Year 7 Starters

[pippistrelle]

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.)

Ds is going to have his first late today.

My clutch suddenly went on a steep bank luckily I flagged down a passing van from the company I work for who helped me roll into a side street & the drivers dd goes to the same school so he gave Ds a lift there.

I'm waiting to be rescued!

I would say a brief run down of what was covered in class, with any relevant page numbers for text books or a photo of the worksheet, plus what homework was set is fine. I certainly wouldn't expect any more if any of my dcs were off sick.

I don't know of anyone's dcs write up notes from the school day when they get home each day.

Oh no balletgirlmum, what a rotten start to the day. Hope you're rescued soon and your car is fixed quickly.

I agree, I'd give a brief description & reference to page numbers of any textbooks used/homework set. He can't expect a full analysis.

balletgirlmum Hope you are OK!

I would have thought that "Classwork: recurring decimals. Homework: exercise 2D" is good enough! Page by page analysis? Seriously?

You could maybe take a photo of what your son noted down in each class in his exercise books so they could see from that what was covered and what the homework is? That should be plenty.

Got to work 20.30 (late)

Just got to work out logistics of Ds finishing school play rehearsal at 5.30 then getting him across the city to football.

Maybe you are all right. I can see though that its about expectation setting this time.

I am asking myself how much would Ds2 expect if roles were reversed? Ds1 has been at the school for 2 years now, and has been off sick, and all he has needed from friends is a note of the homework.

The other family just takes it all very, very seriously. My sons get similar results in exams, so I suppose they think that they put in a similar amount of effort, but they don't.

By brief rundown, I meant topic titles with a note of the relevant text book page numbers or a copy of the worksheet, so he can read up if he (or his mother) wants him to - not a synopsis of everything the teacher said. In fact, I would expect her ds to be able to get a copy of the worksheet, if relevant, directly from the teacher anyway.

I wouldn't expect any more than that, but would expect ds to approach the teacher if he needed help catching up.

My Y5 DD is getting way more attention than ever before, because we have an hour in the morning and an hour after school when DS isn't around now - it's bliss!

When she doesn't have an after school activity, we sit down and do her homework or read in the hour after school, as she finds it so much easier when DS isn't crashing around.

var123 - I think I'd leave it to DS to answer as his reply sounded perfectly acceptable, and it's his relationship to deal with. He isn't phased by it and his solution isn't putting him out too much.

WiryElevator - I had the same thing when DS1 was at secondary and DS2 was still at primary. Its a lovely time.

DS2 used to talk to me about anything and everything without Ds1 being around to butt in. I got to know him during those two years. I thought I knew him already but half an hour of conversation each day (in the car to and from the primary school) taught me that there was much more to him than I'd realised. He'd just been overshadowed by his big brother.

Enjoy it!

Well, the phone didn't turn up. PE teacher kept the whole year group back after assembly to talk to them about it. He said he hoped it was a genuine mistake and if it was they could just return it to him, but it wasn't handed it all day - which means somebody had the sheer front to steal a phone, from the teachers' office, right under their noses.

I do wonder if whoever did it might just be too scared to take it back to the PE teacher though, given they've all witnessed him screaming at, then give detention to a poor Y7 lad that had the audacity to get lost and walk into the wrong changing rooms. I can imagine a few of them would far rather ditch the phone in the nearest bin, than face a roasting like that for making a mistake.

PE teacher told ds he will start investigating in the morning. Not much point really - two days after it was stolen.

So, we have the faff of calling the police to get a crime number, then getting onto the provider to replace it and hopefully retain ds' phone number.

I honestly can't believe a new Y7 pupil could be that brazen, having only been there for only just a week and would prefer my second option of someone being too scared to own up to having made a genuine mistake.

I wouldn't be surprised if it gets handed in anonymously several weeks from now. (I saw something similar happen last year).

Maybe just a basic handset with a giffgaff £5 basic package sim in it for pe days from now on?

It's not a fancy phone and is on a contract, that's capped at £10 a month with a maximum £5.00. So they can't spend up on it.

I've phoned it today and it's switched off, going straight to voicemail. I've left a message saying to just hand it in to the office if that's easier than going to the PE teacher, but I doubt they've got past the password yet. Chances are, if it was stolen, they will try and take it somewhere to get it unlocked at the weekend.

I'm wondering how exactly they are planning to investigate it, seeing as they let the class get changed, then pick their stuff up out of the valuables tray on their way out. So, they couldn't even have done a bag check, because the class weren't all dismissed at the same time.

I have read quite a few stories online today of phones being stolen from locked changing-rooms and even locked cupboards during pe lessons at various schools.

It's of no use to anyone now, as the sim and phone have been locked/blocked. According to the phone provider, they can't use it or sell it to any legitimate sellers, so it's really of no use to them at all, unless they know some dodgy people. Even legitimate ones, sold to reputable sellers would only earn the twenty to thirty pounds.

The provider checked and it hasn't been used since ds text me yesterday morning, so they hadn't got past the password before it was blocked.

