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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 · 01/09/2020 20:34

Thanks @MercedesDeMonteChristo my two aren't back till next week, so I'll have to keep an eye out for any emails from school or college.

OublietteBravo · 02/09/2020 08:23

We’re dropping DS off at the boarding house today. School starts tomorrow. He’s been a day boy previously, so this will be a new experience. He can always switch back if it doesn’t work out - our house is actually closer to the school than his boarding house is (just in the opposite direction). But I’m really hoping that the structure of boarding will be good for him.

beenrumbled · 02/09/2020 08:46

We got the final welcome back email from school yesterday - DS2 goes in for 3 hours "orientation" and maths/english tutorial on Thursday afternoon.

He is then not back in til Monday - they have moved to a 4 x 1 hour lessons with cleaning and handwashing time and a shorter lunch, will stay in areas etc - and have been told they will have a half afternoon of "home study" a week, to facilitate deep cleaning, but we won't find out which day his year have been allocated til he gets his timetable tomorrow.

No mention of dropping a subject so far. We got a 4 page list of dos and don't emailed to us!

NancyJoan · 02/09/2020 09:09

@beenrumbled

We got the final welcome back email from school yesterday - DS2 goes in for 3 hours "orientation" and maths/english tutorial on Thursday afternoon.

He is then not back in til Monday - they have moved to a 4 x 1 hour lessons with cleaning and handwashing time and a shorter lunch, will stay in areas etc - and have been told they will have a half afternoon of "home study" a week, to facilitate deep cleaning, but we won't find out which day his year have been allocated til he gets his timetable tomorrow.

No mention of dropping a subject so far. We got a 4 page list of dos and don't emailed to us!

Is that arrangement going to work for you? Do you need to pick him up, or can he walk home and 'just get on with it' on the afternoon he's home?
beenrumbled · 02/09/2020 09:44

NancyJoan

DS2 used to get the school bus to and from school, but at the end of last year felt it was too busy for him (ASD), and started getting the public bus to and form school - he will keep doing this now as I think the school bus will be a nightmare in terns of social distancing/mask wearing, and my boy can't cope with rule breaking at all.

We should be ok with whatever half day they timetable his year with, at least til the end of 2020 as both DH and I are still WFH, but after that, who knows? I could not trust DS2 to just get on with work set, he would lose focus or become frustrated if he struggled with something.

I need to ask if he still can get his " hall pass" to use when things get too much for him too.

TheOnlyMrsW · 02/09/2020 10:17

DD has her timetable and seems happy with her classes and teachers plus it looks like they will still be doing practicals in Food Tech which she was worrying about.
Her timetable looks very academic all of a sudden to me, she's taking French, German, Geography & Food as well as Maths, English & Science x 3. Her choices - she didn't get on at all with creative subjects, but it looks very "exammy" if that makes sense?

MercedesDeMonteChristo · 02/09/2020 11:05

MrsW DS’s will be the same, but he genuinely works best that way and has zero interest in music/art though he did go for drama (over food in the end).

I haven’t told DS that I’ve found out the head of languages is on sabbatical this year. She is amazing and I think he was hoping for her as he picked Spanish and French and they usually have the same teacher. The options left are one good teacher, one who struggles with discipline and being engaging - I think the good teacher would be great (also HoY) but is just outshone by HoD. Other options might be he has French teacher from the French/German contingent and one of the above for Spanish. Or her replacement.

beenrumbled · 02/09/2020 11:13

One of the SEN team from school just rang to see how DS2 is and see if we have any questions ahead of tomorrow - she was lovely and is looking forward to seeing him again.

She did ask about the mask wearing in corridors and communal spaces as he is technically exempt (we are in an area with further measures in place) so far he has been ok with them but she wanted to let us know that there is a blazer badge they can issue to indicate exemption if needed.

Thankfully she confirmed he will have all his options for GCSE, so he is very happy to go back.

RedskyAtnight · 02/09/2020 13:03

DD's timetable (she starts on Friday) has gone up on their VLE. Historically the timetables that go up early are full of mistakes (one year DS had a day that was double biology, then chemistry, then another biology) but she's got quite excited. As she started GCSE courses last year the school does not historically change teachers between Year 9 and 10, but this year they have reorganised to keep them in similar groups as much as possible so she actually had a whole bunch of teachers I've never heard of. Thankfully she still has the 2 teachers she really liked. She's currently messaging her best friend to see if they are in the same history group :)

TheOnlyMrsW · 02/09/2020 21:06

Thanks Mercedes, I know DD has made the right choices for her, it just all seems very real!!!

