New Year 12 starters parent support thread (snappy title eh?)

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

here we are.

Thanks all for your kind words of support.

OhSoVintage DS is dyspraxic too, I'm going to be on his case and communicating with his head of year/teachers a lot more than is probably the norm for A levels but I thought he'd be ok doing GCSE's and he managed to go from 'high flyer' to 'oh shit he's going to fail' in the space of year 10 so I'm not going to let that happen again!

This is ridiculous. Today is going more slowly than the first day of Y7.

Exit It will be fine, the whales will still be there in a few more years.

Ds has spontaneously appeared to do his homework. I don't know what to say really, it usually takes much parental poking before he gets down to it. My suspicion is that he's waiting for the return of the school bus to chat to some of his mates and that he's filling time until then.

Hello all. I see the stress and uncertinty are still continuing for some.

I'm just waiting for DD to come home from her first day today. I walked her to the bus stop this morning. It was a compromise because she is the only 16yo who wanted her mom to take her all the way to school today!

Anyway, I've had a text saying she's loving it and doing well, seen some people she knows and made some new friends. I am so pleased. Just the bus journey home to face now!

He's back from his first day.
Apart from this morning's Maths test, every other lesson on a Monday is a free period!
The Maths test was over, and he hasn't yet had any lessons in the other two subjects, so he sat in the sixth form common room for four hours and chatted to people.

MrSlant - Thats exactly that happened with my DD, went into selective independent school as a top student in everything apart from dyscalculia subjects! Just couldn't cope with the pressure, lost motivation, became obsessed with friends online and couldn't cope so gave up. She scraped enough GCSE's to do A-levels. So now I'm not having any messing, I've trusted these teachers as the professionals far to long and they haven't delivered. Well Im a professional when it comes to my daughter and Im sure they will be sick of me by the end of year 13! Shame we had to learn was it takes the hard way.

My DD is home and happy! HUGE relief!

That's good Vintage

Yes the Whales will still be there. We were meant to be going Whale watching the year I got pregnant with DD.

One day .....................

Excellent Vintage!!

Does that mean he has Monday's off TheSecond?? At least he's had chance to get to know people

Excellent vintage
DD has being into town got her toiletries for back to school. Can't believe she's back tomorrow

The salad was excellent! DD is home and happy but I have a serious question. PAN for Y12 is 140. They have enrolled 175 and say that if anyone leaves their place will be filled from the considerable waiting list. Can they really do that?

I'm utterly shocked tbh dd asked me to check portal to see if her timetable has gone on had a look, its not on, had a look at letters and scrolled to the heading curriculum underneath that is a suggested 6th form reading list. There has being no mention of this so dd could have done some work over the holidays.

situated I think they can apply to have their PAN increased of they're over-subcribed, especially if other colleges are too in the area.

Fantasy That's annoying they didn't alert you to it. Did they maybe mention it to students but not parents? DSD has reading lists for all her subjects but hasn't made much headway with them. She listened to a few podcasts on ancient history, but has read precisely zero of the books on her English literature reading list, even though I went though it and lent her some. I think the list is rather long and overwhelming for her.

Apart from an hour of Maths, he does indeed have the rest of Monday free, although is supposed to be in school doing independent study. Today he 'forgot' that he had the new History textbook in his bag, so didn't spend any of the time reading in preparation for the course.

The year group is about 40% new joiners, so a day chatting was probably a wise use of time at this stage.

cloudy
I've asked DD and she said no. Checked every email I've had about sixth form no mention DD checked here's and the options Bookelt. It's quite a nice list.
DD is not looking forward to R.S she loves the subject but hates the teacher

Dd loved her first day. Thank goodness. Thought history was going to be very tough. Loved RS. Has made friends and volunteered for the 6th form student council she would NRVRR have done that at her old school.

successful day! lots of fun activities, dd has found a group to be friendly with. No timetable yet. Tomorrow they do the alys thingy.

OYBK
DD is doing that test tomorrow

Dd says today was boring. They had 2 hours in form getting timetables (dd has already downloaded here from the vle) and doing "getting to know you" activities. She thinks these were completely unnecessary due to them all having known each other for 5 years already. Then she had study periods for the rest of the day, but all her friends had lessons, so she sat in the common room and read a book for 3 hours. She's looking forward to tomorrow when she will actually have lessons all day.

Dd2 had just gone into year 2 and came home proudly clutching the bloody class bear. So now I have to think of what the class bear can do for the week and get the printer working to print the pictures. At least we aren't worried about exams yet.

It was my first day with my new form too. Shiney new year 7s, they all look so keen. One of them cried, but soon calmed down and looked happy again by the time I sent them off to lessons. It's a huge change for them, some of them only had 5/6 in their year in primary, coming up to a secondary with over 200 in the yeargroup.

Exit If your dd will be happier back at her old school then it's the right decision to send her back there. Cars aren't necessary at 17, and the whales will wait.

Tomorrow's Induction sounds pretty boring. They get a talk in the theatre and then given study numbers planner and timetable and all that jazz half do a test and then half do activities and then a break.
Wednesday is the same kinda thing for 2 periods as the whole school is back

Loving all the positive first day stories. Especially from dc starting brand new schools.

DD had a great time, all her timetable issues were sorted out and she's absolutely sure now that she made the right decision in swapping options. So relieved to see her enthusiastic and engaged again

Exit sorry to hear your DD has had a difficult start, it does sound like you're doing the right thing, these 2 years are so important, and so difficult, they need to be in the right place for them or they'll have no chance.

MrSlant in my school, letters like that go up on the notice board in the staff room, it's like winning a prize to be mentioned in one! They are a rare occurrence even in primary, must be even more rare at secondary. It will be very much appreciated.

Fantasy my DDs school will do exams in all subjects at end of year 12 but only maths will count as an AS.

Thanks cloudy I may ask on the local board. Education is the only active thing there!

Exit. Difficult day indeed. I'm sorry your DD was unhappy. I'm sure you have done the right thing.

6th form induction seems to start tomorrow round here. Currently, I have 9 teenage boys in the house playing Monopoly. All going to different schools/collages but all went to the same primary and live in our small village. All lovely boys, if hungry and loud.

that sounds lovely needastrongone :)