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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

Coming to the end of year 7 . . . how did it go in the end?

27 replies

Takver · 06/07/2014 22:14

Thinking of all those new year 7s back last September, and wondering how it has worked out for everyone.

DD struggled quite a bit with the transition for a long time, really until half way through the spring term, I'd say. Thankfully she does seem to have found her feet now, settled in to a nice group of friends and something of a 'place' in the year/school.

We shall see what year 8 brings . . . !

OP posts:

LittleMissGreen · 07/07/2014 09:02

DS is still struggling a bit socially, but starting to slowly make friends. His school have been great at stamping on bullying as soon as I have mentioned it.
Academically he is doing really well. Trying really hard - 4 awards for effort in his latest prize giving and been invited to G&T enrichment days for maths and science.
I've had to buy 4 school ties and a whole new PE kit which managed to get lost (although one of the ties was because someone took his - they are clip ons, and threw it in a tree and the clip came off when he tried to get it back).

KittiesInsane · 07/07/2014 12:11

Mostly good (only one from her primary to go to this school). New friends seem a nice bunch, but she's reluctant to meet them outside school so I haven't got to know any of the families, which comes as a bit of a shock after the close groups of primary.

She loses homework weekly. Parents' evening was all variations on a theme of 'lovely, hardworking, but disorganised'.

We're on our third school bag, and she's outgrown everything we bought this time last year!

Original poster

Takver · 07/07/2014 22:01

YY to the disorganisation & chaos - dd has lost one PE kit (but so far hasn't lost it again after being warned she'd have to pay for replacements next time!) and her books are incredibly scruffy.

Fortunately academics seem to be going well and winning her a bit of tolerance for the other stuff. She's really seeing the difference from primary where handwriting, spelling etc were front of stage to secondary where it is much more about content.

DD is on second school bag but only because the first one was stolen from our car (I suspect leading to a very disappointed thief )

OP posts:

lottysmum · 07/07/2014 23:10

Generally good - DD seems to have made a wide circle of friends and handled any friendship issues really well...I love the way she is finally able to go with the flow when she used to be so stubborn....

She's conquered a lack of self confidence in Maths and now thriving moving up from a 5A to a 7b in a year .... she still gets distracted and talks too much ....

We have lost a PE shirt, a jumper and socks ...and she's on her third bag...straps broken on two others ....we have roll over so she's on her Yr 8 timetable now ....lots of changes with teachers so I hope it all continues ...

OldBeanbagz · 08/07/2014 15:21

DD has had a fab year after an initial wobble in the Autumn term (friendship issues). Her final report was brilliant and i'm really proud of her.

She seems to have convinced all her teachers that she did a LOT of revision for her recent exams (top marks all round) rather than the last minute 10-15 minutes per subject that i know to be true

Oh and we've made it to the end of Y7 without finding the Lost Property office because she hasn't lost anything!

There's a class reshuffle in September so she's looking forward to being back with her primary school best friend

CLL65 · 08/07/2014 15:57

My DS's year 7 experience has been dreadful and I've despaired for the last 10 months. He's lost 3 sets of P.E kits, he's now on his third school bag, he's been on report for poor behaviour, lack of concentration, poor quality of homework and the list goes on. He admits that he's struggled with the transition and I'm really hoping that year 8 sees a vast improvement. Had anyone else had such a traumatic experience with their year 7?

CLL65 · 08/07/2014 16:16

And as if the above was not bad enough, he's had numerous fights with the latest one being this afternoon.

KittiesInsane · 08/07/2014 16:18

Where are all these PE kits? I don't see anyone yet on this thread saying 'DD keeps coming home with extra PE kits'

Wigglykitten · 08/07/2014 16:22

It's all gone really well for us, so much better than I was expecting. He's only come home from school upset once, has made some lovely new friends whilst keeping his old ones, and unbelievably has kept himself organised, done all of his homework, and hasn't lost a single thing! We're so proud of him, and hope he carries it on into Year 8.

Original poster

Takver · 08/07/2014 17:26

I'm sorry to hear things are going so badly CLL65. To be honest, I didn't post on the old year 7 thread much in the first term, because it was such a car crash that I just didn't want to deal with it any more than needed. One of the things that helped dd immensely is seeing the school counsellor once a week, I don't know if your ds's school has anything like that?

OP posts:

jeandawson · 08/07/2014 17:26

Bless little CCL65! Bet you he'll be the most organised year 8 having got it all out of his system whilst the rest are groaning Kevins by then

DS managed to almost the end of the year before having a torrential leak in his bag that's ruined text books and exercise books alike, and has got his first half hour detention. Time for a break me thinks!

CLL65 · 08/07/2014 17:36

Taker, thanks for your comments. My DS has seen the counsellor but said it didn't help. My DH and I have an appointment for ADHD because the erratic behaviour seems to have got worse.

No one on here seems to have endured this nightmare!!!

fluffydoge · 08/07/2014 17:37

For schoolbags I swear by eastpak. DD's has lasted her 4 years so far and shows no signs of wear yet.

FiveHoursSleep · 08/07/2014 18:55

DD1 has had a good year academically but she's pretty organised by nature. She's struggled a bit with her friendships though. She's not a Queen Bee but is very attracted to the popular group and seems to be ignoring some of her 'less popular' friends, who are much nicer IMO.
It's hard to stand by and let her make these mistakes , but what else can you do?
I'm starting to stress about DD2 who starts secondary in September. She has a lot of ASD traits and is not at all organised. I suspect her Y7 is going to be rough.