Waves at Var!
DD's thoughts: briefly cover topic of each subject lesson and what, if any, the homework is. Dont photocopy any work sheets that may have been given- he can ask the teacher for those.
Photograph and send stuff- that costs money on my phone!

unless they know some dodgy people

The kind of child who steals a phone does. Probably dad.

Maybe, it's just not what you expect from the pupils of this particular school. I guess I was being naive though.

We've just had a letter for his MFL trip to France next July. Have to decide and put down the deposit by the first week in October. He didn't want to go initially, having heard some scare stories from former Y7 pupils. I told him to consider how he'll feel if all his friends go and he's stuck at school. Truth is, I'd rather he didn't go, having heard lots of hair-raising things about previous trips from other parents whose dcs have been before, but I don't want to influence him, as that wouldn't be fair. So hard when we could take the whole family away for the same amount of money.

Don't forget Moose that July is a long way away and they'll be so much more confident & independent by then , hopefully !
Plus the hair raising stories will no doubt have been exaggerated loads !

Unfortunately, the stories are true. They seem to have extraordinarily bad luck on school trips and particularly this one for some strange reason.

That's why I am not edging ds either way. It has to be his choice and I don't want him regretting the choice not to go when all his friends leave him behind next July and he still has to go to school every day.

I do think it would be better if they waited until December or something for the deadline though. As new Y7's everything is anxiety inducing enough, without having to think about going abroad without their family for a week. By December they'll have all found their feet and have a better idea about whether or not they genuinely want to go. I suppose they do it now to spread the cost of the payments as much as possible though.

Just wondered how many clubs your DCs have signed up for. My DD wants to try everything and seems to have something everyday between school clubs or outside activities. I know it's good to join things and meet people but I am worried she has overstretched herself.

What sort of things have happened on the France trip? Sorry about the phone.

Ds2 getting frustrated, because only the sports clubs have been opened for registration.

He has a list of three clubs he wants to join - two lunchtime and one after school, but can't until they start taking registrations.

Carla Two years running someone broke into the pupil's dorms while they were sleeping. Ds1's very sensible best friend from primary school was there on one of these occasions, so we have it first hand from him and then from his parents as ell. There was some hysteria about their intent, but truth is none of the parents/pupils actually know why they did it. Two pupils managed to get lost in Paris, as the teachers do 'indirect supervision' which meant they were allowed to wander off and go shopping, then couldn't find their way back. Other things aren't so major, but it just doesn't inspire confidence. Having been on a couple of shambolic school trips with their primary school, I have naturally been wary of how well these things are organised/supervised ever since.

DD has signed up for four clubs, DS3 for none.

DD managed her busy Wednesday, with orchestra before school, art club at lunchtime and flute lesson after school.

On the way home, the buses were very delayed and the bus route was diverted due to roadworks so came nowhere near our road. A journey that should take half an hour took over an hour.

What went well: she got off at a temporary bus stop and found her way to her flute teacher's house, who rang me.

Even better if: she had turned her phone on, to save me worrying and searching the streets for her in the rain.

From next week, she will also be having swimming on Wednesdays...

This week has been horrid DD is tired but keeps going to bed late – she had an CATS exam which she described as “Boring as Hell” she has not been getting up on time/ not setting her alarm – I am having to remind her about the time in mornings then she gets stroppy with me. We both catch the train from the same platform she ignored me and was v rude this morning. I don’t need to catch that train I just do so we can get up and go together. She has been coming home and going straight upstairs and just not doing anything homework wise until about 7:30…I come in from work at 6 remind her to start homework she dissapears off upstairs then I found out she has not done anything – I am banning screens from tonight at 7 in the evenings which I think is the issue . She arrived home over an hour late yesterday “as she waited with her friend at her bus stop” so she wasn’t alone. And also forgetting to take a new presecription for Asthma. Just arrrrgggggggghhhh . DH has arranged a sleepover with her old school friend and us to go out as a couple( to Football) on Saturday . She could really do with just staying at home though – so could I . We were away last weekend camping and away next.

Sorry for the rant I just am so stressed about all this – such a change from last week . In good news DD has her form captain badge hoping the responsibility will kick in ! I know she is probably tired and missing her old school and I also know that mumsnetters warned me about this but I/I have messed up by allowing the camping weekend on top of the weekend away next week and the sleepover Friday!.

She did sign up for Archery shebird but then decided it went on too long afterschool which is fair enough. She thinks she will do Drama after school and has to do a Lunchtime Choir.

Sounds like the my DD smellylittleorange they are coping with so much at the moment I am just hoping it will get better soon. If it does not I will insist that DD cuts down on after school clubs as I'm not sure how much longer I can cope with the tired grumpy diva strops. She came back late yesterday having been to netball club and then announced how we were all to leave her in peace as she had such a tiring day. She then had a massive argument with DD2 over a missing pen and generally upset the whole household by being stropy. This is not usual behaviour for my DD so I think I might have to have a little chat tonight and hope that doesn't turn into another moody outburst.