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Original poster

Yr 8 and 9. The forgotten years...

49 replies

Whatthefunk · 03/07/2020 08:08

Morning all. Just read an article online, by Susanna Reid, lamenting the fact that her boys, in years 11 and 13, are missing out on their schooling, and a quick Google search brought up loads of related pieces about the plight of these years...I appreciate that these are very important stages in school, but as a mum of a year 8 child, I can't help but feel that years 8 and 9, have been completely forgotten... it seems that they are just collateral damage....How will they ever make this time up?? Not just in terms of education, but emotionally. They have been separated from their friends, and are expected to , in the case of our school, teach themselves. It's such a tricky age....they aren't really children anymore, and are virtually impossible to entertain, without the use of screens, and they don't have the emotional maturity to express how they are feeling. I am so worried about the long term fallout...

OP posts:
Fedup21 · 03/07/2020 08:12

What about Year 7, then?

LolaSmiles · 03/07/2020 08:13

Year 11 and Year 13 have terminal assessment for the end of a stage of education. It's fairly obvious why most people are discussing concerns for those year groups.

I do think that sometimes Year 8/9 can become overlooked a little, but they're more resilient than people give them credit for and it's hardly the fault of schools/society/the government if parents can't entertain their children. They're not alone in not seeing friends, and school will get them caught up as they have years before they sit GCSEs.

Georgielovespie · 03/07/2020 08:19

I think year 7 are the hardest hit, and I say that with a child in year 9 and one in year 12.

Year 7s have only had half a year to settle into the new routine of secondary teaching, homework, class participation and taking responsibility for things. There is no Mummy waiting in the playground to collect them and have a quick word with the teacher face to face. Year 7 is the foundation year to all new subjects, not just touching on them in primary.

Children are much more resilliant than we often give them credit for and if you chose a great secondary then those teachers will do an incredible job of covering the stuff they missed. I am glad I have a year 9 child and not a year 10 one because I know what is coming for GCSE.

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General education
darkcaramel · 03/07/2020 08:22

I honestly don’t think there will be any long term damage.

(End of) March to July really isn’t that long. It feels it now, because we are in the middle of it. By October it will be a distant memory.

Titsywoo · 03/07/2020 08:24

I think year 8 is the least worrying of the years to be missing out really. I have a year 8 ds and a year 10 dd and I think for him it's the best year of secondary for it to have happened (for dd it's probably the worst yesr though!). Plenty to time to catch up and friendships more established at this point unlike year 7. Not saying its easy for them - ds has found it very hard - but educationally it's least concerning.

foamrolling · 03/07/2020 08:27

My year 8 had been happier than I've ever seen him in lockdown. He's a little bundle of anxiety and real life is harder on his mental health than lockdown has been. He has gone into school today, he's been given one day a week, and it's the first day since March we've had a cross word.

I'm way more worried about his year 10 sister and how this well impact on her.

EasilyDelighted · 03/07/2020 08:30

I have a year 9 and a year 11. Years 10 and 12 should have been working flat out for GCSE/A level. Year 9 are firmly established in school, options chosen but not properly started. Mine is sad that she's missed her last 6 months of drama and music, she enjoys them but hasn't chosen them for GCSE, they haven't translated well to home working as they are so team-oriented. Otherwise she's ok though.

My year 11 is restless, a bit lost but says he's really glad this happened now and not while he was in y9 or 10.

I really feel for y7, still finding their feet and friendships in secondary, they don't know their teachers as well either and I imagine have found this a lot harder.

BogRollBOGOF · 03/07/2020 08:32

Or y2, y3, y4, y5, y7...

Every circumstance is different, but there should be a better balance of younger teenagers having the skills to learn independently as rubbish as it it. My 7yo needs his peers to learn in a social environment. Collaborative learning is important to all age groups, but more so as children are younger.

Younger children are more dependent on their family's social networks. I've struggled to be able to arrange for my children to play with anyone other than their sibling. They can't just go out. They need their parents to have the mutual time and inclination to arrange meet-ups and it's a total fail. Mine don't have the maturity to use phones or text.

Y7, 8 & 9 need access to a broad education as a foundation to their GCSEs. Current Y10s are in a fragile position because they've lost a quarter of the class teaching time and there are huge discrepancies in access to learning materials that have been provided. Y11 had at least covered 95% of their courses this year and get a fresh start. Y13 have a greater challenge with university and employment.

Quite honestly it's shit for most young people. Sad

Original poster
Whatthefunk · 03/07/2020 08:36

Thanks for all the replies, I guess the hardest hit year, is the year that your child is in. I definitely wasn't trying to blame anyone... I would have no idea where to start, with that. I just long for them all to be back in school.....

OP posts:
KATE3003 · 03/07/2020 08:37

I agree with it being worse on year 7. I have a year 7 dd and a year 8 dd. The year 7 was transitioning still between her primary and secondary school friendships and it is hard for her to know who to contact. I can no longer do it for her. As a secondary school English teacher, I also worry less about year 8 than 7. Year 8 are established and have at least had all the lovely end of term stuff once. I feel sad my year 7 dd will not get this. All the focus will be on the new year 7s when they go back but the new year 8 will not have fully completed the transition year. But, also a lot worse for the current year 10s and 12s so all relative.....