OldBeanbagz · 08/07/2014 19:33

Sorry to hear you've had a dreadful Y7 CLL65. I know there's been a lot of bad behaviour with the boys in DD's class inclduing one being hospitalised after a fight. Maybe they have a harder time with the transition? Could be the testosterone kicking in?

KittiesInsane we haven't aquired any extra PE kit to my knowledge

CLL65 · 08/07/2014 20:05

Old bean, I definitely agree with you on the testosterone point. Young males seem to think that the use of the fist is often the resolution to conflict. Poor me. I do hope that year 8 is better and if he's diagnosed with ADHD, at least we'll know the reasons for the behaviour .

mankyscotslass · 08/07/2014 20:06

DS1 has had a good year - he is doing well academically and socially - he has made some good friends who are very similar to him.

He seems to have matured a lot over the last year.

The only issues we have had have been a couple of problems with older kids on the school bus, but even that does not seem to have put a dampener on his first year at secondary.

merlehaggard · 08/07/2014 20:18

DD2 has had a great year after a very rocky start. She was one of only a few children to go from her primary and we had tears about going back after October half term. After Christmas she seemed to really settled and is now really happy. Academics are great too - though this was never going to be my concern. It was always going to be socially. I can't believe we're nearing the end of the year already. We haven't had end of year reports yet.

Hulababy · 08/07/2014 20:47

DD has had a really good year. I can't believe it finishes on Friday for her tbh, its gone so quickly.

Socially, it has been an excellent move. DD has made lots of new friends. She's stayed close friends with one girl from her school, who is also in her y7 class, and made another good friend, who was in the primary section of new school - they make a good threesome. Lots of other good friends too. She has also stayed in touch with other friends both who went to her school and didn't - Instagram helps a lot, and she is still best friends with her friend from primary who went elsewhere.

Academically she is doing well. She tries hard, has settled into a good homework routine, and even done well to manage revision, etc. We don't have NC levels, etc (never have had in all her school years) but her exam results sound good and certainly her earlier reports and parents evenings have been very pleasing; I assume there are no issues with this term's report either - comes on Thursday I think.

Uniform is still going strong. School skirt is looking very short though - apparently "its fine" according to DD. Nothing to replace for year 8 - yeah!

Main thing is how much DD has grown up this year. I had thought she had grown up a lot in y6, but real changes this year. She is very independent, very social, very grown up (in manner and appearance at ties) but remains a lovely, down to earth, fun and settled girl.

Good to hear that most y7s have had a good start to secondary. CLL65 - sorry to hear y7 has been troublesome, hopefully y8 will be a new start.

Kenlee · 09/07/2014 00:28

Okish result wise...mostly A and B but for the life of me getting a C for PE and RS...I thought they were the easy subjects.

I think she has met some nice friends and prefers not to stay with the popular girls. So she keeps with the smart girls. although we do worry about her standing up for her friends against the popular girls will land herr in trouble.

No lost items apart from someone stole some of her cup noodles. Organized and presentable. Yeah I agree she has grown up in year 7.

Patrickstarisabadbellend · 09/07/2014 00:30

My dd has blossomed in high school. She's become such a beautiful, polite young woman.

I couldn't be prouder.

KittiesInsane · 09/07/2014 10:05

CLL65, I feel for you and your son, as we too had a very unhappy yr 7 boy a few years back. He moved schools in the end, and at the time I thought we were overreacting - but it was the making of him, and I know we're not unique on this board in doing the same thing.

Was it like this at primary or has something changed at secondary?

CLL65 · 09/07/2014 21:07

Hi Kitties, unfortunately, the answer to your question is a resounding yes. DS has had the same difficulties at primary bar the fighting and all his extra curricular activities have reported similar problems, so none of this comes as a surprise.

inthename · 09/07/2014 21:30

We've had a rollercoster, not changed schools as go up to year 8, but had a truly dreadful year 6 with bullying that was left to a useless teacher to resolve. This year, thanks to an amazing form tutor and head of year ds has absolutely flown, learnt that if people choose to bait him they really have extremely boring lives and now chooses to walk away rather than argue stubbornly. I've lost count of the amount of pens, pencils etc hes lost, but his organisation drastically improved when I put each subject in a seperate thin box file with a basic pencil case, so he had everything he needed for each lesson.
Its hard for boys especially if they come up against one determined to be top dog at their expense.

littledrummergirl · 09/07/2014 22:29

Ds2 was attacked by three boys in his class in the autumn term and we had to call police (it was on walk home).
He has made some lovely friends though and spends a lot of time playing minecraft with them via xbox live.

The school tested him for dyslexia and it came back moderate. Having been requesting this from primary since y2 it is a relief to have been right. They have listened to us and agree that there are other underlying issues and had booked him an edphsyc for September.

When ds2 heard he had a bit of a wobble and his behaviour deteriorated for a few weeks. We have told him we know its hard but he has to try harder to control himself than others and we think he is amazing.

He has had 3 detentions for not doing homework and 1 for behaviour- when he had his wobble.

He finished the year by getting bs in non wordy subjects and d/e in the wordy ones. Hopefully this will start to be addressed next year.

He has had four pairs of shorts for pe and two pairs of socks.
He has been to France and (may out myself here) been selected as an extra.

All in all a better year than I was anticipating especially after the start.
I couldnt be prouder of him.

(sorry for essay)

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