How stressful do your Year 7s find school?

[sunnydayinmay]

I ask because I am watching as ds carefully at the moment, and am wondering whether I should speak to the school or let him find his way a bit.

He tells me daily that he finds it stressful, and he is on edge. He visibly relaxes as he steps in the door at home. He is setting himself artificially high targets, way above those the school have set (he wants to be top of the year in his favourite subjects). He is worried about getting a strike because he is late, or his shirt is untucked. He tells me several times a day that he has to be stressed to cope with it.

He is, however, enjoying himself. Has a great bunch of friends, is in a lovely teaching group, flying academically, joining sports teams, keeping up with homework. Great parents' evening, and the teachers clearly "get" him. He lurches from buzzing to stressing.

This is all very normal for him, so nothing new, but at primary I could pop in if he was building up to a wobble. Not sure whether this is normal for secondary, though.

Does this sound normal for a year 7?

Occasional 'sick days' are not a bad idea at all

Though catching up can be a pain!

He gets plenty of homework and does get tired, but there's a homework holiday week each term and so far there has been little given over the holidays so not too bad.

So glad you've had a positive response. From your comments earlier (sensory issues, quirks, black and white) he sounds very like my dd. She's been seeing the school counsellor regularly since year 7, and has found her enormously helpful.