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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 · 03/09/2015 10:05

Thanks Lilaclily, I would have thought they wouldn't need it on the first day, but don't want him to be the only one without, iyswim.

YeOldeTrout · 03/09/2015 10:16

I sent in kit today because I think he gets locker today & that's where the PE kit will live (I may see it again, depends how well I labeled it...).

DS even let his sister fuss over him today (wow, he was in a good mood!).

var123 · 03/09/2015 10:22

I didn't send Ds2 in with his sports kit today. The lockers won't be allocated yet and its too much to ask them to take PE kit into every class along with their rucksacks.

Do you get your own parent account from the school intranet? If you do, and you know your username and password, you should be able to see the timetable, then you'll know whether your DC even has PE tomorrow.

moosemama · 03/09/2015 10:50

I think there will be online parent accounts. There's a link on the website, but we haven't been told anything about it, so no passwords or usernames allocated yet.

NeverEverAnythingEver · 03/09/2015 12:19

First day today. DS1 walked with his friends. No phone calls from school so far so that means everything is fine.

Ours say only lunch money and "writing equipment" today.

redskybynight · 03/09/2015 12:33

we told to bring in pe kit on the 1st day, but then they never used it!!

DS's first day yesterday (Year 7 only). He had a great time and is actually in a tutor group with a close friend (school has vertical tutor groups so incredibly low chance of this). Now worried that this will make him complacent and he won't be bothered to get to know others!!

He's been told that they are not allowed bags in school - they must be kept in lockers. Is this a usual thing?

CarlaJones · 03/09/2015 12:59

Thanks for the reassuring posts Iguana Just what I need! I hope you had another good day with your new year 7 class.

DontCallMeBaby · 03/09/2015 15:54

allwornout0 I thought I might know you, but the person I know who had an accident with an iron and a pair of sports sock had a DD starting today, not tomorrow ... so you're not alone at least. Wink

NeverEverAnythingEver · 03/09/2015 16:19

He's back. :) Nothing happened, apparently. Grin

var123 · 03/09/2015 17:21

I didn't know that you were supposed to iron socks!

IguanaTail · 03/09/2015 17:29

No probs Carla - I have 2 year 7 classes this year (haven't met the others yet!)

redsky they are often asked to bring PE kit in first day to check they have it as some parents won't buy it and we need to ring them before the child is embarrassed in the first PE lesson. Also in case of a last minute timetable change which happens sometimes following y12 intake and also sometimes a staffing issue over the holidays.

DontCallMeBaby · 03/09/2015 17:42

var123 you iron labels on them. Only you don't, cos they melt.

var123 · 03/09/2015 18:28

That makes sense! I was thinking that there was a whole world of housekeeping that I'd never even heard of!

Labelling socks is a great idea. I didn't first time around (I wrote on them using a laundry pen).

I thought I was OTT about it, but the name quickly faded and then the socks got stolen (truly!) and so now I have to label more clearly i.e. sew them on. I did it last week feeling a bit stupid, but I am glad I am not the only one who labels socks.

TheSecondOfHerName · 03/09/2015 20:16

First full day done. DD still doesn't know where the loo is. She left at 7.45am and got home at 4.30pm, which is a long time to go without emptying your bladder.

Electrolux2 · 03/09/2015 20:24

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

RedCrayons · 03/09/2015 20:58

Ffirst day done for my DTs. They lost each other at home time so panicked and walked home separately! Apart from that it all went well.
Although I'm slightly alarmed they both spent £5 in the canteen. Hopefully that will calm down, I'm going to be bankrupt if they carry on like that!

wannabestressfree · 03/09/2015 21:13

I had my lovely new year seven's today on the first day back- our whole school starts on the same day and they are thrown in at the deep end. Had a lovely lad who Sat for the whole lesson then timidly told me at the end he was in the wrong class....I have two sons at the school and one starting a grammar in the next town so am equally nervous. He has to do the buses there an d back so am worried. He is my baby :(

mumsnit · 03/09/2015 22:37

First day over and all seemed ok until bedtime when he had a wobble and said he didn't want to go back tomorrow Sad

Tell me this is normal and it'll get better.....

IguanaTail · 03/09/2015 22:47

Totally normal - he has used up every tiny scrap of emotional energy holding it together being a big boy at the big school and it's exhausted him.

Plan a treat tomorrow evening for him. In the morning over breakfast tell him about it and how much you're looking forward to going to Nandos/ cinema/ whatever with him now he's got to Friday.

If he has a phone, try and encourage him to get the number of a friend or find out if anyone lives near him. Nothing like a fresh-faced 11 year old knocking on the door to cheer him up.

As soon as he has a buddy he will be fine. The tears are just being knackered and being 11.

IguanaTail · 03/09/2015 22:51

I always think of this

ELEVEN

SANDRA CISNEROS

What they don’t understand about birthdays and what they never tell you is that when you’re eleven, you’re also ten, and nine, and eight, and seven, and six, and five, and four, and three, and two, and one. And when you wake up on your eleventh birthday you expect to feel eleven, but you don’t. You open your eyes and everything’s just like yesterday, only it’s today. And you don’t feel eleven at all. You feel like you’re still ten. And you are—underneath the year that makes you eleven.

allwornout0 · 04/09/2015 10:48

Well after a few days of my dd feeling sick with worry, she woke up this morning for her first day very happy (my husband and I were the one's feeling sick with worry instead).
I did put quite a bit of Rescue Remedy in her drink for breakfast which may have helped, her dad waited at the bus stop with her while I decided to follow the bus I the car for my own piece of mind.
I knew she had got off the bus and although having been given straight instruction to call us to let us know she was off the bus she didn't and made us panic.
Luckily a friend located her when she dropped her sons off and spoke to her, she said she had forgotten, (Maybe she was too chilled out from the Rescue Remedy).

Contraryish · 04/09/2015 13:24

My boy appeared to have a good day yesterday and came home happy and full of beans. Then mentioned in passing that the toerags who made his life miserable for the last two years of primary appear intent on continuing to do so. Just staggered that children can be so mean-spirited. Sad

Lizzylou · 04/09/2015 13:28

My boy started yr7 this morning, was so chilled out he had to be woken up!

I did the same as you Allworn, I watched him walk from CM's (where other dc go) to bus stop, then followed the bus. He didn't want me to walk him from bus to school, but I did Blush

He was very excited, think he is very ready for a new challenge, but I know he will have a bit of a shock!

I meet my new yr 7s next Tuesday Smile

moosemama · 04/09/2015 14:21

Glad your dd felt happier this morning and got in ok.

I've been supping something similar to RR myself this morning to get me through my driving lesson. Blush RR itself doesn't seem to work very well for me, but I have a blend from the lady that mixes them up for my dogs and it definitely helps. Hadn't thought of sneaking it into the boys' drinks next week - might give that a go!

Doyouthinktheysaurus · 04/09/2015 14:40

It's day 2 for ds2 here. I no longer have any primary school aged childrenShock

He seemed to get on okay. Had PE on the first day and couldn't redo his tie but it was the end of the day so he came home without. He tried to just loosen it as I showed him and it fell apart. Same thing happened to ds1 last year!

PE on the first day is a bit stupid though! He only had his kit because ds1 had the same last year and warned me.

I've had a text from him at lunchtime to say his day has been good. That's the second text I've had since he started yesterday, which is a one more than ds1 sent me in the whole of his year 7Grin