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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Original poster

Anyone want a secondary transfer support thread?

345 replies

HarrietJones · 13/06/2011 09:19

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!

OP posts:
MegGriffin · 23/06/2011 14:19

Hello, me too. DD1 is starting yr 7 in Sep.
We have visited the school for one of a few meetings and visited the uniform shop. £108! and that's not all of it. Whe the lady said "that's £108 please, the room went quiet and there was a gasp of air from the other parents behind me as they stood there waiting to pay Shock.
She will get three whole consecutive days there in July to learn about the school, do a few lessons and treasure hunds etc which I think is excellent.
I am a cryer and wil blub my way through the assembly and church service.

Original poster
HarrietJones · 03/07/2011 13:36

Dd1 has two days this week plus the spend a fortune on uniform open evening. Wondering whether to let her make her own way or take her on the first day & leave her to it for the rest?

OP posts:
kjaugust05 · 05/07/2011 11:37

Ooooh, me too please. I need all the support I can get!! My dd is off to secondary in September. I'm terrified, she's excited. I'm not ready for a secondary school child. We haven't bought the uniform yet as she has decided to sprout upwards so I'll wait til this growth spurt has finished before I pay out! She's had her induction, made friends and is really looking forward to it.

It's very close to where we live as well so she will be walking with her friends and an older girl who lives round the corner. She is growing up and becoming independent, waaaahhhhh!

She's growing out of her school shoes and her cardigan has seen better days but I too refuse to buy anything new with only three weeks left to go.

Original poster
HarrietJones · 06/07/2011 06:46

Induction today. Dd1 v excited. All packed lastnight & plans to meet friends en route!

OP posts:
aquos · 06/07/2011 09:00

My ds has gone off for his first induction day this morning. His best friend is going to a different school so ds has been really anxious over moving to secondary school. He looked very smart in his new uniform. But he is the most disorganised child. It is going to be a massive transition for him to make, being responsible for his belongings and keeping track of homework diaries etc. I do hope the next three days are positive for him because I think we are going to have a bumpy few weeks when he starts at secondary school properly in September.

HappyHome · 06/07/2011 16:21

Well I have just collected DS from his induction day and...........he loved it!
He is the only pupil going from his primary but has one friend going from another school and luckily they have been placed in the same form. Tonight we have Parents evening and chance to buy his school uniform so will be £££'s worse off no doubt!

Aquos, I too wonder how DS will cope with being organised, at the moment he his just so laid back!

MrsMeow · 06/07/2011 18:47

Signing in here too :) DD starts in September as well. She had her induction day last week and loved it which was a relief. We're lucky in that we live in a small town and the secondary school that she's going to is the feeder school from her school so she knows most year 7s already.

I met her tutor yesterday, who seemed very nice, and she has a 2 day/1 night residential trip in a couple of weeks which gives all the year 7s to be a chance to spend a bit more time together. I'm really pleased with how they've been dealing with the transtition to be honest. DD is excited to go now which helps!

Just need to sort uniform out now. I've had to order a few bits from the school but not sure where to get the other bits from. I usually buy from M&S, but the uniform code is a lot stricter in her new school, so don't think she'll be allowed the sparkly bits & pieces on the skirts and trousers.

MrsMeow · 06/07/2011 18:53

wakeupandsmellthecoffee that link is really helpful, thanks :)

here for anyone else that wants a look.

lostinwales · 06/07/2011 19:08

Signing up too, DS1 off to 'big school' in September. He had a week there last week, going on the bus at 8am we were both quite scared but he had a great time (apart from the boy who punched him in the head on the bus on Friday, but I've sorted that out and most importantly it didn't phase DS1 too much)

I remember seeing threads like this last year and thinking how far away it all still was.

OhYouBadBadKitten · 06/07/2011 20:29

dd had her induction today. Not sure she had a good time tbh, she took all the rules very much to heart. Said there were some nice looking children in the class and some that didnt look very nice at all and others that just 'were'. She is very reserved with people she doesnt know, takes a while to mix in. I'm rather worried about her.

Original poster
HarrietJones · 07/07/2011 06:47

Dd1 enjoyed herself yesterdayand is back today. She's in with her two best friends which she's happy about. I know her form tutor professionally as does dh. When I told him last night who it was he reacted the same as me. Anyway at least we are pre warned!

I gave up on the uniform queue last night as I wanted to get home for tea& it was 7:30!

OP posts:
MrsMeow · 07/07/2011 09:59

OhYouBadBadKitten oh poor DD :( is she going up with any of her friends from primary?

whoknowswho · 07/07/2011 10:46

My DS seemed to enjoy his induction day - he said that all the boys (Bar 1) were best of friends already - i'm not so sure, I think they were just all from the same primary. He said that the girls all made friends instantly and the other boy (who was also the only one from another primary) did not seem to float DS's boat iykwim!! I think he was just quite and shy and maybe a bit nervous. The form tutor seemed to think DS coped well on the induction day, so I shouldn't have anything to worry about - but obviously I still will!! DS is not phased at all - still really looking forward to all the things on offer at secondary school (I'm really having to push him to go to school on a morning at the moment - he is sooooo ready to move on). We've applied for the bus pass and now need to sort out the uniform - but do I buy now or wait until nearer the time? - eight weeks is a long time for a growing 11 year old!!!!

