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Original poster

Any schools near you doing ‘summer school’ for new yr 7?

45 replies

Mojitofairy · 23/08/2021 21:14

It seems like a lot of parents of year 7s around the country are being offered a week of summer school for settling in, but there’s nothing at all going on locally, all the kids here are going in a day earlier than the other years, that’s it.
Dd doesn’t have any additional needs, got the school she wanted with most of her friends, and other than the national lockdowns wasn’t off school at all in the last year, so I’m not worried and neither is she, but wondered how widespread these extra weeks are?
When it was mentioned on here as a way of catching up missed learning, most people seemed uninterested back before Easter. Seeing as the weather has been crap and UK holidays so expensive, it seemed interesting to me how many of my friends around the country have jumped at it!

OP posts:
SmallGreenStripes · 23/08/2021 21:16

Ours had a week at the start of the holidays. It was their only transition activity. The school did it really well and they loved it. Was 3 hours of activity and one hour academic, plus team building and ice breaking activities.

Wrinklyeyes · 23/08/2021 21:18

All the secondaries in our borough have offered it to the incoming Year 7s.

fizbosshoes · 23/08/2021 21:19

My DS new school is offering a summer school this week but we're on holiday.
I'm not sure what it entails but I've seen via MN that other schools had trips to theme parks etc. Ours I'm pretty sure was just at school.

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mewkins · 23/08/2021 21:20

Yep all the schools round here are doing a week of activities, 6 hours a day including lunch and plenty of sport and team building. I thought all schools were given a fund to do this under the guise of catching up (I may have misunderstood that though!)

Larryyourwaiter · 23/08/2021 21:20

Our school did. Although DD missed out on it last year because of covid.
2 other secondaries that are close don’t offer anything.

Vroomed · 23/08/2021 21:20

Yes my DC’s school did it I think. West London (Hounslow borough).

NautaOcts · 23/08/2021 21:21

Yes ours does a summer camp for the new year 7s optional during the summer hols.

Apeirogon · 23/08/2021 21:22

It's a mixture around here - some schools are offering it, some not. For the ones that are, it's both academic and sports.

NautaOcts · 23/08/2021 21:22

It’s not new - separately they offered some catch up stuff

Fireplace12 · 23/08/2021 21:22

Nope. Never heard of it in our county.

JulesCobb · 23/08/2021 21:23

My dd had a week of summer school, doing a mixture of taster lessons and wellbeing.

Bumpinthenight · 23/08/2021 21:23

DD's school has done this and is having the year 7s in a day earlier than the rest of the school.
The summer school was really well done and allowed the year 7s to explore the school and try out the dinner system without any pressure.
I hope they continue to do them.

UserStillatLarge · 23/08/2021 21:24

DC's school always have one. It's optional and only a reasonably small proportion of children go though. The first day in by themselves is a pretty good way to settle in!

aliloandabanana · 23/08/2021 21:27

Yes, ours is - from the way it was described, it seems to be funded by "catch-up" money rather than being an annual occurrence. Seems like a good way to get the pupils used to the school and the teachers (the year 7 teachers are running it).

QueenofLouisiana · 23/08/2021 21:28

DS’s school has had a week for yr7 intake, a week for new yr11- organised by targeted subject areas- and a GCSE graduation. Their new intake had a few days at the school (almost all outside) at the end of term.

There was also work (including video lessons) set for students going on to A Levels/ Btec (the need to complete this was reiterated when they confirmed choices after results.

They are planning to hit the ground running next month. Sadly, the other local school offered nothing which has caused some disquiet.

Sarjest · 23/08/2021 21:29

My DD went in for a week. The majority of the new Year 7s turned up. They did a range of subjects, lots of PE and got to make new friends. Six hours a day, including lunch and became familiar with the layout of the building. It was well worth doing as it’s taken away any angst of the real first day.

careerchangeperhaps · 23/08/2021 21:29

It's only being offered to pupil premium (free school meals) pupils in our area.

FrippEnos · 23/08/2021 21:31

Did two weeks at the start of the holidays.

You could sign up for individual days a week or both.

PeterPomegranate · 23/08/2021 21:32

My son’s secondary school isn’t for all pupils (Harrow borough). I think they are for some groups (eg vulnerable in some way) but not all children. They just have 1 day just year 7s before the other years start.

Think it depends how the schools have used the funding.

ChevreChase · 23/08/2021 21:35

Both secondaries in our town did this for the first week of the summer holidays. It was all activities like archery, climbing walls things, martial arts, crafts. Parents were asked to subsidise, but it was only about £20 for the whole week.

Hellocatshome · 23/08/2021 21:39

DS2 has been to a weeks summer school at his the secondary he is starting in September. It has all been free and included a day trip to a localish attraction and a half day trip to an adventure spkrts place, the rest of the time was spent on site doing archery, rock climbing, dodge all etc. They have done a few 'fun lessons such as music, art and science (doing experiments) but no real focus on catch up or anything its all just been a meeting the other kids type event.

MumofSpud · 23/08/2021 21:42

Our summer school was mid August - a week of transition activities. I had a couple of students who couldn't make it (from my SEN group) so they came in at a different time - just so they could see the SEN base / resources and meet a couple of the staff who will be working with them next year week!!

Princessdebthe1st · 23/08/2021 21:44

My DD's s school is doing one this week (Essex/Greater London). She is in year 11 and is helping out all week. She really enjoyed it today and said the year 7s in the class she is helping with were great and seemed to enjoy it. Although she has set herself a target of getting the 'girl who looks like a scared deer' to relax and enjoy herself by the end of the week.

HelplessProcrastinator · 23/08/2021 21:54

Most schools locally not offering this as far as I know. DD’s school is but has done for several years so not COVID related. She started today. About an hour of academic lesson time, sports and ice breaking activities. All in school with free lunch.

Thatswhathappens · 23/08/2021 22:37

Yes all the schools in my area did it, my dd was absolutely loving it, then on day three covid struck and they were all sent home! It’s such a shame as it was giving her a massive confidence boost as we hadn’t been able to even look round the school because of covid rules and we didn’t know a lot about it,