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Secondary education

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

Original poster

Yr7 new starters

363 replies

simpson · 01/09/2016 00:11

Hi...

Just wondering if other parents/kids are worrying about starting secondary school. We have had tears (from DS) tonight and we still have another week to go!!

I am sure he will be fine but I am worrying (as is he).

OP posts:
TheColonelAdoresPuffins · 16/10/2016 22:09

Could you ask if they have any lunchtime groups for kids who are finding it hard to settle in? Does she find it boring because the work is too easy or too hard?

Bluepowder · 16/10/2016 22:09

Maybe persist until Christmas and see how she's going then? Would it be possible to mention her difficulties to her form tutor?

beardedladydragon · 16/10/2016 22:28

oklumberjack I emailed ds' form tutor with something along the lines of "ds is finding the transition from primary to secondary quite hard. We were wondering if you could offer us some insight into how he is getting on within the school environment".
She got back to us very quickly and her reply was overwhelmingly positive and really gave me some reassurance. We also had his half term grades back which were truly brilliant and have hopefully inspired some confidence in him.
He has had a mammoth day of homework today. He doesn't complain abut doing it but if he actually got on with it then it would take half the time. His chemistry homework however was completely inappropriate and he hasn't done half of it. They are working from a GCSE textbook. He was instructed to read a couple of pages and then answer the questions on them. Except that the answers weren't obviously in the text (i.e. they described a similar experiment to the one in the text but not the same one) and he is an 11 year old boy who has had approximately 5 hours of chemistry lessons in his entire life. Neither dh or I could do it, it made me really cross as he is now anxious about not completing his homework.

hemel07 · 17/10/2016 07:12

We've had the same with DT homework (DT?!!! FFS!). Had 2 lots and has taken us about 2 hours for each. Its awful, boring, pointless, far too advanced and has put DD off the subject for life. I don't understand the rationale behind it at all. Anyway, one more week to half-term!

oklumberjack · 17/10/2016 09:51

Thanks bearded and everyone else who suggested I emailed dd's form tutor.

I sent a shortish email this morning to say dd was finding the school work easy but socially quite difficult. The tutor replied straight away (!) - fairly short, agreeing that dd was doing very well academically. She isn't the only pupil in the form feeling like this and she will look at way the class is organised. She will also chat to dd today, but reassured me she's doing the right things.

I must have been more anxious than I thought because just from that short email I burst into tears!

steppemum · 17/10/2016 12:17

RonSwanson - I think a lot of kids really struggle in year 7. It is quite normal to feel overwhelmed and that the school is too big etc. It does take a long time to properly settle down, months rather than weeks.

I remember ds going back at the beginning of year 8 and thinking just how much had changed in a year.

Dd finally started to find like minded people in 2 places, 1. was the archery club which is a lunchtime club. Much smaller group, all who want to be there, and she got chatting to someone.

  1. was in the library. She spends most lunchtimes in the library, as she says - books and computers - what's not to like? But it is a place where a lot of the quieter girls go, and hang out and do some home work (definitely takes the pressure off doing it at home). It is a calm friendly speace, and the librarian is there, so a safe adult is around too.

I wonder if there is something similar for your dd? Some way of finding a smaller group, less intimidating, which then makes school feel less huge and anonymous.

I know it is ard to watch them struggle, but it really is early days, not even half term. Give lots of support, plan lie in and relaxed fun over half term and keep giving hugs.

EndoplasmicReticulum · 19/10/2016 16:39

Half term is coming up here, is it the same everywhere? I hope they don't get too much homework, so they have a chance for a proper break.

steppemum · 19/10/2016 16:59

Oh I hadn't even thought about homework over half term Sad

We are off to Holland to visit relatives, and then dd has a scouts pgl holiday on the last weekend.

Both arranegs ages ago, and now I am kicking myself as I should have remembered how tired she would be.

Titsywoo · 19/10/2016 17:25

I'm praying there is very little homework as we go on holiday on Saturday and won't be back until very late the following Saturday night. She does have some maths and science revision but hopefully we can squeeze some in before we go.

TeenAndTween · 19/10/2016 19:03

Our school has a very sensible policy of no half term or holidays homework in KS3. (I just hope the teachers stick to it.)

Original poster
simpson · 19/10/2016 22:44

Surprisingly DS seems to have been given very little homework (so far) for half term.

A bit of a WWYD

DS did a test today on what they will be learning next half term and got 28/30 in maths. We have a greet the yr7 parents thingie tomorrow so do I mention that he has pretty much grasped next half terms curriculum already? Will that make me one of those parents?

OP posts:
steppemum · 20/10/2016 08:04

I owuld take it from the perspective - we were delighted to see he is doing well in his maths - what do they do with kids who have already covered/understood the curriculum?? So asking it as a question, and then maybe coming in a little stronger if you aren't happy with the reply.

There is another thread going at the moment about spectacularly low levels of math teaching in year 7, so I wouldn't be complacent.

