Any top tips for your DC starting secondary school?

[Joyfulincolour]

Following on from the useful thread re DC starting in reception, I just wondered if you had good advice for starting secondary school?

How's everyone doing?

We're ok except bus journeys are proving 'exciting' due to bad behaviour of other people (public service not contracted to school).

Uniform and time tabling are working well.

I'm really surprised at the necessity for a smart phone though. They really do need one. (Homework, timetabling, messaged, cafe etc) there must be some students who don't have one I guess???

Doing well here too.

Wallets per subject, plus magazine files for home have worked well.

Another things that I’d recommend is a copy of the timetable in the blazer pocket, so that they can look at it wherever they are, not just when their bag is with them.

im confused by the no coats thing, my school banned coats and started confiscating them of kids (who very much DID wear coats, no fun standing in the rain and snow without one) and parents protested.

school eventually said we could wear shitty school logoed thin jumpers outside only (which did nothing) and everyone moaned about the lack of coats right up until I left... theres nothing 'cool' about being wet or shivering but when I started coats where cool because people could reflect themselves through them (style or brands etc...)