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Secondary education

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

Original poster

The Trinity-Whitgift thread of 2013 continued

860 replies

Somelikeithott · 16/02/2013 16:46

Hi all as I posted on previous thread, I realised we had hit the 1000 mark, do felt obliged to open a new one. Hope everyone finds this thread easily

OP posts:
frazzledforty · 02/09/2013 14:02

Thanks for reviving the thread, everyone!

DS is under orders to study the school rules, but has only made it to page 2. Apparently the small print hurts his eyes. It seems not only has he lost the ability to read, but also to use any capital letters or other punctuation. May his lovely teacher (I think) have patience...

Good luck to all the boys - and parents!

Original poster
Somelikeithott · 02/09/2013 21:26

Thanks ladies, will be giving DS morning snack to take in, then. He gets very grumpy when he's hungry, ( I guess that's practice for when he is a grown man). Sorry all men out there....

DS is pretty chilled out, but me , I feel a bit like Croydonmum!!!

Will be glad when Wednesday has been and gone, then I can really start to fret about LG...

Good idea frazzled, maybe I can give DS some reading material tonight, instead of his phone, which seems to be his new best friend.....

OP posts:
MayContainWine · 02/09/2013 23:02

Anyone got any thoughts on whether W boys need to take full P.E kit on Wednesday? DS will be making his own way there and seems an awful lot of it.

FatalFlowerGarden · 03/09/2013 07:58

I wasn't intending to send ds with PE kit tomorrow (tomorrow! Eeek!) as was going to wait until we'd got a timetable. I somehow didn't imagine that they would need kit on their first day, but could be wrong! Ds doesn't know, of course...

FatalFlowerGarden · 03/09/2013 08:19

Update - have asked ds again and he now says Hmm they need to take the white PE kit in. So, white kit, non-marking shoes, maybe trainers too?

Primary was so much simpler!

SoupDragon · 03/09/2013 08:21

Oh yes - Primary. Mine didn't even really need to take a bag in at all! So much easier :o

MayContainWine · 03/09/2013 09:27

That sounds best option re. PE Kit FatelFlowerGarden....will keep it simple.

frazzledforty · 03/09/2013 10:05

I asked DSs teacher on Friday if they needed to bring any sports kit on Wednesday - she said they're only getting their timetables this week and won't know what days they're doing PE, so no need to bring it in tomorrow. He is U1, but I'm pretty sure that will apply to all of them.

I still have to get the padlocks. Does anyone know if they are allowed combination locks? I know they're supposed to hand in a spare key, but DS will lose keys faster than what I'm pulling out my hair.

I can't believe they're actually starting tomorrow. It's been such a long process... let's face it, if they (and us!) have survived the tears over the Bond books, the exams, the wait for the envelopes and the interviews, the first few days should be a walk in the park. Right?

SoupDragon · 03/09/2013 10:38

They are allowed combination ones at T - they give the tutor the combination rather than a spare key.

FatalFlowerGarden · 03/09/2013 10:41

Yes, am slightly embarrassed to say that a further grilling of ds (with accompanying headlocks, hehe) has revealed that PE kit not, in fact, necessary tomorrow.

But possibly necessary on Thursday. According to my head-in-the-clouds ds. So you may wish to disregard that information on the grounds of staggering unreliability Grin.

It occurs to me that, in the wealth of paperwork we've had so far, an Idiots Guide To What To Bring On The First Day Of School would be v helpful!

frazzledforty · 03/09/2013 11:54

Thanks Soup, that makes sense. Will send in combination lock with code and hope they accept it.

Fatal - DS could not tell me ONE thing he had been told on Friday. I'm still trying to figure out the array of valuables bags etc and what should go in where.. while yes, he's become permanently glued to his phone. I agree some basic instructions would have been helpful!

Btw, I'm completely in awe of the boys who are travelling to school independently. I'll be dropping off and picking up for the first few weeks (as clearly my work is not as important as his master's comfort!) and I'm not even sure DS will find the Big Side car park.

Original poster
Somelikeithott · 03/09/2013 11:57

Lol all!

Frazzled, we had combination lock padlocks for DS, to take in last Friday, as we've got same concerns as you about him losing the key. But apparently, his teacher said they have to be padlocks with keys, and to hand one of the keys to his teacher ( as per letter), so will be changing them today. He is in L1 though, not sure if that makes a difference

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TCofB · 03/09/2013 12:31

what I got from Friday from DS (L1) was no need to take PE kit in first day. We will find out from timetable when we get it what the PE days are - also they will be told what the PE is so you will know what this half term their class is doing eg swimming, basketball or whatever it might be for PE so you can pack appropriately - but if it's not swimming it will just be the white kit and trainers most likely. DS says Fridays will be games day (we can check if that is right when we get the timetable) so blue rugby kit for this term - they wear the same for football training - they will be told when that is too in due course if that's their thing and they will be given a playing strip if they are selected for a football match. Don't know about padlocks but DS is going with a combination one. First day bring ruck sack with pencil case (appropriately filled!) and the term calendar, rough book and Planner they were given on Friday, plus a drink and snacks a good idea. Probably bring the valuable bag for mobile phone just in case.

burntoutdad · 03/09/2013 16:57

Hott, wine, fatal et al - I called the school today and was advised that DS should bring in ALL kit in sports bag (which can be kept at school in locker until needed) so some conflicting advice flying around. It wasn't made clear last week.
Ds was told that combination locks should not be used as there has been various occasions in the past (as you can imagine!) where boys have forgotten their code and then cant access the locker. Hence the key lock with spare key handed to form tutor.

