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Secondary education

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

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Original poster

Is Year 8 a 'lost' year - Advice and Information needed

50 replies

minesawine · 07/07/2013 09:41

Hi all. Year 7 is nearly over, with all the trials and tribulations that went with it!

It has been a year of change and settling into a routine that is so different to primary school, but it has been mostly a good experience for my DS.

I have been told that Year 8 is a bit of a lost year, where not much happens, but nothing is new. They said it is the year when the kids are most disruptive, get bored and drop their grades and standards. Hormones kick in and school is way down on the list of priorities.

I find that a little bit worrying. Is it true? What happens in schools in year 8? Is it onwards and upwards or just a filler year before GCSE's start?

OP posts:

BigBoobiedBertha · 07/07/2013 09:47

It has been onwards and upwards for my DS. Yes, it is a quiet yr without the pressure of being new and settling into a routine but you don't have the exam stress of yr9 and beyond. It is a time to just get on and learn. I wish there were more years like it but the current exam system doesn't allow it when schools are routinely having them doing GCSEs in yr 9

Hormones kicked in in this house in yr 7 so no difference this yr.

It will be fine.

HSMMaCM · 07/07/2013 09:49

My DD's year 8 wasn't lost. She was comfortable in the school environment, no longer one of the little ones and really started to find herself. Learning accelerated, friendship bonds were secured and altogether very positive. Year 9 has been a bit rocky with pressure of choosing GCSEs, many assessments, etc

JWIM · 07/07/2013 13:55

Have kept a close eye on DS this year - making sure he knows that he knows that I know it is an 'easy' year and any thought of not doing his best will not be OK.

We are now at the end and I hope he will move into next year with a positive attitude to learning.

That said, it has been hormone central on occasion!

OhYouBadBadKitten · 07/07/2013 13:58

It's been a lovely year for dd, she's comfortable with her friends and been able to just get on with the rhythm of school life. A good year for confidence building.

OhYouBadBadKitten · 07/07/2013 13:59

It's been a lovely year for dd, she's comfortable with her friends and been able to just get on with the rhythm of school life. A good year for confidence building.

OhYouBadBadKitten · 07/07/2013 13:59

Apparently it was a really lovely year.

ThreeBeeOneGee · 07/07/2013 14:02

In Y8, DS1 has learned to organise his time and his homework more effectively, and has made some effort towards learning how to revise effectively. I'm happy with his progress.

Talkinpeace · 07/07/2013 17:13

DS is just finishing year 8 : its a building year
DD is year 10 so I've been through it before

8 is a year to start to find out who they are, who they want their friends to be and what they are really interested in
academically its lots and lots of groundwork - that seems boring - ready for the piledriver of year 9 building up to options
enjoy it

oh yeah - and the testosterone and growing an inch overnight ....

BrianButterfield · 07/07/2013 17:53

There tends to be a lot of friends drama in y8 - I have more y8 girls crying than in any other year! Academically for me teaching English it's about starting to really embed some skills they'll be using in GCSE such as the rudiments of essay writing and so on.

Original poster

minesawine · 07/07/2013 17:56

I am feeling a bit more reassured, but happy to hear what everyone else has to say.

Hopefully DS will also grow an inch overnight, he is the smallest in his class and has not grown since year 5.

OP posts:

basildonbond · 07/07/2013 17:57

Actually y8 here has been really good so far - ds2 is much more confident and comfortable in the school setting and has come out of his shell a bit more - he's even volunteered for a couple of things which would have been unheard of a few months ago

Academically he's not had to break into a sweat but did well in the end of year exams and his Spanish is coming on very well

No chafing against authority here (but still a way off puberty I reckon) and he is a rule follower so hates the thought of getting into trouble (unlike his big brother ...)

So all in all I'm pretty pleased

pixelchick10 · 07/07/2013 20:22

yes great year - DD really settled in and became confident

pointythings · 07/07/2013 20:32

I really hope DD doesn't accelerate her growing in Yr8, she's shot up 5 inches in Yr 7.