On the other hand, ds went ot a grammar. He did extra level 6 classes in year 6 and got a level 6 in maths. He then spent a lot of year 7 repeating what was covered in the level 6 curriculum. That wouldn't bother me so much, as I felt in retrospect that the whole level 6 thing was a waste of everyone's time.

creamycrackers · 20/10/2016 12:48

Hi all, my DS seems to of settled into Y7 a lot easier than we expected after a very turbulent Y6 in his old school (he has Aspergers). His new teachers have listened straight away to my concerns about possible dyslexia which was completely disregarded by his primary school due to him being too bright.

On the downside so far he has had his blazer burnt (by accident from what he tells us, he was more upset that we would have to find the money for a new one). There is another pupil who tends to home in on Ds during PE lessons and has hurt him twice, he has spoken to his PE teacher whom aside from using sarcasm about calling ambulances seems to of gotten on top of the situation but I will be going to speak to the PE teacher if it happens again.

We have already identified 2 members of staff who he may end up clashing with as the year progresses (one being the PE teacher) but I'm hoping this wont happen.

Can I ask, has anyone else been to a parents evening yet? I have read through the important dates and there doesn't seem to be a parents evening for Y7 only the mention of an induction evening is this the same thing??

steppemum · 20/10/2016 13:37

we have had a parents information evening, where we met the tutor and had a presentation from head plus a couple of others, including an e safety talk.

Then we had a 'bring your parents to school' day where the kids showed us round.

Then there is a proper parents evening. But I think it is after Christmas.

TeenAndTween · 20/10/2016 14:54

Our proper parents evening isn't until May.
But teachers are happy to be contacted by email if desired.

Original poster
simpson · 20/10/2016 15:57

No parents eve till February here, however we are at his school tonight for a yr7 welcome evening.

Steppe - that was kind of my thinking, to be positive about the maths. DS said that his wasn't the top score one other kid got 29/30.

Looking forward to seeing his school, not looking forward to going out in the cold!

OP posts:
oklumberjack · 20/10/2016 17:15

No proper parents evening for us yet until later in the year (which I think is good as they get a good time to see how your dc are doing). However we've had an evening to individually meet the firm tutor.

I contacted dd's form tutor last week via email as I was anxious about her finding friends and fitting in. I was shocked to have her responded within minutes and act within the day. She then rang me for a good 20 min chat on the phone! She was really reassuring and I felt really confident in her - which made me feel less anxious. Compared to the awful communication at dd's primary I was stunned!

EndoplasmicReticulum · 20/10/2016 22:36

We have a parents' evening in the second half of this term at some point, I think.

Son seems to be settling in well, I was worried he'd find the place too big (nearly 2000 students compared to 100 in his primary!) and scary - but he's fine. Has managed to get the bus successfully every day but one, attend most of his music lessons, lose and find his PE kit, get lots of positive points and one negative, and make a friend.

He's not complaining about easy maths - on the contrary I think he's finding it hard for the first time ever.

TeenAndTween · 21/10/2016 10:08

I would have thought that any school that does a maths test on 'what they will be learning in the next half term' would likely to be pretty hot on then extending the knowledge rather than re-teaching it. After all, if they didn't care what the children already knew, they wouldn't bother testing them on it first would they? So I absolutely see it as a good sign, not something to be worried about.

Original poster
simpson · 21/10/2016 17:04

Teen - good point, I didn't say anything in the end anyway.

His form tutor came up to me to say his behaviour was fantastic

All in all he seems v happy there but we are all glad that it's half term now!

OP posts:
Titsywoo · 31/10/2016 15:00

And we're back again! Realised during the half term how stressed dd must have been as her anxiety which was becoming severe just disappeared! She cried before school this morning. Said she is finding it boring and keeps day dreaming. Not sure how to help her really. She needs to improve her confidence but she seems to dislike half her teachers which doesn't help!

TeenAndTween · 31/10/2016 16:06

Sorry to hear it Titsy you'll need to find a way of managing the anxiety - it can't be the work, is it friendships?

I had 'Parental Shadow' today. Got to go into assembly and 2 lessons to see how it's all done. Very interesting.

EndoplasmicReticulum · 31/10/2016 16:23

We had fun on the first morning back when the bus didn't arrive, boy was texting from the bus stop "apparently if it's an hour late we don't have to go and get the day off". Not sure who started that rumour, anyway I offered to give him a lift! It eventually turned up an hour late.

I have to be ready by the computer tonight when they "release the slots" for upcoming parents' evening. I think it's going to be like getting tickets for Glastonbury.

TeenAndTween · 31/10/2016 17:03

our school considered electronic parents evening organisation but decided against. They felt the keen involved parents would grab all the slots and then the parents they really want to see who maybe were more disorganised wouldn't book anything.

So it is up to the children, but the teachers can grab a planner and say 'I want to see your parent' and write them in.

Original poster
simpson · 31/10/2016 18:20

And it goes on...

DS has come home with 3 pieces of homework which all need to be in before Friday

It was lovely having a relatively homework free half term.

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