TweenageAngst · 03/09/2013 20:09

Glad I decided to check in here......trots off to remove PE Kit from enormo-bag. Dropping mine at a friends house at 7.20 eeeek then off to work. They will start the bus after lake Garda.
Mine were adamant that they were not allowed combination locks.

Original poster
Somelikeithott · 03/09/2013 22:07

Thanks burnt, makes sense as our DSs are in same class, so they were actually paying attention to their teacher. Lets hope they keep this up ( a girl, a can hope, right?)

Think we might just take PE kit in and store in locker, at least it will be there for when it is needed....

Strangest thing happened to me today, after all the 'talk' on here about padlocks, I went to my local hardware store to get padlocks with keys ( instead of the combination ones we already bought). Anyway as I got to where the padlocks were, there was a lady with her 2 sons deliberating on padlocks to get. Her older son was trying to convince her the padlock ( with keys), she wanted to get for the younger son, was too small because of the way the lockers are configured. I stood and listened to their conversation for a while, getting a bit confused about what to do. ( I mean, how difficult is it, for me to buy a padlock? Really!!!!). I hadn't thought about the size until I overheard their conversation. So cheekily, I asked if the lady didn't mind me eavesdropping, but what school are her boys in? LO and behold it was T. So I got the bigger padlock on the advise of her son ( it's not gigantic), the lockers can't be too different between the 2 schools right? Incidentally, her older son got a combination padlock and the younger one ( who will be in year 7/upper first), got the keyed padlock. Their mum said the younger one was required to get one with keys, it didn't matter what her older son got. If that was someone on here, hello & it was nice meeting you.

All the best, tomorrow everyone.

OP posts:
AllNewToUs · 03/09/2013 22:45

Hello all, good to see that this Thread is still alive and kicking - I was following it earlier this year and just checked hoping that I might find some useful guidance and info - so pleased to see that I'm not the only one wondering about padlocks and sports kit! My DS is in L1KGM. Not sure I can totally rely on his ability to pass on all instruction and info from Form Tutor, but did get a half garbled message about padlocks and spare keys, and now it all makes sense. I bought a large combination lock on advice from Mr Mantilas at the school shop but will now go on hunt for one with keys - although I will be amazed if he he manages not to lose the key before the end of week (already needing to retrieve items from lost property left at school during induction week!!) Good luck and happy first days to all your DSs!

FatalFlowerGarden · 04/09/2013 06:32

Well, it's finally here! Loads and loads of good wishes to every ds, hope you all have a fantastic time whether at W or T.

Right, off to feed ds, and then load him down with book bag and kit like one of burnt's donkeys Grin.

Good luck!

TweenageAngst · 04/09/2013 07:07

Wibble Wibble Wibble. It is mad, I already have a DS at secondary school so it is not like it is new to me but neither the boys or myself have been able to eat breakfast-I am mainlining coffee and a ball of angst.

SoupDragon · 04/09/2013 07:30

And they're off... [sigh] I hate the stress of getting them out of the house in the morning!

basildonbond · 04/09/2013 08:15

Ds has just gone off in his brand new suit for his first day of sixth form - he simultaneously looks really grown up and ever so young :)

FatalFlowerGarden · 04/09/2013 08:25

Just back! Ds decided against PE kit in the end - there seemed to be a mix of boys with and without, and the smaller ones mainly without! So fingers crossed he's not gained himself his first detention Wink

God, I hope he finds his classroom... Am definitely having a big old wibble now I'm home...

SoupDragon · 04/09/2013 09:20

6th Form? [faints]

The new 6th Formers do always look oddly gron up and young at the same time don't they? They need to grow into their suits - metaphorically and actually!

Croydonmumtods · 04/09/2013 09:22

Well that went ok. Ds's main concern seemed to be that I would embarrass him with a big kiss (saving that for when I really need it!). Packed everything he could possibly need and hope to see it all again at the end of the day. Now to get organised for lake garda and I'm going away sat as well and dh away for 2 days. Not very well planned!

frazzledforty · 04/09/2013 10:09

Managed not to blub (openly) and remembered not to hug or kiss. DS didn't even glance back.

Thank to all the old hands and new parents for sharing their wisdom and experiences. Had it not been for this thread, DS might well have started in his swimming trunks this morning!