I do want Yr8 to be a year when she can settle down and really learn stuff - she has achieved a lot in Yr7, no complaints there, but it has been a year of change and after the pressure of Yr6 it will be nice to have a year when she can actually focus on learning new things and gaining in confidence.

treas · 07/07/2013 21:53

Yr 8 for ds is his last year at middle school - he's had G&T trips including a History/Art trip to London on a Saturday and a Music/English workshop tomorrow with the chap who composed the music for the 2012 Olympic Games.

He's had extra Accelerated Maths classes and managed to get level 8s and 7s in his subjects.

Oh yeah and he had his first girlfriend - for all of a fortnight.

Good year with lots of hard work, good results and most importantly fun

pointythings · 07/07/2013 22:00

treas he sounds amazing, so bright and rounded!

CatsAndTheirPizza · 08/07/2013 00:29

Girlfriends in Yr 8?

treas · 08/07/2013 08:41

Thanks pointy I thinks so but then it could be said I was biased

CatsAndTheirPizza - At this age all it involves is that when you go out in a group of friends you get to sit next to each other. They didn't even hold hands. After a fortnight they came to the conclusion that they were better off as 'just friends'.

Have to say my ds school have been brilliant with him and have really got him to perform rather than coast along as he did at his 'outstanding' First School.

Personally I think if you can get you child to understand that if they work hard they will see the benefits then Yr8 need not be a waste.

CatsAndTheirPizza · 08/07/2013 10:51

Treas Aww. that's very cute.

I hope DS's school can get him to do something other than coast next year.

treas · 08/07/2013 11:51

CatsAndTheirPizza - The turning point for ds was in Yr5 when although he achieved top marks in the tests he didn't get as many grade A's as he thought he should.

I told him go ask his tutor why that was and she told him straight that it was because he was not putting in as much effort as the children who were getting lower test marks and that he could achieve even more if he worked harder.

Have to point out it was all stuff I and Dp had already told him but obviously if the teacher said it then it must be true

pointythings · 08/07/2013 18:03

I'm very lucky in our local secondary, though I suppose it might backfire for some - DD1's group have been told that they are shooting for A and A* at GCSE in all academic subjects and less will not be good enough. Fortunately she's ambitious. She's a borderline L7 in maths, top of L6 in English and Science, similarly good in everything else and ahead of the curve in new subjects like History, Geography and MFL.

CatsAndTheirPizza · 08/07/2013 18:51

Yes treas funny how they listen to the teachers .

pointythings what are the expected levels in things like History and Geog for someone expected to get As and A*s at GCSEs? Our school gives results in enormous detail, but doesn't benchmark them in any way. DS (Yr 7) is 7c in Maths, 6 b in English, which I know are strong results, but I have no idea what a good result is in the other, newer subjects.

pointythings · 08/07/2013 19:19

Cats I'm not sure what the expected levels are as they start at a much lower base (think L2 to 3 in Yr 5) but hitting L5 in these new subjects in Yr7 is considered very good, and her teachers have made their expectations very clear. Because they're new subjects they do tend to fly through the levels pretty quickly, so I imagine by the end of Yr9 is has all evened out a bit.

CatsAndTheirPizza · 08/07/2013 19:33

Thanks pointy

gandalfcat · 08/07/2013 19:45

My DS struggled with confidence in Y7, but Y8 has allowed him to realise he is capable of some great stuff, and has improved his planning, revising skills etc. We have had far less last-minute flapping on homework etc., and far less nagging required from me! I think Y8 has made him ready for Y9 IYSWIM, and I guess that is exactly what it should do.

pointythings · 08/07/2013 20:58

gandalf the funny thins is that it's been Yr7 which has allowed DD1 to blossom. She's gone from always underplaying her academic strength (because people picked on her for it) to feeling confident and proud about doing well - because she is now part of a larger group of able children who are expected and expecting to do well.

She's also really enjoyed being able to take part in out of school activities - she plays netball and basketball for the school teams and does drama, and she's made a lot of new friends. It was Yr6 that she found really tough.

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