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Secondary education

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

Original poster

Current Year 10 2020/2021 support thread

993 replies

Alsoplayspiccolo · 14/08/2020 09:37

I can’t see a thread for upcoming new year 10s, so I thought I’d start one, as the long-running GCSE one I’ve been part of for DD has been a life-saver.

DS has opted to take history, German, drama and music, plus double science, maths, English x2, and RE.
He’s pretty bright and does well without having to break a sweat (much to my frustration!), but doesn’t really know what he wants to do in the future. He’s a music scholar at his school, so does a lot of music (DH and I are both professional musicians...or were, before Covid hit...) but loves history and English.

His school provided excellent online schooling and he was lucky to be able to go in 2 days a week for the last 3 weeks of term.

His sister has just finished year 11, so we are biting our nails, waiting for results next week. She has quite a different academic profile, having ADHD and possibly dyspraxia, and has had to work hard throughout the last few years.

I hope us parents of DCs just starting the GCSE journey can help and support each other over the next couple of years. 🙂

OP posts:
Shark2020 · 24/08/2020 20:05

I think she's got a polo and rugby type top which she doesn't wear much so that will definitely be having an outing.

MercedesDeMonteChristo · 24/08/2020 20:08

DS is a fan of thermals and his school luckily also allow fleeces as long as they are plain in the winter plus any tracksuit bottoms.

KoalasandRabbit · 24/08/2020 20:10

Ours will wear blazers over PE kit, I have pointed out that the girls in particular are going to look amazing - they already wear leggings under shorts, not the uniform but they all do it. They are going to look like superwoman Grin I'm not sure the school thought it through.

We have to supply stationary and if kids don't have it, its tough - this should be interesting with DS (ASD) who loses everything not attached to him and then gets upset if he can't find a pen.

GhostTypeEevee · 24/08/2020 20:26

I'm having to get the zip up PE top and bottoms so he's got something warm to wear on pe days. I have no idea why they just couldn't wear a plain hoodie

Gumbo · 25/08/2020 06:56

Does anyone know whether the schools will be doing rugby this year? I'm expecting football to feature since it's not such a contact sport but I'm doubtful about rugby; yesterday I was buying DS school shoes and he suddenly announced he needed new rugby boots which after discovering the cheapest pair in his size were £34 got me thinking that perhaps he won't need them? (I didn't buy them and when we got home I dug out an old pair of barely used ones that DH has that will do the job if required!)

whirlwindwallaby · 25/08/2020 07:05

We were told for them to wear trainers and bring rugby/football boots if required, but either will do at our school so I don't know which sport they are planning to play.

HelloDulling · 25/08/2020 07:10

@Gumbo

Does anyone know whether the schools will be doing rugby this year? I'm expecting football to feature since it's not such a contact sport but I'm doubtful about rugby; yesterday I was buying DS school shoes and he suddenly announced he needed new rugby boots which after discovering the cheapest pair in his size were £34 got me thinking that perhaps he won't need them? (I didn't buy them and when we got home I dug out an old pair of barely used ones that DH has that will do the job if required!)
We’ve been told they will do cricket until half term (so I’ve had to buy new whites!) and then they hope to play rugby after half term, but it may be tag rugby only.
Thevelveteenrabbit · 25/08/2020 07:44

Can I join in?
Have twin dd starting year 10
Really looking forward to going back to school.
Both have chosen computing and music, and then one German and RS and the other French and History. Maths, English x2 and triple science are compulsory.

RedskyAtnight · 25/08/2020 08:15

It's normal at our school to wear blazers over PE kits! (If they have PE first lesson they tend to go in wearing kit with blazer over, same on sports days)

That said, they are changing for PE as normal at DC's school. They are just utilising more spaces as changing areas, so they are more spread out. And all outdoor PE. Which sounded ok, until we had the week where it basically poured constantly.

Jaxx · 25/08/2020 09:20

Thanks for starting the thread - I would like to join too.

My son is about to start Y10. He is doing English x 2, Maths, Triple Science, History, Latin, Music and RE (by choice!).

He has autism. He found the first two weeks of lockdown extremely stressful. His teachers pretty much dumped a normal weeks worth of work onto SMHW on Monday and expected it to be submitted by Friday afternoon. He got overwhelmed and it was really hard to keep him on track.