OublietteBravo · 02/09/2020 21:18

It feels weird not having DS at home. But I know he’ll have a fantastic time as a boarder. I’m curious to see how he gets on with some of his subjects. I was surprised he picked Spanish over French, and I’d never have predicted he’d pick drama. I don’t suppose I’ll hear much until he finishes school on Saturday.

Rollergirl11 · 02/09/2020 21:34

@TheOnlyMrsW and @MercedesDeMonteChristo DD is the same with her chosen subjects, she took
History, Geography and Spanish to go along with the compulsory RE, triple science, Maths and 3 English. She is not creative or sporty in the slightest so she picked based on her strengths. But I think she has suddenly realised that her timetable is “all work and no filler” as she calls it.

copernicium · 02/09/2020 21:37

Oh how lovely to find this thread!

DD has chosen geography, German and PE plus separate sciences, eng/maths/RE/IT.

We went back today.

MercedesDeMonteChristo · 02/09/2020 22:02

Timetable was up on the parent app. DS pleased he has the good languages teacher.

I’m so excited for tomorrow. Though DS1/2 don’t start until 12!

MercedesDeMonteChristo · 02/09/2020 22:05

DS has referred to business as his filler, though he used a different word that I can’t recall. It was a backup choice and I think he’ll find it pretty straightforward and has a logical mind.

KoalasandRabbit · 03/09/2020 02:57

We got told masks required in communal areas today, still another week to go here before back as last years in.

MrsScrubbingbrush · 03/09/2020 08:05

DD2's timetable has gone up online.

Lots of double periods to restrict excess movement around the school. She even has triple French & History! Luckily there's a lunch break after 2 periods to give them a break. She's not too bothered as they're among her favourite subjects Her school building is quite old and has narrow corridors.

Along with the core subjects she's taking RE (compulsory), triple sciences, Food Tech and Drama. She seems happy with it.

Gumbo · 03/09/2020 08:15

DS has just left for school, he's really nervous! I think he's mostly nervous in case he isn't in the top sets (he will be, he's being silly) and in case he doesn't get the teachers he wants or more specifically, in case he gets a couple of teachers he loathes

It feels a bit like I've just waved him off for the first day of Year 7, it's been such a long time since he went to school that it feels pretty odd. Roll on 3:30...

crazycrofter · 03/09/2020 08:24

First day for ds today too but an 11am start - phew! I woke at 6 though (compared to 8 usually!). I feel strangely nervous.

Sim7 · 03/09/2020 08:38

Hi. Mine starts year 10 next week and is very anxious about how she has managed her work over last 6 months and how the next two years will pan out. She is taking english x 2 maths RE double science history geography product design and Spanish. But her school started in year 9 so technically she has done a year already. Any advice and support will be welcome over the next two years.

Original poster
Alsoplayspiccolo · 03/09/2020 08:40

Both of my DCs have gone back today - DS in year 10, DD in year 12.
I have been feeling increasingly anxious since last week; not because of Covid, but just because of the change after 5 months of having them at home and not living to a timetable. I'm worried about how we'll all cope, and about missing the relaxed home life we've enjoyed this year.

OP posts:
beenrumbled · 03/09/2020 10:05

DS2 gong in 12-2.30 today - he is looking forward to seeing his friends.

MercedesDeMonteChristo · 03/09/2020 11:22

Spiccolo I'm trying to both embrace the timetable and regimented days but also retain a little of the slower pace we had over lockdown etc. It really made me realise that downtime was missing from our lives.

crazycrofter · 03/09/2020 14:06

@Alsoplayspiccolo me too! I think lockdown has shown us all the benefits of slowing down - and how ridiculously pressured and overwhelming school life is now. Ds has really matured over the last few months, I've had lots of lovely in depth discussions with him, especially since term ended. I don't want our relation to return to nagging mum/grumpy son, but I'm worried he'll sink without my 'support'. I wish we could home educate to be honest. We did it in the past for a couple of years but we'd have to pay for courses/tutoring for the GCSE years and don't really have the money.

Mumski45 · 03/09/2020 15:44

Hi everyone. Joining you as my DS has just started year 10 today. He was so excited about going back to school, he came to wake me up at 6:30 this morning all dressed and with his coat on ready to go, (about an hour early). My younger DS doesn't start until next week.

He had a bit of a hiccup first thing as the bus broke down half way to school so they had to wait for a backup bus and were late arriving. Shock

To be honest I am pleased they are going back as they need a bit more structure. Lockdown was fine until school broke up mid July but we have drifted a bit since then as both DH and I are working from home and haven't had a lot of time to do days out with them.

He was really looking forward to today as he has a lot of his favourite subjects such as Art, Maths and Games and I can't wait to pick him up to see how his day went.