Advice for secondary school

[KenAdams]

There was a thread last year with advice for students starting secondary school in September.

Lots of great tips about what not to buy so you didn't have to replace it after a week because it would be deemed "uncool"!

But if anyone has any advice for parents that haven't been through this before please share.

Anyone?

No Smiggle.

Wait to buy things (obviously not essential uniform) if you can until your child has got a feel for what the "norm" is in their school. Let your child take plain existing things that they own. (e.g a plain black rucksack may not be the in thing, but it's unlikely to get comments).

"Cool" differs between schools so don't rely on what people on MN tell you.

The hardest adjustment is probably getting used to juggling homework in multiple subjects all with different time frames. Support, but (unless they are really struggling don't enforce) your child in finding their own method. Don't insist they do it straight after school on the day they get it, if that doesn't fit with your child's work pattern.

Copy of their timetable on the fridge (other communal locations are possible :) )is useful

If the school has a parent portal then work out how to use it.

Have a supply of stationary at home, so the school stuff can stay in the school pencil case and doesn't therefore get forgotten.

In our secondary everything must be black apparently 😂. Black coat and black rucksack

Watching with interest.

Luckily/unluckily our school are quite strict with uniform. So no kickers or Docs allowed, they have to be totally plain. The one thing we're 😬 about is a rucksack. DD has said she will use her rucksack from decathlon for the first week, eye up what everyone else has then we'll get one at the first weekend

Would rather spend the money on a private jet.