RhinestoneCowgirl · 03/07/2020 08:37

I have a Y9 and a Y6. Y9 has already started GCSE syllabus as they do it as three year course at his school. He has been working incredibly hard at home, doing all the work set, but even he is starting to lose motivation now. If he can get back to proper teaching in September I think he should be ok academically, but I'm more concerned about his loss of independence and social skills during lockdown.

Pre-lockdown he was starting to spread his wings, arranging to meet with friends in town, taking the bus on his own, going to cinema with them etc. Plus he was discovering drama, was in the school show before Feb half term which was amazing for confidence.

DownToTheSeaAgain · 03/07/2020 08:38

It's shit for them all and arguing which is the worst year to be hit is just a race to the bottom.

FWIW I feel that my yr 10 will be worst affected academically but the yr 8 has had a terrible time emotionally. Some of this is due to their individual personality/ make up (yr 8 has ASD) and some to the level of interaction with school.

Either way I just wish none of it had ever happened but there is zero that can be done about this.

LolaSmiles · 03/07/2020 08:41

It's hard OP. Each year group will be affected in their own way, but the children will bounce back. They're generally a lot more resilient than adults give them credit for.
I'm increasingly starting to wonder if frequently in life some of the stresses on children are frequently adults projecting or passing their stresses to the children.

tiredanddangerous · 03/07/2020 08:41

Year 7 are in the same situation as year 8 and 9. In some ways it’s even worse for them because they were still settling in and forming friendships.

I don’t think there will be a lasting impact on their education as long as they go back full time with the usual curriculum in September.

Splattherat · 03/07/2020 08:42

All kids have been badly affected by this OP. I have a DS in year 11 who seems relatively unscathed but he has missed out on the chance to sit his GCSE’s and shine, his school prom, socialising with his friends on a daily basis, 6th form induction, year 11 assembly etc etc.
Yet I have a DD in year 10 who will be expected to sit her GCSE’s next year. Lockdown has had an enormous impact on her MH, she has dyslexia (no additional support from school), next door are building an extension and doing noisy building work, her grandad died during lockdown. She is also expected to teach herself and get on with it. She won’t expect any help from us. Our relationship is extremely strained. She has had little virtual classes and she is back at school but only for 4 half days. She feels very upset and let down with lockdown and how badly it has affected her and her school year.

Original poster
Whatthefunk · 03/07/2020 08:47

I absolutely don't want to win the who's worse off debate....I can only speak about my DS, and his experiences. It's interesting to hear about everyone else's perspective. These poor kids...Every day, on my village Facebook page, the teenagers are being criticised for hanging around the park, or cycling around in groups. It's getting ridiculous. What are they supposed to do?? Just as they would naturally pull away from their parents, they are being forced to spend time at home, so I can't blame them for getting together, whenever they get the chance

OP posts:
HandsOffMyRights · 03/07/2020 08:57

I have two year 9s. One should have been taking an early GCSE this summer and that went out the window.

Like a pp, they've also started the GCSE syllabus and were going great guns, but finding it tough now as there are no 'live' lessons so it's just homework style.

I know there will be adaptations for year 10 GCSEs, but this needs to extend to year 9 I feel and possibly year 8 as their GCSEs will be impacted too.

EasilyDelighted · 03/07/2020 09:12

I know, re the hanging around. They should be in town, at each others houses, the older ones having part time jobs, swimming, other sports. I'm amazed at how few are hanging around in groups here TBH. I imagine it will ramp up once schools break up.

formerbabe · 03/07/2020 09:14

I have a year 7 and a year 4 with sn but no ehcp and no key worker parents.

Seems the government views my dc as the lowest of the low.

formerbabe · 03/07/2020 09:17

These poor kids...Every day, on my village Facebook page, the teenagers are being criticised for hanging around the park, or cycling around in groups. It's getting ridiculous

The people moaning are probably the same people who moaned about kids being glued to screens...they are also probably the generation who spent their entire childhood outdoors with other kids.

HandsOffMyRights · 03/07/2020 09:21

I do think this applies to all children and young people and reading posts from other years, like formerbabes, makes me feel so sorry for these kids.

Original poster
Whatthefunk · 03/07/2020 09:24

It actually amuses me, how angry the locals are about what I see as normal teenage behaviour.....hanging around in gangs seems to be the crime of the century, with calls of poor parenting every day...I just wish they'd give them a break

OP posts:
EasilyDelighted · 03/07/2020 09:27

Because mine are teens now I don't really know anyone with primary aged DCs (the ones I do know are keyworker families who have been at school). I cannot imagine how hard it must have been for those years that haven't gone back.

MaryRaddy · 03/07/2020 10:44

I think year 6 have the worst deal. They miss all the rights of passage they've been looking forward to for years, no chance to lead properly within school. It's really the last proper year of childhood and freedom.
I don't have a year 6 but feel desperately sad for them. It's one of the best years of my life.
My year 8 and 9 are fine to be honest.

AdelaideK · 03/07/2020 10:48

I have a year 8 DS and one in year 12.

I'm definitely more concerned for my year 12. Year 8 is probably the best year this could have happened. It's a bit of a nothing year like year 4 is.