Anyone want a secondary transfer support thread?

[HarrietJones]

dd1 is going up in September, had an interview with her year tutor last week and induction days in a couple of weeks.
I've started looking at uniform & it's getting closer!

CATS are cognitive ability tests, so verbal and non verbal reasoning and maths usually.They're meant to test raw ability/intelligence I think and it's what they use in the 11+.

link for info about CATs [http://www.satsguide.co.uk/help__other_exams_and_subjects/cats__cognitive_abilities_tests.htm here]

sorry forgot you need 2

Hi all newbies. How did your DCs first day at High School go?
Hope there is lots of positive feedback

DS1 has a great day, the little I've heard about it!! DS2 and I met him and he was like a drowned rat. All he's talked about is the timetable and thats it. I'll have a longer chat with him later at dinner. He's bouncing now and on skype talking to his friends.
Parents have a meeting next week about KS3, and he gets his first homework tomorrow. eek.
How did everyone else's get on?

Ingles - thanks for the information re CATs :)

DS seems happy again today, 2 more lots of homework, including Art, for which he needs to buy a sketchpad at school tomorrow. Would have been helpful to know he needed one before the summer, could have bought one at the uniform trying on day and had one ready!

Glad your DS has enjoyed his day ThePaxton.

meeting dds teacher on friday eek hope she is nice

Yay for all the starters today!

DS2 has talked non stop since I got in from work. A small incident... a yr8 boy decided that DS2 couldn't get off the bus before him. Two Yr10 boys sat upstairs had a word with this lad (DS1 sat downstairs and unaware).DS2 went to get off the bus and was pushed by said boy. He had mud splashes on his trousers from a puddle, but he now has a hole in his knee on his new trousers . Boys again had words with him. DS2 is going to have a word with his HOY tomorrow.

He has one lot of homework, which he had done in the 40 mins between getting in from school and me getting home from work.

DD had a lovely day - pasta & tomato/cheese for lunch and one lesson - Science with Mr Bland (yes that was really his name - poor man, really shouldn't have gone into teaching )
She's looking forward to Maths tomorrow - they seem to have 'setted' them for nearly everything so she reckons she'll be with the Level 5 boys from her primary school
It's all good though - give it a few weeks until the HW kicks in!

Dd1 starts tomorrow. Seems pretty unphased. She's been making plans to meet her friends in the morning.

well today is the day! And yes, it is 5.43am... the dogs had me up at 5, then the cat was meowing to get in - because she saw one of the dogs out... so I gave up at 5.30, came downstairs made a cuppa, fed dogs and the day has begun.

Children all still asleep which is good.

Good luck for you DS Coffee - Mine started Monday (just Y7) and he's the only one from his primary. Last night he said he played football with a large group of boys but after lunch he just walked around playground on his own my heart sunk. He has skipped off again this morning he's got a full timetable today which he is so excited about but I know he's worried about the "friends" situation. We'll see what today brings...

Going well so far. First day of lessons yesterday and particularly enjoyed the DT lesson in the afternoon which as fab! Had first batch of homework already - DT and English.
Seems to be making new friends and is keen to go to school. Wanted to set off even earlier this morning!

Well, today's the day here!
Glad he's finally started but very anxious! He's not, he's fine. Walked up with a friend. Who knows who, DS was like that at primary school at first, it feels awful but I don't think they feel it the same as us! Hope he has a good day today

Any room for another? My DD has just been backed off to the school bus for her first day and is the last in the family to go to secondary. She is v excited and, being and early september birthday, is already 12 so not as little as some of the others! A couple of her friends from primary are at the same school as her but none in her form or going on the same bus :( hopefully she will meet new people and make some friends! It may be my fourth DC going to secondary but I'm still as nervous for her as I was for the first. Is it too early to text her :o

oops, I meant packed off

First day for my son - school bus turned up 30 minutes late tho which added tension to an otherwise fairly relaxed mother and son!
Good luck to all DC starting this week!

hello! well the boys and 1 girl all went off quite happily together from our house this morning. We had taken pics of DS and DD in their new uniforms and once the boys and the girlie friends were all together we took some of them together.

No tears, just chit chat.

Walked DD to her new school as 'new mum' chatted to 1 mum and said hello to another.

So all 3 of us were newbies today. Hope the kids have fantastic first starts to their new year.

Hope everyone's Dc had a good day.

Coffee, how did DS get on?

DS2 had a good day and no homework. He has gone out to play.

Hello all.
Well done to all todays starters :) nightmare about the bus ladygago!

dd was quite tired this evening (shes just gone off to orchestra now). Lots of fiddly bits of homework and the second night in a row where she and I have wrestled with sticky back plastic grrrrrr. There must be a knack to it.

How on earth do people keep this pace up day after day forevermore?

DS happy again today. Has yet more homework, 4 significant pieces in 3 days, has completed one and is part way through the second. HIs usual after school clubs haven't started beck yet, I am seriously wondering how he is going to keep on top of everything.

Also, anyone else finding demands for more money coming in every day? So far £2.50 for Art supplies, £15 for Food tech ingredients (and he will also need to take fresh ingredients in) and the promise of a demand for design tech. I don't begrudge the money at all, and understand the school cannot fund the experiences, but would have appreciated a warning in the info pack we got before the summer. We can afford to find the money without having to scratch round too much, but I know others would find it difficult.

Well DD returned in one piece (half an hour late though ). She says she had a fab day but her form teacher is 'old and boring' according to her! Proper lessons start tomorrow - today was just admin really getting given books etc. The only problem is I now have to back them all . Hope everyone elses DC had a good day!

I have had a note asking for £5 for design and technology bits and pieces.

Have also had a letter to say a child in YR7 has cancer. Shingles, measles and chicken pox must be reported immediately. This will need an injection within 3 days of contact with cp.

It would be great PandaG is they were to inform parents as to what is expected. Although we've not had any money demands yet, it would have been handy to know that we would need acres of sticky back plastic and folders with press down buttons.

Good luck with the backing upatdawn!

ds got stressed this am but much more relaxed now the first pe lesson and instrumental lesson are over. Logistically having to pick him up as well as dd is a pita. Schools are about 15 minutes apart but today they were due to finish after school activities at same time! In the mornings I drive past all the teachers and parents headed for dd's school to get to his bus stop then back to drop her off.