About to start year 7?

[Phox]

Thought it might be good to chat all things new starter, plus a distraction from the mess of the end of year 6 - DS effectively had his last day on Friday without knowing, as the call to isolate came over the weekend. So no leavers events or party at least for now. He did manage to get to an induction day for his new secondary school thankfully, which has settled some of his nerves.

Anyone else looking ahead to y7 in September - summer schools, crazy-priced uniforms and ‘they are just too young!!’ panics?

I’d be interested to hear what they’ve been doing in summer schools - DS has his in a couple of weeks, but I’m hoping it’s not full-on outward bounds type games as he’s not very physical and would prefer to get a feel for what being at the school will actually be like.

Jumping on this even though I’m a bit late to the party/thread.

Ds is starting year 7 in September and only knows 1 other girl going from his school. Luckily he knows a couple of older kids who go from his scouts group and a primary friends older brother so he will at least see a few friendly faces around and know a few people as approachable to ask if he gets lost.

Thankfully we were able to look around the school right back at the start of year 5 but no induction day and they aren’t doing a summer school either which I was disappointed about.

He was so lucky in that they made it to the end of term with no isolating and got to do quite a lot of normal leavers activities, and had their residential in June.

DS loved his summer school they had a selection of lessons, but very relaxed. They had drama, cookery (made us dinner) maths (doing origami) English, science - filtering water. Meeting teachers and being shown around the school. They came out so happy and relaxed I’m really glad they did it.

DDs school did a virtual intake week. Teachers did videos for them. She seemed to get on OK with it.

Just bought her a calculator, Amazon have the Casio ones on offer for £10 at the moment.

I'm trying to help her realise she needs to be a bit more organised come September.

Definitley can't believe how quick it's come round, it's scary.

New adventure for them though.

All my DC & mates seem to be raring to start. Busy comparing what bags/stationary etc they have bought. I just need to label the uniform now!

Oh, we’ve drifted on to page 2, so bumping a little. Summer school is later this week here, DS is looking forward to it, it sounds they’ll be doing quite a few subject lessons along with some team building and games. They’ve made a point of saying that those who can’t come won’t be disadvantaged in what they’re learning, be interesting to see what they actually cover.

Just found this thread! Not long to go now - DS1 starts a week on Thursday. I'm washing all the new uniform today so that I can get it all labelled etc... I love doing that!

Our school did a summer school at the start of the holidays. Most children went, I think, about 150 out of the 180 new starters. It was a bit more like school than I had expected - they did maths, English, humanities lessons, but also cooking and PE. I think it was a good chance for them to get used to the building and meet others starting at the same school. I think also it was a chance for the teachers to see the kids interacting and work out what forms to put them in for September. At least half of DS's year 6 class are all going to the same school so he's bound to have people he knows in his class, though I think he's looking forward to making new friends having been in the one class bubble for the last year and a half and not being able to mix with other classes. He's summer born so only just turned 11 but I think he's more than ready for secondary - he was getting so fed up with the relentless focus on maths and English at primary at the expense of everything else. I think he'll really enjoy being able to do lessons in all the other subjects! The school is really near us, just a few minutes' walk, so at least we don't have the journey to worry about.

DS1 starts Year 7 in September and is at summer school this week. Been a bit of a funny time as even though he got the school he wanted his friends didn't get in so he only knows a couple of people. Yesterday went really well. He said he'd made some friends and managed to get the bus back in one piece with a girl from his primary school and a friend from a hobby so that was a big relief. They've been doing fun lessons - mix of sport, music, science, history etc so all sounds great to me.

Tonight he seemed more subdued. Turns out that he's been talking to his primary friends who are now going to a different secondary together and have their summer school this week too. They've had an outward bound day today and are doing a trip to a local attraction later this week so think he feels a bit short changed! I've talked to him about how what his school is doing seems to be more typical (certainly based on the other local schools), the point is to get to know other children/staff/the school building which is what's happening and his school has a Year 7 residential so he'll get to do the outdoorsy stuff then. Think it's tough though it's brought home the reality that he's going to a different school to his friends which he's been surprisingly chilled about so far.

He has spent quite a bit of the evening gaming with the friend from his hobby who is going to his school and seems much brighter so fingers crossed it'll all work out.

As you've probably guessed he's my eldest so this is all completely new to me! This thread has been great for tips. Hope everything goes well for everyone else.

No summer school offered here and no transition events in school, just an on line thing so all quite anxious.

I honestly think they'll all be fine.. my DC missed summer school. About 50% did it. But I'm sure by Oct 1/2 term it will all be a memory

I hope you don't mind me joining. My daughter is going into Year 7 in September and I' sooo worried if she will like it/fit in/make friends. I'm very worried we made the wrong choice.

She went through the 11+ and had a choice of a number of independent schools, and her two best friends got into two of the independent schools my daughter also got into. I know she would have been much happier going with at least one of the friends plus the two other schools both have a huge focus on amazing extra curricular activities. BUT the schools were a much further commute and honestly more expensive (by quite a bit!) than the independent school we chose. We visited our new school and it's in a gorgeous setting, beautiful grounds, but it has a reputation for being extremely strict and academic (which I don't think will suit my daughter). She will only know two boys from her primary there.

