Y7- 2023/24 support thread

[BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz]

Hi, just dropping in a thread for those of us who have kids starting secondary this coming September. There was a lovely thread going last year and they are carrying it on into Year 8, so here is a place for us the year behind.

How is everyone feeling as they finish Primary and prepare for Secondary?

Dd is moving from a single form entry "family feel" type cosy Primary into a large 8 form entry, multiple building secondary. She's going alone, her primary class are really split up across multiple secondaries.

The transition days helped, and she is excited,but has been really sad this weke saying her goodbyes

Is everyone prepped for uniform etc?

Apparently DD2 said something similar to DD1. I say apparently because I didn't hear it, she told DD1 last night who told me this morning. She'll ask her sister to elaborate when she comes back home and I'll update this thread if DD2 expands on her concerns.

(Same boat as you, DD2 is at a Grammar. We did tutor but DD2 got in very comfortably.)

Just realised that DS will be dismissed from a different site one day each week after PE. So that's another journey for him to learn

Oh @gingeristhenewblack43 , my heart goes out to you, that was me yesterday, it's emotionally exhausting.

We've had a few minor issues with dd not realising map was double sided. And didnt understand one floor was elsewhere on the map.
She doesnt have friends in class but does have kids from her year. And isnt great at organising herself.
Clubs maybe tricky as she doesnt want to do then in lunchbreak but could then end up alone.

I observe from reception that the ones crying at transition days did settle in well and have great time.
Dd settled ok first few days then bam lots of issues.

Im glad dd has double pe (though she hates sport) but only 1 day to remember kit!

@Busornobus67 I think that's my concern with DD. First week has gone smoothly (barring the forgotten swim kit today) and she has made a small group of friends so I'm now stressing about whether that is too good to be true and that issues will come over the next few weeks.
Maybe I just like worrying 😟 and I need to learn to chill out.

DS got to go in PE kit today, which was a relief in this heat but he did leave then run back one minute later because he forgot his student ID card he'd been diligently hanging up with his blazer.

Big hugs to those DC struggling 💐

I felt like an awful mum this morning - DS didn’t sleep well because of the heat, and was saying he was struggling to think / focus. That made him very dithery about getting ready, and we left 10 mins late. I got pretty cross, as DD has an earlier deadline for arrival, but his drop off is on the way to hers.
Of course he got really upset, and was crying when I dropped him off 😢😢😢😢

I hope once he got into the swing of the day, he will have brushed it off… but we will see. At primary, I’d have dropped his teacher / SEN 1:1 an email to forewarn them that he has had a wobble on the way in, but I don’t know if that is the done thing at secondary… and I’ve not even met his form teachers!

At primary, I’d have dropped his teacher / SEN 1:1 an email to forewarn them that he has had a wobble on the way in, but I don’t know if that is the done thing at secondary… and I’ve not even met his form teachers!

Have you had any contact with the SENCO prior to school starting? Even if you haven’t, I’d look for their email on the school website and drop them a line.

I totally understand feeling like you have to take a step back with your involvement once they reach secondary, but that doesn’t apply to SEN kids IMO.

I emailed DD’s school SENCO this morning just to give them a heads up that she was incredibly anxious about a swimming assessment this afternoon. She was really nice about it and said she’d give the PE dept a heads up.

Thanks @Jellycats4life - I will do. I’ve met the SEND manager and the Y7 LSA previously, so perhaps I will drop them a line, once I’ve got the lowdown from DS on how he coped today

@Unsuredad123 that's not my experience of Grammer. DD1 goes to a "super-selective" one - just starting Y9 - and only just scraped in off the waiting list. The school are very aware that they have a lot of over achieving, perfectionist kids ( and parents!) & are keen to emphasize activities outside of class, and to tell them not to compare themselves to each other. DD1 has found maths a bit hard- she'd been fine anywhere else but there are lots of maths geniuses basically - but her teachers have been so supportive, I'm really impressed with their attitude. Homework has been very manageable and they barely had anything for the first few weeks of Y7.

