the same bus (~25 miles!).

Quink, DD was not looking forward to it until she got her offer of a place. Now she is really excited.

It takes DD a bit of time to get her head round big changes, but then she's usually fine.
I'm sure he will get fired up by the taster days, and he will meet the other new children and teachers so he will have some idea of what it will be like.

Can I join too, please? My PFB DS1 is off to secondary in September. Will have to go by school bus (it's 15 miles!), and it's a big school, about 1500 pupils: that's 10 times the size of his primary!

I'm dreading it, though trying to be casual and cheery. He's not really looking forward to it. He's tall at least, but is a bit doubtful about the whole thing. He wants to stay at Primary! There are a couple of taster days next term though, so I hope it fires some enthusiasm.

I don't know if DD's school allow mobiles, but she will have one - I'm getting one very soon as she's starting to come home on her own now. I think most of her friends have either got one or will have one by the summer holidays.

My DDs school uniform doesn't include a blazer, which is a pity. I don't know how she'll ever manage to keep track of bus pass, lunch money/card (don't know what system they use), mobile phone, memory stick etc without pockets.

She doesn't have - or want - a mobile phone yet but she's going to have to have one as there is quite a long bus ride and the stop is not near enough for her to walk so we'll need to be able to coordinate picking her up in the afternoon. (the school does allow them to have phones so long as they are always turned off within the school, which is sensible. Lots of the girls are coming in from the surrounding area on buses)

grimma, my DD is similarly short (and worried it makes her look younger)- takes after her nanny and grandma, bizarrely as I am tall. Though maybe she'll have a growth spurt?

I hope I can to get her a blazer that fits, not one she is going to grow into as I do't want her to look like Tiny Tim!

Can I join in? My pfb starts in September too - first I worried that she wouldn't get in as it's a very academic grammar school. Now I'm worried that she won't keep up and will have way too much homework I guess there'll always be something to worry about. Not to mention that her friend who is also going says that it cost her parents £500 to get the uniform for her older sister. £500 !!! that's bonkers.

Cadelaide - co-ordinating the drop offs / pick ups is going to stretch my organisational skills to the limit!

I suppose DS1 getting himself to school on the bus will help really - I suppose I'll get used to the idea eventually. I keep asking him 'Are you sure that you don't want me to take you to school for the first term?' All I get is a 'No Mum - I'll be fine' in reply...

Ought to let him get on with it really

Hello! My eldest starts secondary school in September too

He seems totally unfazed by the idea. He's the eldest in his primary school and almost seems to have 'outgrown' it so I think he's ready!

That doesn't mean that I'm ready though! I'm already stressing about several things:

uniform Finding the balance between following the uniform list without looking like a geek (What shoes do secondary boys wear???)
Going on the bus Big thing for me. We live in a village and have a drive of about 6 miles to school at the mo so I have always taken him. The thought of him going on the bus makes me wibble (How do you know they've got there )
Money There is a card to top up for lunches and I'm thinking of £10 per week but does he need a bit of money in his pocket too?

As well as DS1 at secondary, I'll have DS2 at primary, DS3 at pre-school and DC4 due in November so I'll be busy!! (Never thought I'd be on a 'Starting Secondary thread' and an 'Antenatal thread' at the same time )

My ds goes in September too- he looks so little1 Big sister is year 8, and is filling him with horror stories (even though they're different schools)
As part of my job I speak to lots of yr 6's about going to secondary school, so who knows- i may be reassuring some of yours!!

Both mine were one of the tallest when they started secondary infact they were both as tall as me, so I never had a little one starting, they just looked so ready!

We don't have a rugby kit at DCs school and they have quite a bit of choice in what sport they do in PE. DD yr7 is doing golf next term.

DSyr 9 is doing rugby for the first time and it's mixed. He said it wasn't fair because he didn't feel he could tackle a girl (He is 5'11), but found running at them yelling at the top of his voice very effective as they just put the ball down and run.

My DD is starting to worry that she'll be the shortest in her school - only two other girls from her primary are going to her secondary; one is very tall, the other used to be a tad smaller but has sneakily gone and shot up. DD may just be big enough to legally not use a booster seat by the time she starts.

However, to those of you wimping being naturally concerned about your lads rugby kit, DD's been doing it since she was in Y3. (ok, so only tag rugby)

Can I join? My first born (August baby) ds starts secondary this September too. And it is a huge (1600 pupils) secondary. And I am terrified! [wibble]

Have not yet read whole thread - will do so tomorrow after work - but just wanted to mark my place.

Mucho support needed I think!

That sounds great upahill

I always find my DC more willing to chat personally when we are on our own doing something nice. Only problem is, then I can't shut them up