I'm just praying she makes new friends and that we didn't make the wrong choice (but truthfully as a single parent I don't think I could have realistically afforded paying for 7 years of the "fancier funner" schools.

XelaM, I think it’s normal to second-guess yourself about school choices, but try to remember why you chose it originally, over and above it being cheaper! DS is starting at a school where he knows no one, but lots of others are in the same position (it’s a grammar) so also keen to make friends.

We’ve had two good days at summer school here - such a good opportunity to get familiar with classmates and the school before all the other years are back. Very relieved! Not sure it quite qualifies as ‘catch up’ but definitely glad he was able to go. I’d feel differently if he was going up with a gang he already knows, but it’s been valuable for him.

Don’t buy handbags/satchels for books. Insist on a backpack worn over both shoulders. My right shoulder is half an inch shorter than my left from carrying heavy book bags starting at 12.
Label everything-it’s too easy to leave items behind when changing rooms.

I still have to do the labelling. What do people do to label for secondary? Proper name labels or scribble on the laundry tabs with pen, and try to remember to repeat when it washes off?

I always buy my name tags from, here I get the stick on labels and the iron on ones. DD designed her own ones, we had them for Primary and they never came off any of her clothes

DD passed the entrance tests to an independent girls school but we didn't get a bursary due to the school rightly supporting the girls already at the school this year, in an ordinary year we would have qualified for 100%.Which is frustrating so Dd is going to the Secondary just across the road from her Primary with 98% of her Primary school. She enjoyed their summer school and recognized lots of other children from extra curricular she's done over the years.

We use the same labels as HP. They last brilliantly (in fact I couldn’t remove them from old primary uniform sent to second hand sale!) Have labelled uniform, but not water bottles/ pencil cases etc yet.
Can’t believe DS starts in less than a week!
Can I ask if anyone has heard from their schools recently in advance of the term? We haven’t and so I’m not sure about lots of important first day stuff (like uniform or gym kit as there might be a pe day - or it might be on the mon instead!). Also don’t know if I need to lft him or send him with/in a mask!
DS has gone a bit subdued over last few days - definitely nervous (not as nervous as his mum though).

Yes we heard from school about first day arrangements, LFTs and masks still in communal areas but we go back this coming week so may vary based on that?

All PE kit here has to be embroidered with names so luckily there isn't too much labelling to do.

DD seems excited and nervous she was practicing handwriting this afternoon! DD1 starts Y12 this week to too so lots going on here!

We’re in on Thursday for 30 mins for tests then start properly on Monday no pe kits yet, we’ll be told on Monday when they need to bring them in.

Following this thread for the wise words. We accepted a really late waiting list place for a grammar school last week so have had to buy everything, having already bought a whole uniform for our second choice comp. It's been manic & Dd1 doesn't know anyone else going. As far as I can tell, there hasn't been a summer school, and I have managed to find a few local people who are going so at least she'll have someone to travel with.

Do you think they have to wear uniforms when they go in for the LFTs? I'm guessing not as they come straight home.

DD has induction on Monday with onsite LFT, but we've been asked to do one at home the day before, presumably to minimise the chances of them getting a positive LFT at school.

Ours are not in uniform for the initial test when they go in for a little while. But in the Monday full uniform as hopefully they get to do a full day at school.

Joining again. DS2 starts on Monday next week. He has been practicing walking to school with DS1 (will be Y10), but they seem to argue the whole 5 minute walk (which then takes 15 minutes!).

I've found you! I was quietly confident up until I realised it is only 1 week until DS2 starts and.now I'm panicking. I already have DS1 going into year 10 but at a different school so I feel like a brand new year 7 parent again as this schoolnseems to do pretty much everything differently. And DS2 still can't do up the top button on his short despite numerous practice sessions so that's my main stress at the moment.

@Hellocatshome New shirt buttons are stiff and tricky but can be really tricky for students that have dyspraxic or weak finger muscles. If it's a real issue look at the easy dressing shirts from M&S they have velcro under the buttons for the top half of the shirt which makes getting changed much easier.

First day nightmare
My 11 year old girl started secondary school today. Packing for 2 weeks and super excited. A quiet introverted child but was moving to school with a lot of her primary school friends. As I collected her from school I knew something was up - as she got into the car, she burst into floods of tears and was clearly emotionally distressed. It transpires that she has been placed in a class with none of her friends whilst the other 5 primary school friends are in one class. Also of 7 boys, they have been placed 4 in one class and 3 in another. So out of 13 children from our primary school, she is the only one that has been left isolated. Immediately my wife and I contacted the school ,but our concerns were not even recorded and literally dismissed out of hand, and told we don't swap children between classes. What should have been a joyous occasion has turned into a nightmare. I know my child ,and I know that over time she will make friends and enjoy school again- but it is going to take a lot of tears and emotional distress to get there. Has anyone any advice what they would do ?? I just feel she has been treated so unfairly and not equal with everyone else.