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Secondary education

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

Original poster

Just waved my Sixth Former off to school!

86 replies

Horsemad · 05/09/2013 08:03

How on earth can he be in sixth form?! Doesn't seem five minutes ago since he started Reception and I was wondering if he'd cope as he is a July baby!

Good Luck DS1, work hard and enjoy!

OP posts:
webwiz · 08/09/2013 16:07

oh dear cory that was unlucky hope your DD is ok now.

Apparently DS spent most of friday morning in a road safety conference for new drivers with sixth formers from other local schools. He decided to tell me about it this afternoon and it was so full on that some people left the hall in tears.

It was something similar to the advice here www.learn-2-live.org.uk/ I was a bit Hmm about not knowing anything about it beforehand but DS seemed to take on board the messages.

RussiansOnTheSpree · 08/09/2013 16:09

web Are you in Devon?

webwiz · 08/09/2013 16:24

no we are in Hertfordshire but it was very similar to the Devon charity.

Abra1d · 10/09/2013 09:40

My son is still very tired. I think it's a result of the long, long break between the end of GCSEs and the start of this term and having to get used to the long school days again (out of the house at 7.30am and often not home until 6-7pm in the evenings). He had these silly sleep habits over the holidays, involving getting up at lunchtime and staying up until the early hours. We did warn him that it would be hard to readjust and he should start getting used to normal hours again, but he knew better. He is very tetchy and not his usual self at all.

I wish I could stop him watching videos on his laptop in between studying at nights. I know he needs a break from time to time but I think he is just constantly distracting himself.

But he now says he wants to stick with his original AS level choices, so that is something.

RussiansOnTheSpree · 10/09/2013 10:02

DD1 was shattered this morning, however that's not surprising since she didn't get home till 11pm last night - the school chamber choir were singing evensong at a cathedral some 2 hours distant from the school (and the school is an hour away from us). They got back to school at 10pm. Poor thing!

The volume of work she has had from school so far doesn't seem to be phasing her though - but I think they are 'easing them in'. Or maybe she was just right in the subjects she picked - we were all 'loads of work!' and she was all 'not really! This is what I'm good at, it doesn't feel like work!'. We shall see.

webwiz · 10/09/2013 10:22

DS was foul last night so obviously shattered as well I think the double maths and double further maths lessons were to blame. He said that everyone just lies around the common room in free periods looking tired!

Abra1d · 10/09/2013 10:45

Relieved it's not just my son! I suppose it's not surprising, really.

Original poster
Horsemad · 10/09/2013 11:42

Mine seems to have adjusted but has an ingrowing toenail which is currently infected. Went to the chiropodist last night and he was very brave whilst she dealt with it (braver than me, who sat looking at the ground whilst it was being done)

He has an appt at the surgery later to get a/bs for it & back to the chiropodist next week. If she can't sort it he'll have to have the nail removed at the hospital. Feeling sick at the thought - feet are my phobia Sad

Anyway, he did his homework last night, so he's plodding on...

OP posts:
Abra1d · 10/09/2013 12:24

We had great success using saltwater soaks and manuka honey on three infected ingrowing toenails. In fact, the latest was mine, just a month back, on holiday. We didn't actually need ABs for any of them, though in one case the doctor gave us a prescription just in case. The manuka just 'eats' the infection, it seems.

Original poster
Horsemad · 10/09/2013 12:29

I'll try that Abra thanks. How long did it take for the infection to clear?

OP posts:
TheWave · 10/09/2013 12:35

DD1 started at new sixth form last week. We had some worries about changing from her otherwise excellent school but the earlier starts and fuller days and newness seem to have made her grow up suddenly and she is now much more independent.

I don't know if that is then a Smile or a Sad for me though but she is definitely pleased with moving on.

Abra1d · 10/09/2013 12:42

Days. The worst ingrowing nail my son had probably took five to six days to completely heal. My toe last month cleared up in about two to three. But I was blessed with being by a lovely clean beach so it got accidentally dunked in saltwater in between treatments when I was windsurfing and falling off.

Original poster
Horsemad · 10/09/2013 12:51

Thank you, have just googled and now feeling stressed after reading gory accounts of ingrowing toe nails!!

