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Secondary education

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

Original poster

Join in here if your PFB is off to secondary school in September or if you have any advice for thew newbies

330 replies

ChippyMinton · 12/05/2013 10:10

DS is obviously taking it all in his stride and I am quietly fretting investigating the practicalities of high school life. Anyone want to join me?

OP posts:
mankyscotslass · 29/08/2013 09:06

mumtwo3 I would take the number off, tbh, even name tags here are "uncool". I have just written his name on the inside of his stuff with a sharpie.

Even that horrified him. Grin

I honestly don't think having name and or number on his stuff makes it anymore likely not to be lost or handed back to him though, judging from friends experiences.

mankyscotslass · 29/08/2013 09:51

DS1 is off to the last day of sports camp today, and is getting the bus back with his friends.

SonorousBip · 29/08/2013 10:50

My ds starts TOMORROW for the Y7's, full school back on Monday. This is alarming on two fronts. Firstly, having to go back in August - I have pointed out to DS that it is their way of showing him They Mean Business and that he should prepare himself for Seven Years of More Of The Same. Secondly, I think DS is only about six and a half so how can he possibly be going to secondary school?

Name tapes are a given here. Everything is bought and fully labelled and we are good to go. He is, I think apprehensive, but he is ready for it. I don't think he or we could have borne another "dressing up for world book day" outfit.

We have negotiated a Public Transport Protocol, whereby he and I will walk to the bus stop together in the mornings, as conveniently it is on the way to the station for me and I will leave him there. I can say a brief "Goodbye", definitely not "Darling" and there will be no kissing under any circumstances. The bus is a bit rough, but there you go. (It featured on Crimewatch once Hmm). I suspect the Crimewatch element aren't on it at 7.40am. It stops directly outside the school, no changing needed.

I have a beautiful photo of him outside our front door on his first day at school, with a beaming smile and small backpack on which I know contains a carton of apple juice, a small pack of raisins and a clean pair of pants. I will take another photo tomorrow of him in the same place. Tomorrow evening I will have a glass of wine and a little sad/happy weep.

DollyTwat · 29/08/2013 11:50

I've just labelled EVERYTHING!

mankyscotslass · 30/08/2013 08:34

DS1 has now finished the 3 day sports camp, he has enjoyed it and isn't bothered he hasn't been selected for the rugby squads,even though most of his friends were. I am bothered though. Blush

I don't know why though, it's not like I wanted him to play rugby anyway. Confused

Today will be the day for checking all his stuff has his name scrawled on it and getting all his stuff hung up and organised. with another tie tying practice session thrown in tonight. Grin

noarguments · 30/08/2013 17:16

Not sure if I can join in?. PFB is starting Yr9 and everything went perfectly smoothly two years ago despite some anxieties on my part - he didn't get lost, he made friends, he didn't get bullied, he didn't freeze due to refusing to wear his coat....
However DS2 now about to start (Monday)- it should be less of an anxiety but its 10 times worse as he's so different. He's SO disorganised and away with the fairies, and quite a loner really, so I'm picturing him wandering around the school completely lost and too worried to ask someone. Like so many, he's excited but he is worried about getting lost and being bullied.

One upside though - I happily spent a good 20 minutes in the stationery aisle - he could absolutely not see what the fascination was and wandered off to look at the PS3 games!! I used to LOVE buying smelly rubbers (erasers!) and the like.

They do soon find their way round and get into the routines, I guess, but its those first couple of days...... - arrrrgh!!

mankyscotslass · 31/08/2013 08:21

Of course you can join in. Smile

DS1 is getting a bit more nervous - it's manifesting itself as a smart mouth.

I'm biting my tongue a lot.

mankyscotslass · 01/09/2013 16:54

Ds has just tried his uniform all on, I cried. Blush

Then I dragged him round to the neighbours to show him off. Blush Grin

DalmationDots · 01/09/2013 23:21

Bit of a random tip but I remember how I worried when DC were off so hoping this is useful to someone out there!

DD used to put a £10 or £20 note in her phone, behind the cover. It meant if she forgot her purse or money she still had something to pay for the train or lunch. She used it quite a few times and so it wasn't just a silly unnecessary worrying mother idea!

