Starting Year 9 - any advice from old hands

[CrosswordAddict]

DDs are starting Year 9 on Monday. As they do not have older siblings we could use friendly advice and input from those who have already done Year Nine.
All contributions gratefully received.

In my experience, it's the year when they really start to spread their wings, and you have to expect attitude and boundary testing.

I think lots of kids change a lot in year 9 - and it's a year where the gap between the ones who are really 'growing up' and those not quite there seems to widen.

My dd's friendships became more fraught - in year 8 everyone rubbed along inclusively and happily, but year 9 was more cliquey and at times more unpleasant. Year 9 is notorious for friendship spats and reshuffles, I reckon.

Also drink may become an issue

my two main tips are

1. find out asap if any GCSEs or coursework is being started early (many schools do early entry now for some subjects/modules) from the school as year 9 seems affect teenagers ability to inform parents themselves!

1. be prepared for a total personality change (the Harry Enfield sketch is very true!)

year 9 is tough going in all ways but there will be light at the end of the tunnel (so I'm told )

Thanks to all of you who have taken the trouble to help. Doesn't sound likfe an easy year, does it. But then, no year is easy anyway, so we'll have to press on.
DDs are young in their year and always catching up emotionally/developmentwise, though well ahead academically.
Lots of angst already about starting GCSEs and what GCSEs they will do. Just hope the staff round them all up and give them a pep talk before long.
They are starting enrichment one afternoon per fortnight and I hope this might motivate them a bit. At the moment one DD is spending two whole afternoons of sport/games which she loathes and this is blighting her life somewhat. Can't see any way round that though. I hope she will find something she is really good at soon as she is getting very down and fed-up. There is nothing on the curriculum which she can shine at.

My dd is about to start Y11 and I have to confess all the years seem to merge into each other. I don't think any year has stood out so far in terms of difficulty/attitude/issues for us so far. However, some of dd's friends did have major bust-ups that year.

the big thing about Year 9 will be choosing GCSE's around jan/feb. Loads of threads on those!

My dd started year 11 yesterday, and came home going on about how restricting and stifling school was,and how they weren't children any more so why didthechool treat them as if they were- I predict n eventful year!1

Thanks for the morale boost there seeker

I think year 7 saw such a big attitude change that I've now just hardened myself to it and built up resistnace levels over past 4 years

Year 10 saw a very definite split into 2 camps though - those exploring drink/smoking/sex etc and those who don't. Which was about the time that happened in my antediluvian schooldays

any time, grunge!

Have a DD just going into year 9. She found her new teachers online last and got quite excited about school.
I also have a Ds going into yr 11.
He has always been very mature and it was yr9 that the others caught up.I was told by friends and on Mn yr9 was when friend groups were really formed.
with regard to options make sure you know what courses really cover.
Ds is a talented photigrapher and took a twilight btech. it was a big mistake and has nearly put him off altogether, thankfully it was a twilight so he could. withdraw from it

School has not put Timetable on their website yet. Can't pack bag for Monday properly as we do not know what lessons. Just putting pencil case etc. They will probably get tt and their planners on Monday.