OP posts:
Abra1d · 10/09/2013 12:53

All three we've had (and one in particular was awful) have healed up swiftly and cleanly. It helps when they're young and have good immune systems. With the saltwater, we found getting it as hot as we could (without obviously scalding) really helped to flush out the gunk.

We were also recommended crocs while the toe is healing as they offer cushioning but let air flow through. But teenagers aren't always keen.

Original poster
Horsemad · 10/09/2013 12:59

My teen keeps his bloody socks on at night, grrr! He does shower daily so clean socks but he will not listen to me about 'letting your feet breathe'.

So frustrating Angry

OP posts:
webwiz · 10/09/2013 16:01

Independent is good TheWave the sooner they learn some the better they cope at this level (skims over the feet stuff!)

Haystack · 10/09/2013 16:17

My dd just started on Monday - 6th form of her old school, still have to wear uniform, and I am beginning to think we have made a big mistake.

She has been given the same tutor for 6th form as she has had for 5 years through the school and dd feels that 'nothing has changed.' I think this is a shame as where is the sense of something new and exciting, a new chapter if you have the same tutor (sadly one who has never got over dd going from 'perfect' pupil to occasionally late and grumpy when we had family problems a few years back - was no support and never even returned my calls when I tried to enlist her support for dd?)

Prior to going back she was really excited about the new adventure of 6th form, about getting to grow up a bit, being more independent and had been demonstrably more mature in many ways at home - the last two days she has reverted to mono syllabled grunting and looks miserable. Do we act now? Move her to a different setting? Ask to change tutor? Or am I panicking and she will settle down soon? If I try to talk to her she just gets cross.

TheWave · 10/09/2013 16:42

Yes webwiz thought I'd got the wrong thread from a moment.

Hay well it's early days maybe. They should be making them feel different I think if in the same school. Have a look at the 6th form prospectus and see what sort of things might still be offered that your DC hasn't accessed yet. Are there newbies from other schools as that contributes to a new atmosphere? Could she help them settle in/make new friends?

Original poster
Horsemad · 10/09/2013 19:06

Oops, sorry! We did get a bit sidetracked with feet for a while!

Chem homework here tonight & he's just said how pleased he is with his teachers as they know their stuff!

OP posts:
circular · 10/09/2013 19:37

Lessons only started yesterday for DD1. No homework except for maths both days. Also, both times lesson was after her free study period so she has had to do it at home. Maybe they are being broken in gently, though they did have a lot of holiday homework - which so far none of the teachers have asked for.

Bit early to tell how its going, seems to like most of the teachers but missing all the friends she left behind and suspecting it will be difficult to break into a friendship group.

roisin · 10/09/2013 19:46

ds1 has had lots of homework:two or three lots each day. He only has 4 frees each week, so mostly he has to do it when he gets home.

But he is absolutely loving sixth form. Today he was buzzing and telling me over tea about everything they learned today. (Most straight over my head, as I'm an arts person, not science! But it's nice that he wants to share.)

He's also really independent and taking responsibility for himself. He still hasn't quite done all the steps to enable him to use the cashless catering system (5 days in!), but he says he's nearly cracked it. LOL

RussiansOnTheSpree · 10/09/2013 19:59

Circular has your DD had to perform yet for the class? DD1 had to perform yesterday. It's a small group though and it's not like she doesn't have quite a sizeable repertoire of stuff she can do almost off the cuff, so that was OK. I think some of the others were a bit more wary though.

Also - I posted in your thread but perhaps you didn't see - have you sorted out the grade 8 situation yet?

Haystack · 10/09/2013 20:51

Thanks Wave
No homework here yet - well not according to dd anyway!

circular · 10/09/2013 21:09

Russians Only had 2 music lessons so far. Been told performance mock in December and will get to perform their chosen pieces in front of each other shortly before. Also been told not worth playing above grade 6 piece for AS (does that sound right?)

Think she's a bit put out not to get to perform in front of class yet. About 12 or 13 in their group.

Not been back to other thread since summer hols - music school not restarted yet.

Hope your DD is enjoying the course.

mumslife · 10/09/2013 21:33

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