Thankfully, things go much better after Easter. There was more structure with a combination of live and recorded lessons, alongside independent work. He ended up loving it and given a choice would want it to continue working that way.

He is not due back until the 7th September and we haven’t had any details yet. It will be interesting.

Original poster
Alsoplayspiccolo · 25/08/2020 10:27

Cricket here for a month or so, and then rugby but only tag rugby, so no gumshields needed which is a plus, as DS is about to have braces fitted.
He has to go to school in PE/games kit on PE/games days: mid layer, shorts and top and tracksuit bottoms, with blazer.
I’m actually really impressed by how his school is running things - year group zones, and at least 3 hot meals a week, slightly shorter school days but no blended learning.

OP posts:
Gumbo · 25/08/2020 10:40

Aargh - I'd forgotten about gumshields, thanks for reminding me... I'd better go and put the kettle on and start the traumatic process of boiling/fitting/complaining/repeat...

Never been any cricket as DS's school so I'm guessing it'll be football (or possibly rugby, but may just be tag...)

MercedesDeMonteChristo · 25/08/2020 12:26

Just tried to order shirts and trousers online, obviously sold out so DH is going to have to take them physically tomorrow as the only available day before school starts. I did tell him!!

Rollergirl11 · 25/08/2020 14:38

@MercedesDeMonteChristo oh no what a pain! is that with M&S? Perhaps Next might have better stock. When does your school start?

MercedesDeMonteChristo · 25/08/2020 16:11

I tried both. Never mind, it’s DH problem to sort, I tried. They start on Thursday next week and DS2 actually has no trousers. I could force DS1 to borrow some of his brothers old shirts until we get them but no trousers is a problem.

Another lesson in DH should have listened to me when I told him weeks ago to sort it.

poshme · 26/08/2020 09:28

We're trying on uniform this weekend.

DS has got so tall I think we'll need a everything.
Got shoes from Tesco Smile

KoalasandRabbit · 26/08/2020 14:17

We've just got more guidance today - similar to before, says awaiting news on masks in school, y9 starts 8.35am, year 10 8.40am, earliest can arrive is 8.20am. School uniform except PE or dance days when PE kits, no hoodies.

ShanghaiDiva · 26/08/2020 17:35

We also received more guidance today: masks on school bus, but no masks in school.. (yet)
For pe days kids must come in pe uniform. Dd is overjoyed as she can wear black leggings and school pe top and not ugly kilt!

Gumbo · 26/08/2020 18:28

Our guidance is also no masks in school; the year groups form a 'bubble' and the different year groups have slightly different start/finish times and therefore different lesson times, so there won't be any year groups mixing in the corridors. The lessons are now also all 'doubles' so only actually 3 lessons a day so less moving about. No masks required at school apparently.

MirandaWest · 26/08/2020 19:07

I can’t see DDs school doing anything like coming to school in PE kit. There’s a new uniform from September (although year 10 will be able to wear old uniform this year and next) but they used to be allowed to wear ie all black converse and now can’t. So likelihood of PE kit all day very small

MirandaWest · 26/08/2020 19:09

We’ve been told masks on school buses, don’t get to school too early, different year groups will have different entrances to school, years 7-9 will stay in the same classroom and teachers will come to them. Seeing as the headteacher sent out an old letter from July to reiterate points I’m not sure whether there is any update yet

whirlwindwallaby · 26/08/2020 20:24

Our school has five periods with staggered break and lunch times so that break falls within period 2 for years 8, 9 and 10 and lunch within period 4 for years 9 and 10. As in they go and come back to the same lesson. Period 1 and 3 are an hour, the others longer to fit in break, lunch and then staggered finish times.

GhostTypeEevee · 26/08/2020 20:50

@MirandaWest Our school is strict on uniform but they are having to go in in pe kit, it's to limit the amount of children using the changing rooms. I think some years are still able to use them though

Thevelveteenrabbit · 27/08/2020 07:10

Mine have to go in PE kit as well! They are hoping that PE is at the end of the day otherwise they will be sat in sweaty kit for rest of day!
They have changed timetable to 3 longer lessons a day and I think they said it is going to be a 4 week timetable!
When are they all going back? My eldest starts at 6th form on Wednesday and then the others start back on Thursday.

ShanghaiDiva · 27/08/2020 07:48

My dd also goes back on Thursday.