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Secondary education

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

Original poster

Year 7 Starters

578 replies

pippistrelle · 30/08/2015 14:18

The new uniform is all ready, pens and pencils bought, as many of the practicalities that I can deal with now have been dealt with. So, just a few days to go. Daughter is getting nervous and, to be completely frank, I am a bit too. Not because I don't think she'll be fine but because, well, change can be daunting.

Anyone else at that stage too? Or, if you're already past this phase, how long did it take until you all settled in to a new routine?

(Couldn't spot any other general Year 7 threads, but apologies if there are any others already.)

OP posts:
moosemama · 09/09/2015 22:15

Iguana I have such a funny mental image of that now. Grin It was even funnier as I discovered this evening that ds2 has recorded all his homework for this week on last week's diary pages. I've now put an index/flag post-it in to mark the right pages and we've transferred it all onto the right week.

Thanks for the book covering advice. That's what we've done - one down, umptymillion left to do, but thankfully none that need doing before Monday next week.

Ds came home much perkier and has seemed a little less exhausted this evening. He said he's made some friends from other primary schools now and likes all of his teachers so far. He's over the moon that his form teacher is also his History teacher, as he says she's really kind and patient.

He was also very proud to have not-fallen for a Y11's attempt at catching him out with a trick. I guess that's the advantage of having an older brother who loves playing tricks on people.

moosemama · 09/09/2015 22:17

Oh - and he lost his pencil case today, but managed to find it again quickly by retracing his steps to his last lesson. I was amazed when he told me that, as at home he'd just go all pathetic, whinge that it wasn't where he left it and fail to work out that he needed to retrace his steps.

IguanaTail · 09/09/2015 22:25

All that "retrace your steps" nagging is paying off!

moosemama · 09/09/2015 22:27

Finally! Grin

Now, if we can just get him to start 'making every action a circle' he might have a chance at actually being organised. Grin

CarlaJones · 09/09/2015 22:27

Love it lguana Grin

DontCallMeBaby · 09/09/2015 23:01

Exciting news today, DD has made friends with a BOY. Grin And the son of the very sociable mum, who has ironically refused to speak to DD so far, has now spoken to her.

BlackHillsofDakota · 10/09/2015 08:26

We had tears this morning, I think she's exhausted but she has science first thing and apparently the teacher is super scary! Also yesterday a girl said she looks like a boy, apart from wearing trousers I'm not sure how she came to this conclusion but I think it has knocked her confidence. Roll on the weekend!

Lilaclily · 10/09/2015 08:47

Ds said this morning he's wortied about French as the teacher picks you out and asks you questions in French and he says he has no clue
He made me laugh though because they had to work in pairs asking each other's names so he answers 'je m'appelle xxx' and his partner answered 'my name is John ' Grin

Lilaclily · 10/09/2015 08:48

I have to say we've planned nothing for saturday so he can do homework and chill out

moosemama · 10/09/2015 09:35

Don'tCallMe that's great. Ds looked at me with total horror last night when I dared to ask if his new friends were boys or girls. The very thought that he might have made friends with a girl was outrageous - apparently! Grin

BlackHills hope your dd has a better day today.

We had a much smoother morning today. Ds was calm, organised and went off with a smile on his face - although he did stop at the corner, turn and wave, so was obviously still checking I was watching/waving him off. He's looking forward to today's lessons, but is apprehensive about PE tomorrow. All indications are that the school has taken on board the JHS info though, so it should be ok.

notsomanky · 10/09/2015 12:05

Seems to still be ok here - but poor DD started her period on Monday.

I felt really bad for her - having to manage starting Secondary school and now AF. My poor baby girl. Sad

She is going to give school choir a go at lunchtime today - she had a wobble about it last night, worried in case she didn't know anyone. She was more positive this morning, so we will see.

In general it's going well though - lots of talk of new friends.

I hope everyone else has a good day too!

CarlaJones · 10/09/2015 13:13

1.30 seems quite late for lunch when they've left the house at 7.30, so I've put a packet of Belvita and a lunchbox flapjack in dd's bag. Might put a mini babybel and an apple in too, although I might be getting a bit carried away there just for a breaktime snack. Blush

I emailed one of the subject teachers via the school email address on Sunday night to let them know dd has a phobia related to a particular area of his subject. She was referred to camhs at one point as it was escalating to other stuff and the phobia is less severe now, but she still has the phobia and would find this area hard to deal with. I didn't hear back from the teacher though, so don't know if he received it. Not quite sure what to do. Maybe I should email the form tutor?

CarlaJones · 10/09/2015 13:14

That's a shame notsomanky I hope she manages to deal with it ok.

moosemama · 10/09/2015 13:54

Poor dd notsomanky. Good to hear things are going well for her at school generally though.