Ponders · 01/09/2013 23:32

My only helpful hint - esp for owners of untidy/disorganised students - is to have several ties and make sure you always know where at least one of them is

nipersvest · 02/09/2013 10:06

dd started secondary last thursday and omg! it's like she's in shock, she's so wound up, am sure she'll settle down but right now she's worrying about everything. as sure she'll settle down as it all becomes familiar but we had tears last night with her saying how much she misses her primary.

i have a question about sport though - how many pairs of trainers do the actually need?? dd's not really sporty as she prefers swimming, but i've heard talk of indoor trainers, outdoor trainers and astro's! eeek!

noarguments · 02/09/2013 14:57

Don't know about the trainers, I'm pretty sure DS1 has managed with one pair so far (just starting Yr9). Unreasonable to expect parents to fork out for more than one...?

DS2 full of nervous excitement (not total terror) this morning as he went off - they'll be back in an hour - day one nearly done and dusted. I know what's going to happen - I will want a full run down of how it went, what his tutor's like, what friends he saw etc etc, and he will say about three words, then pootle off to his Ipod. Ho hum.

IslaValargeone · 02/09/2013 18:31

Labelled everything today and have helped to pack her bag.
One more sleep Sad
pours large wine

OldBeanbagz · 02/09/2013 20:35

nipersvest my DD has to have indoor and outdoor trainers. After all who'd want the muddy ones in the gym or on a badminton court. We got both pairs at Sports Direct (the indoor ones have a flatter sole). Thankfully no mention of astro shoes here.

Am beginning to think that DD no longer needs me Sad as she's decided she'd rather go on the bus with her friends on the first day rather than me take her SadSad

She's counting down the hours until Wednesday!

mankyscotslass · 02/09/2013 21:03

DS is all packed and ready to go in the morning!

katrina81 · 02/09/2013 21:26

My DD is all ready for the morning bless her, she is a bit nervous and will be walking with her friends but I am sure she will be fine.

They are wearing their PE tracksuits for the first two days as induction bonding days which I think will be good for her.

mumslife · 02/09/2013 21:30

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

InMySpareTime · 02/09/2013 21:33

DS is all set for the morning, the only hiccup so far was when he read the stationery list and thought he needed a navigating compass instead of a drawing-curves one I may have laughed a bit before buying him the right sort
Everything that can be labelled is labelled (and has extra identifying stitches in an odd colour in case thieves unpick the name label), the camera is charged up for morning photos.

mankyscotslass · 03/09/2013 08:21

Well he has gone, trotted off to the bus stop on his own, he looked so smart and so grown up.

Lots of photos taken and now the wait till he gets off the bus and meets me at the younger twos school this afternoon.

I feel sick!

meditrina · 03/09/2013 08:27

Good luck! They'll be fine.

You know how you never realised how your small DC would change so much in their first half term in Reception? Well, they're about to do it again.

Takver · 03/09/2013 09:36

PMSL InMySpareTime - dd's school isn't too bad, but at the other one she considered a navigating compass might have been quite useful for the first few weeks Grin

Also all off this morning fine - only hiccup here that she started her periods for the first time on Monday and is bleeding rather heavily, fortunately she has met her form teacher & she is very lovely, so I think she'll be happy to ask if she needs to go out of class.

IslaValargeone · 03/09/2013 10:34

Oh Takver what awful timing for her period to start.
Well, I actually kept it together quite well this morning (had a wobble once I'd dropped her off). Secondary school after home edding seems like such a massive step, but she was great, even singing in the shower this morning.

encyclogirl · 03/09/2013 14:05

Ds13 started lasted Monday. He absolutely loves it and is hopping out of bed every morning excited for the day ahead.

He started with a lot of friends as they're all in the same rugby team and has made loads more new friends too. His phone has. not. stopped. since last week. So socially we are going great guns.

Academically he's keeping up and he's very sporty so he's excelling there.

However, organisationally he is a DISASTER! Dh and I are like his monkey butlers, "Don't forget this, remember that." x 1000

Yesterday he forgot his hockey kit so dh had to run it into school, on Friday he 'lost' his locker key and the vice principle had to break in to his locker with bolt cutters. He later found it in his book bag. Got home last night, realised he'd left his Maths text book at school and I had to drive over to one of his classmates to borrow his.

And today he has just texted me in a panic, he's left his German homework at home. I'm at work so he has to explain to his teacher that he forgot it.

There is so much to remember compared to primary school, he's really struggling. And so are we. DH is really close to losing it.

And breathe.

Marmitelover55 · 03/09/2013 14:25

My DD1 starts tomorrow - think we have everything and have laboriously labelled it all. Just the nail varnish to remove tonight!

Lancelottie · 03/09/2013 14:33

DD also starts tomorrrow and turns out to have lost the rather nice backpack she's chosen and bought specially. Could be anywhere from Scotland to Devon.

Carrier bags it is then!