OhYouBadBadKitten · 07/07/2011 10:52

MrsM - there are a couple going from her primary but the school have a deliberate policy not to put them with friends Hmm I think we are just going to keep a very close eye on how she is doing after a couple of weeks and intervene early if we need to. this morning she seemed more positive and she likes her form tutor so maybe she was doing a bit of 'glass half empty' yesterday.

WKW we have bought early and bit big. Though when I say 'a bit big' I tried on her jumper and blazer last night and well.. they fit me Grin so I think she has plenty of growing room.

CeliaFate · 07/07/2011 11:49

My dd is going to secondary school in September too. I had an anxiety dream last night, that dh and I had gone to pick her up because she wasn't on the school bus and we couldn't find her anywhere. I was in my pyjamas, running round the school screaming her name while classes went on regardless. Sad

I'm dreading the homework - 3 pieces a night in year 7!

therealmrsbeckham · 07/07/2011 11:59

Count me in too. DD starts her secondary school in September. Has had her induction visits yesterday and today and we met her form tutor last night at the parents meeting.

We had some tears on Monday night when she found out that she wasn't in the same house as her best friend but seemed a lot happier after her first visit yesterday.

I also have DS1 starting primary school in September so am trying and failing to get organised early. Off to shop for uniforms next week!

CristinaTheAstonishing · 07/07/2011 17:26

DS had his induction day yesterday. He was beaming and described it as the best school day ever. I think he's in for a shock when he starts school proper and sees how much homework he gets. He knows a couple of other boys from his current school and a couple from cricket.

CristinaTheAstonishing · 07/07/2011 17:27

CeliaFate - you poor thing (about the dream), it's stressful, isn't it?

MrsMeow · 07/07/2011 19:20

BadBadKitten that's a really strange way of doing things isn't it? DDs year were all asked to write down which friends they'd prefer to be grouped with and then the school tried to accommodate their wishes. Mind you, I suppose it is a good way of encouraging children to make new friends, doing it the way that your DDs school is...

I'm sure she'll be fine :) I was the only one from my primary that went to my secondary (miles away) and knew no-one, but soon made great friends.

LintFree · 07/07/2011 19:46

Can I sign up too please?

Must admit when I left her in the playground I came home for a good cry. My DD now a little fish in a big pond, the only one from her school in an 8 form entry secondary and the deafening sound of an apron string snapping, all tipped me over the edge!

Naturally DD took it all in her stride and I remain confident that she will cope with most of it but she is dyslexic/dyspraxic so we'll have to negotiate a new SEN protocol no doubt Hmm

CeliaFate · 07/07/2011 21:08

I had my dd's parents' evening welcome meeting tonight. I had to bite my lip to stop myself from blubbing Blush. Oh, and dh had to shush two women behind us who talked ALL the way through the deputy head's speech!

OhYouBadBadKitten · 08/07/2011 10:59

did you get a better nights sleep Celia?
I met dds form teacher last night. She is lovely. MrsM - it is an odd way to do it. I bet you are right though, I'm sure she will make friends. I was eyeing up the children in her class last night and they look like pretty normal reasonable kids Grin

OhYouBadBadKitten · 08/07/2011 11:00

Lint, your heart must sink with setting up the new protocol.

OhYouBadBadKitten · 08/07/2011 11:01

Has everyone had repeated warnings about how much homework they get. We were warned that they expect 1.5 hours every night. My jaw dropped. I used to be able to do mine on the bus on the way home at her age.

lostinwales · 08/07/2011 11:49

Wow, I was just reading this thread and fretting away about September, DS1 has Dyspraxia/ASD but is very high functioning in general so between his primary school/secondary school DS1 and I we have decided to let him get on as best he can whilst we hover in the background if he needs us. I've been worrying if this would be an excuse to just ignore him but the head of SN in the school just phoned to see how he felt his 'welcome' week went and to reassure me that she would be keeping a good eye on him as it's better to prevent problems that let them develop. I can't believe I can live in the back of beyond and yet have such a great school to send my boy to. I think I'll sleep better over the holidays now.

Homework is going to be such an issue, he struggles to write at the best of times. Still I am starting a part time degree in September which should be 16 hours a week so I have a completely idealised view of us sitting together in companionable silence getting on with our work. I know in reality it will end as with all sessions of homework in this house with me going 'DH come here now, you are a teacher, you help him do it, god knows how you manage 30 of them in a day!' Blush

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