Carla ds2 has taken a snack for morning break every day, just a cereal bar, although I let him take a packet of my favourite crisps yesterday after our morning disagreement. I don't think he'd get through the day without something to keep him going through the morning.

At our school, they advise us to contact their form tutors as a first point of contact if we're concerned about anything. I would drop them an email too, just to make sure it's been properly flagged up.

CarlaJones · 10/09/2015 14:22

Thanks Moose. I think I might do that.

Doyouthinktheysaurus · 10/09/2015 16:40

Ds2 has come home from PE and thinks his trainers weren't in his bag, had to do PE in his school shoes as they weren't there. Except they were, I packed the sodding bag myself this morning

He's agreed to go and look for them in the sports hall in the morning, so fingers crossed. He has stupidly wide feet and they have to wear black trainers, so they cost £30!

My children would lose their heads if they weren't screwed on.

On a more positive note he managed to get his tie off and back on over his head without it unravelling. He can do a Windsor knot himself but not very confidently and I have to talk him through each step.

IguanaTail · 10/09/2015 17:00

Carla - form tutor is first point of contact but in this situation I would email the senco as they need to be aware.

CarlaJones · 10/09/2015 17:40

Thanks. I did put it on the registration form/medical form back in July, but obviously I don't know what would get passed on. Will email the Senco and form teacher.

BlackHillsofDakota · 10/09/2015 18:39

Dd's day wasn't as bad as she had anticipated which was good but she has fallen out with one of her friends that she moved up from primary school with. I know friendships change and this was probably to be expected but it's so soon and she seems quite sad and tearful tonight.
I hope everyone else's Dc's are enjoying their first week.

moosemama · 10/09/2015 19:03

Another good day for ds2, but he has finally come across a couple of teachers he says aren't very nice. I told him it would be contrary to the natural order of things for him to like every single one of his teachers and that he doesn't have to worry anyway, as he's well behaved and won't do anything that's likely to get him into trouble.

First piece of homework, other than book covering, but it's drawing for Art and he loves drawing, so he's happy enough.

Checked ParentPay and discovered every single meal had been charged between 10 and 20 pence more than the total of what he'd eaten. Managed to find out it was the school I needed to speak to about it and one of their finance officers and I unravelled what had happened. Apparently there is a new price list for the food, but the prices haven't been updated on ParentPay, hence the discrepancy. I'm a bit shocked that the food ds has had in just four days would have been almost a pound cheaper last year, but at least we haven't been overcharged.

So glad it's Friday tomorrow. Feels like this week has been a million years long.

moosemama · 10/09/2015 19:04

I bet they'll be friends again tomorrow BlackHills. They're all so tired and emotional at the moment, there are bound to be spats.

BlackHillsofDakota · 10/09/2015 20:43

Thanks moose she wanted to text her and say sorry and hope they are still friends so I helped her compose a text and she got "whatever" in return. I said to leave it now and let her cool off, I think they are both to blame but dd wanted to extend the olive branch which was good of her but looks like her friend is not willing to accept yet.
On a brighter note she has received a birthday invite from another girl she has made friends with which she is chuffed about.
Pah friendships are a lot harder than the actual educational bits!

MirandaWest · 10/09/2015 21:16

DS appears to have become separated from his school hoodie. He denies all knowledge of where it is. Hopefully his dad's house. Although maybe school (I have at least put his name in it).

Friend wise he seems fine - nearly everyone from his school has gone there although this does mean I don't think he's making too much of an effort to extend his friendships. But that isn't really a problem Smile

MirandaWest · 11/09/2015 11:15

Hoodie is at his dad's house (glad i found that out as I was going to make DS go to the office to ask about it).

He excitedly told me last night that there are chips at school on Fridays Grin. Today there have been school photos and it looks like there is a year 7 bonding afternoon. Sounds like my idea of hell but luckily I'm not in year 7 Grin

moosemama · 11/09/2015 11:54

Glad you managed to locate his hoodie Miranda.

Ds had his photos done on day 2 and they're so much nicer than the ones we used to get through his primary school. I may actually buy a few for Grandparents. We haven't done that for years, as the primary ones were awful shots that were then really badly photoshopped. Hmm

First PE session for ds this morning. Hoping the PE teacher is up to speed on his JHS and what sports he can and can't do. Also hoping he's not in a lot of pain afterwards, as I still haven't heard anything about the meeting they promised to set up his care plan, so they don't have any pain relief in school for him yet. Told him to text his Grandma if he's in too much pain to walk home, as she's offered to pick him up if needs be, but I know he'll just struggle on, as he'll want to come home with his friends.