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Secondary education

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

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Original poster

Norwood School south London advice needed.

20 replies

bookmum08 · 12/08/2019 16:43

I am after some advice from parents of children of The Norwood School in South London. I will try to explain everything.
My daughter is starting as a new Year 7 in September. All the newbies have a summer homework project today do. Halfway through the hols and she hasn't done any yet. The back story is she has had issues with doing homework all through primary. She also has had periods of school refusal. These are issues we obviously will be working on once she has started the school. We have been trying for years to get a diagnosis of ASD or ADHD, sensory issues and anxiety and we finally got an appointment - on the first day of the holidays. This is fantastic but it comes at a limbo time of having left the Primary school senco and support network behind but obviously we've not met or talked with the Norwood senco team (although her sen file has been transferred and the senco from primary has done a 'handover'). The issue is this homework project. She simply will not do it. Some parts we have talked about but when it comes time to actually put pen to paper so to speak it's just not happening. My worry is what will happen if she doesn't do it? She isn't concerned yet but nearer the end of the hols she will panic and get to overwhelmed to do it and may possibly simply refuse to go to school. I want her to go happy and confident on the first day.
I am feeling a bit helpless because I can't talk to the school yet. I feel it's becoming a black cloud over the holiday and I just want it to go away. How strict are they if a new year 7 turns up not having done the project? What will happen?
My priority for starting secondary is getting her actually there and through the door. This isn't helping. What can I do? Any advice or knowledge from Norwood parents?
Thank You.

OP posts:

sleepismysuperpower1 · 12/08/2019 16:47

i don't have a dc that goes to the school but i dont think it will start her off on a good foot if she hasn't done the project. could you sit down together, have a chat about it and then maybe you write down what she is saying? not sure if thats the 'correct' solution but i wouldn't want her going in without having done it

jackparlabane · 13/08/2019 11:28

This is a school I'm considering and have a similar child, so hoping to hear from parents there!
Given how many kids in London only get a school place just before or when term starts, they can't expect that all kids will have done it, but whether that would reassure your daughter I don't know.

cauliflowersqueeze · 14/08/2019 05:43

How did the homework get done at primary in the end then? In detention?

PopGoesTheWeaz · 14/08/2019 10:25

This school has a reputation for excellent pastoral care and seemed very laid back when we visited. I would post your question to the local Facebook group for West Norwood and see if you can get any replies there.

Is the homework definitely due on day 1? Our primary has recently moved the due date of holiday homework to the second week back so that kids can actually have a holiday...

IslandTulip · 14/08/2019 17:53

Mine usually leave summer homework til the last week so they get a break first. Could you give her a break now and then try again? If she's too overwhelmed to do it even with a lot of help from you you'd just have to explain the situation but at least she'd have had a break beforehand. Could you start off the project for her so it's less daunting for her?

IslandTulip · 14/08/2019 18:49

If she doesn't do it I'd email the form tutor the day before they go back and explain she got herself into a state about it and she's been referred re SEN.

Original poster

bookmum08 · 15/08/2019 10:24

Thanks everyone.
cauliflower the primary school wasn't very strict on homework and were quite flexible about it..
All our experiences with the school so far have been very positive which is good. We have actually made a start on project (phew) and we bought the French and Spanish dictionaries and I said "now you can teach yourself all the rude words"! Just got to get the uniform now - the school does leave it a bit late in the hols to get it.

OP posts:

cauliflowersqueeze · 15/08/2019 10:59

I think you might find the secondary is not that flexible about it all. Otherwise we would never get work handed in on time. I’d talk to the senco about it if she is unable to do it.

Original poster

bookmum08 · 15/08/2019 11:53

Getting her into a good homework routine is something we plan to work on. The school has things like homework clubs and the library being open after school so hopefully that will help.
My priority at the moment is getting her through the door on day one - preferably in a happy mood and not crying.

OP posts:

Original poster

bookmum08 · 15/08/2019 11:56

It's frustrating because it's the holidays and I can't contact the SENCO or form tutor. It's a bit of a limbo time with no support network.

OP posts:

Seeline · 15/08/2019 12:00

Does the homework have very set instructions - eg write an essay on....
Or is it more general, research x,y,z…. ?
Just wondering whether she might be happier drawing/designing something visual, or filming a piece or producing an animation etc?

Original poster

bookmum08 · 15/08/2019 12:41

The homework is broken down into weekly tasks. It isn't to bad - if we had actually started on week one

OP posts:

IslandTulip · 15/08/2019 15:02

That's mean of them setting homework throughout the holiday

Original poster

bookmum08 · 15/08/2019 15:47

I agree with that. Holiday is a holiday. Should be about doing your own thing!!

OP posts:

cauliflowersqueeze · 15/08/2019 16:51

Well it sounds like she is!

Original poster

bookmum08 · 15/08/2019 18:44

cauliflower why shouldn't she spend her holiday doing what she enjoys and is enthusiastic and passionate about? Isn't that what holidays are for?
Once school starts then with a support network then hopefully she will learn methods of concentration etc but at the moment that support isn't there yet. That's why I started this thread - for support and advice.
Your comments aren't particularly helpful. It isn't her fault she struggles sometimes to concentrate and focus. It's the way her brain is. It's not that she is lazy.

OP posts:

cauliflowersqueeze · 15/08/2019 23:42

Why not email school and explain to them and explain that? They will be picking up emails now and will be able to respond. I’m not trying to be unhelpful - yes holidays are for relaxing but the gap from year 6 SATS to the first week of year 7 is huge and from my experience all kids benefit from doing some work in the interim. You are saying she struggles sometimes to focus and concentrate but the holiday is 6 weeks. Tell her what you expect her to do and the reward for doing it. Give her the option of doing it with your help or alone for an hour. That’s the advice I would give to a parent who contacted me with what you are saying. Her SEN might be a barrier but just avoiding it or accepting she won’t do it I don’t think in the end will help.

She will have to do homework when she’s at school, and they can help her break it down and give her rewards and options etc, but so can you. It sounds like you’re really at a loss of what to do but I think you should have more confidence in yourself. At the moment it feels like a huge wall of worry probably to her, but if it’s left as something she just doesn’t do, then effectively you have given her permission not to face her worry. Better to do 5% of it than leave it in her bag.

I would ask for a mentor early on when she arrives and set tiny achievable targets so she experiences success and realises that by putting in hard work and effort she will get there in the end.

cauliflowersqueeze · 15/08/2019 23:44

Also you said that she will learn methods of concentration - but I wouldn’t say school can teach her this, beyond suggesting a quiet room, no phone or TV on etc. She does have support - you! You’re her biggest support and you know her best.

Original poster

bookmum08 · 16/08/2019 08:32

Apparently there is no staff available to email at this point in the holiday which I why I asked here.
We have made some progress with the project which is good. I am a bit less panicked about it.
She can concentrate at times - when it's something she is interested in or obsessed over. Last night she was being 'csi' (her word) over the plot of a series of books she loves and was analysingy the characters and possible plot twists.
We will get there with this project I think. I hope...

OP posts:

IslandTulip · 16/08/2019 10:34

That's good that you are making some headway. Good to start off on the right foot. Keep up the good work (you!)
Dd1 is doing hwk the last 2 weeks but she is going into year 11! Dd2 going into year 8 I'm not sure if she has much but will do it the last week if so I think.
Dd2 is motivated about hwk so I don't have to get involved which is bliss as dd1 has always required nagging to get on with it as she will leave it to the last minute. She never turns up at school without homework done but will stay up late doing it which is not good.

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