What to expect from Year 9

[Madmog]

Just wondering what to expect from Year 9. Do they have to step it up a gear, or does it just seem to follow on. In Years 7 & 8 they did Independent Learning Tasks for most subjects but we know this is changing to weekly homework for each subject.

My daughter is generally anxious at the moment (keeping on eye on this) and part of it is about going into Year 9 as she's heard there's a lot more pressure, she starting fast track French and also at the back of her mind is choosing her options. I think she'll be fine as she keeps out of trouble and gets good comments and marks for her work. A friend in the same science set reckons they'll be fast tracking them for Science (I can't see this as there's been no mention of deciding on triple science, double science) - she thought she'd move down from the top set as she has always got the bottom marks so I think she's concerned whether she'll keep up.

Will obviously depend on the school. but I would be encouraged by what you have heard re Y9 at your school, as in many I have been taught in, Y9 can be a coasting year where a lot of Y7 and Y8 is repeated, and with no external exams at the end to motivate them. DC can be preoccupied with social and hormonal stresses, and the DC who do not intend to take a non-core subject for GCSE can be a nightmare to teach. Your school sounds like they have nailed this, so she should not be anxious, but embrace the challenge.

Thanks for your reply. Hopefully her school are doing the right thing by moving them on. It's probably hormones kicking in, but she's anxious about quite a few things at the moment so good to know what might happen re: school work as some of the other concerns are out of our control, other than being there for her and listening.

DS1 found Y9 a real mish-mash. The transition from KS3 to KS4 happened in quite a staggered way: November for Science, February for English, June for other subjects. He was basically just waiting to start his GCSE courses and give up the subjects he had no interest in.

Everything went okay yesterday, no homework yesterday, but new system was mentioned.

They have one very strict tutor, if they talk to anyone other than him in lessons, they'll get detention - he won't hear a word out of my DD all year then as she doesn't speak up much in lessons. She's always gets an A or A and has even had an A* for her work in this subject before, so have told her not to let him put her off if it's an option she might choose.

I hope the step it up a bit, my clever, but far too easily distracted DD2 is doing far too much talking and mucking about.

I don't expect perfect marks in every subject and I don't worry that every bit of HW gets done, but I would like to see some progress in academic subjects* and a bit of respect for Art and DT.

IT, RE and mixed ability Art andDT are being treated as a total joke and I'm a bit fed up of it. I know she hates RE and is good at DT and Art at home, only when she has an idea and feels wants to make something. She is a bit of a perfectionist and an utter control freak. I know schools bitty, muddle along doing what your told, and produce something good enough, in too little time really doesn't suit her. However, I wish she'd try to use the time constructively.

Sadly, until school puts some importance on non GCSE/A level Arts subjects and stops teaching them in totally mixed ability/behaviour groups nothing will change.

• German excepted, her German teacher totally fails to see that she got lost in the first week of Y7 and is still totally lost.