Tips for organisation in grammar school?

[BWatchWatcher]

Hi All,
DS is a bright but not very practical boy in his first year of Grammar school (we are in NI). He’s 11.
His first report has come through and is pretty dire. He basically isn’t able to organise himself. I spoke to his form tutor earlier this year and he said they’d try to help. Really though I think it needs to come from DS.
Does anyone have any practical tips for how their children are organised?
DS has about 12 subjects and it’s a nightmare.
Thanks!

[Cedar03]

DD's (year 7) class have set up a chat group on their phones - there is always someone asking about homework and what they were supposed to be doing. Some are on iphone chat thingy and some on Whatsapp depending on their phones.Some presumably on both.

DD is quite organised but she has struggled a bit with the concept that you don't leave all your homework until the day it is due because you'll have more homework for other subjects given to you in the meantime and it will all build up. So I do prompt her to think about doing it sooner.

Ask him to tell you what he should be doing - so he is doing the thinking rather than you doing the thinking for him. So I'll ask DD what week is it because they have a 2 week timetable and she needs to think about not just the day but the week as well. We have the timetable pinned up and I could look myself but it's important for her to do that herself. Then she'll tell me what subjects she has, and then find the books for it.

[MaisyPops]

Lots of great tips on here.
Most of them are what I tell my form:
Have a copy of their timetable on the fridge and near wherever they do homework.
If they do lots of enrichment then have that on a bigger day timetable so they can see that Wednesday is football so homework due Thursday should be done Tuesday.
Pack bags the night before with parent / carer help
Have a shelf for exercise books or textbooks.
If possible have a dedicated space for doing homework.
Have a home pencil case and a school one.

Then gradually step back so they gradually get more independent.

[BWatchWatcher]

Thanks again everyone!
I colour coded his timetable.
Put the books into matching zippered pockets.
The zippered pockets were then labelled with the subject and what days he has it.
Unfortunately they’re now too big for the original box I bought but I have another.
They’ll go in there standing up.
Timetable has been shrunk and laminated.
I’m going to email the school today and ask for important homework to be sent through to us.