Maybe have a chat with HoL or pastoral lead.

Dd is stressing as she doesn't understand her RE homework. I've checked her planner and all she has written down is "learn the first four words of Branch One"

Literally no idea what that means

First four Key Words sorry

@Stokey I'm sure she will be fine and it was just a wobble from a mix of tiredness, new school, new subject, teachers, friends, getting a bus etc. See how she fairs a few weeks then months in.

@BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz homework already???!

Does DD have any friends she can message to ask about it?

Or does school have an app where they can find out what homework they have outstanding?

She had some yesterday too. Just a small piece (pick someone from History who has made a significant contribution to the world - good or bad) 20mins work, that she dawdle over for about an hour and a half.

Anyways, just found a scruples up sheet of paper in the bottom of her bag with the words she needs to memorise.

It's gonna be a long few weeks I tell you!

@Unsuredad123 it is a lot to take in for the first few weeks - especially with the commute. Hopefully she'll settle in soon.

Oh @BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz that’s not making things easy, is it?!
So far DS’s “homework” is to cover his exercise books… this we can handle 😂 Any form of written homework is always a huge battle for us, so I’m not looking forward to when it ramps up!

He came out happy at the end of the day, thank goodness! Said as soon as he got to his form room this morning, he got out his book and started reading, and that settled him quickly 🙏🏻

Hope all the DC have a nice chilled weekend, and are fresh for the new week on Monday

No homework here for first 2 weeks. Blazer was required! He has made friends ( well talked at people but remembered names) apparently this was at lunch.., which is huge for him! I am so pleased even if they don’t last past the first few weeks

This is the info we have had about homework. DD can drag 30 mins of work out to 2 hours with her procrastinating or get it done in 5 mins with her minimal effort 🙄

Good end to the week here. School bus ran on time and the misunderstanding about yesterday’s bus having been late was easily cleared up. The Head has decreed that summer uniform can be worn until half term. Photos taken. No homework in the first two weeks while they get settled. And the weekend begins!

What started as a good week ended up slightly disappointing as the caretaking team cut DDs lock off by accident when another student needed their own lock cut off. Now we've had to buy a new padlock off Amazon. We've got Prime and picked one that will be here by tomorrow. Fingers crossed it arrives on time so DD can use her locker again as she has a lot of stuff and uses it to keep books from later/earlier lessons throughout the day.

So grateful it's the weekend, we made it! Slight improvements today, not quite so exhausted and angry, some things were even deemed OK. There has been acknowledgement that he thinks it will get better. I really hope this continues, I'm so bloody proud of how he's doing. But time for a G and T for Mummy I think, I'm wrung out!

Clear as mud that @gingeristhenewblack43 . Here DC’s school have just adopted ClassCharts this year - DC2 had homework on it before he had a login for it which made him very stressed yesterday. Got the login today and turns out it’s just to cover his books. Like @TeaandHobnobs think we can cope with that.

Generally DC2 had a bad day yesterday- not at all helped by his brother saying he would walk him home completely forgetting he had a drama rehearsal. He then went to his rehearsal leaving his brother to unsuccessfully scour the school for him……words were had. Luckily today seems to have gone better though he’s obviously really tired out. Also not sure he’s talked to anyone but his best mate from primary yet. Not sure how he’s going to do a whole week next week!

Not doing so well now.
In maths told she was in set 4/5!
With sats result of 113. Not a grammar and i cant see that is right.
So 150 kids with 90 doing better?
but also her friend with 110 is in 2. ?
i cant see why but possibly they dont have her sats as late from waitlist.
or its because she really awkward in class.
Or shes confused.
she didnt query it. I think i would have if i were her.
but if its to do with predictions from primary just another reason to be annoyed with them.

Definitely have a word with the school @Busornobus67 . In theory, anyone with a greater depth score should be in the top third.

Although at DD2s school they have been told that they're not in Maths sets yet, and they will have a test on Monday to see where they should be. I thought at the transition, they said that they only started setting after Christmas so they had a chance to assess the girls and not just rely on SATs, so we'll see.