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?

Thank you. So proud 😊 Yes I hope they do something but as it's inset day tomorrow,I hope it isn't forgotten about by Monday 😕

@BeverleyMacker that 100% shouldn't be forgotten about. If I were you I would email the school about that now. This should not be ignored.

I'll definitely email the form tutor and head of year.

Haha sounds like our school.

Friday, hurrah! I think we are slowly finding some sort of routine. While we still hear lots about this or that mean thing someone's said or done, we are also now hearing new names of people DS has chatted to and is finding little things in common with which is lovely. Long may it continue. Happy weekend everyone.

@ElvenDreamer that's great news.
DD is starting to widen the friendship net too and new names are being mentioned. 3 merits awarded now and seems that her core friends are all in the top % of each class so hopefully they will act as a driver for her. 4 weeks ago and the start of secondary seems a lifetime away now and she is a lot more comfortable with it.
They are having house family lunches next week to help them integrate with older year groups.
Homework has settled into a routine of 2 subjects a night and so far all according to the timetable so sticking to this works.
Looking forward to half term!

How is everyone's DC doing with losing things? So far we have had a games top left at a match, mouthguard case vanished and last night she left her bloody school shoes at school!!! Our WhatsApp group for Yr 7 just seems to be full of things the kids have lost.
Anyone else having this struggle?

@twistyizzy not this year thankfully, DS is pretty good at holding on to things but I feel your pain. Last year DD lost everything possible to lose, most did come back eventually, including a coat about 3 months later. The worst was leaving an entire PE kit at a bus stop. We never did find that again.

Just lost map/timetable a few weeks ago.

still not much homework.
her friend has moved up in pe which is great but sad for dd. Now0 lessons with any friends. And even though supposed to move up i n maths - that unlike pe is riduculously slow like 5w. And there are multiple set 2 so thats not her friend either.
Talk to tutor on monday which was ok. Wasnt even the 5min more like 3-4! And my laptop decided to update so had to use phone at last minute. Compounded by primary parents eve invite not coming to me so they had to book when there were times we couldnt do.

@Busornobus67 that's a shame that she isn't in any lessons with friends. I understand the shortened time for Tutor chats as they more kids/parents to talk to but 5 mins doesn't really allow for a good chat.

Yes i wasnt expecting the teacher to be late as its usually automatic so cuts off.

Just rememered dd has a L on attendance which assume is late , dd didnt mention. She was presumably late earlier in the week as sent up to new maths in error but that was teacher fault! And it wasnt yesterday. However its definitely possible shes been late for something as she wont wear a watch and doesnt have her pbone at school.

I don't want to jinx myself but DD hasn't lost anything yet. We thought she had lost her inhaler last week but it was buried in her bag.

Homework comes through thick and fast here. English, maths and science are weekly. All other subjects monthly. Sometimes we end up with 6 subjects worth on a weekend.

This weekend's is maths, English, science and drama. DD did maths last night, just finished science. I've asked ExH to get her to do English this eve when she goes to his.

DD is very resistant to homework and it's a battle every time. Rather than her just doing it I end up having to use threats of turning the wifi off for the day / evening 🤯

School have a homework club each afternoon after school and anyone who doesn't hand their homework in on time gets sent to homework club that day to complete it.

Lol ginger dd is like that and we turned the internet off and coudnt get it working again.
ours is
weekly maths/lang/
2 weekly sci/eng
termly art/geo/history/d&t

but as she finially moved up and the maths teacher was unreasonable we've just covered loads of maths at home. He was annoyed she was so behind and said she snould move back down!!

I'm not going to tell DD that some DC don't get daily homework, she night start to refuse to do it 😄.

I almost wish mine did get daily homework, he seems to do better with a clear routine! Needs less policing/hassling/arguing about not leaving it until the night before from me anyway...

This thread has reminded me I need to buy a new PE jumper which he swears blind he brought home from school. Except maybe he didn't.

@JassyRadlett yes it does actually help that she HAS to sit down every night Mon-Fri + Sunday to do it and that does get them into good habits from the start but I have been surprised how quickly they started setting it. I thought the school might have given them a few weeks' grace.

@twistyizzy Weirdly we got more in the first couple of weeks and now it seems patchier/more random. Hopefully they'll find a rhythm. And in the meantime I need to try to convince him that revision of eg languages is a worthy use of his time...

Problem with delaying starting giving it is that now in oct and dd just learning numbers in spanish!
Im sure in secondary we had homework after every lesson.
The sparx homework was taking 15-20 min a week.
We've also wasted completely 5w in maths reviewing y6 work.
Science they did genes for 1 week then straight into sex and labelling sex organs lol!
I think its interesting set 4 was mostly girls but noone talking. Set 2 mixed but kids all chatting.

@Busornobus67 I hadn't looked at it from that angle but yes you're right! Starting homework immediately means they don't waste time I suppose.

Hey all, hope having a good weekend!

couple of weeks since my last post.

DS really enjoying school.

Friend situation seeming to improve is not a lone on breaks as goes a sports lunch time club each twice a week and one after school. This week particular mentioning names of people he spent break and lunch with when not at a club.

Bought a tear to my eye when I was putting tea on to hear it coming together and that while it was hard to go alone he stayed away from the not very nice group from his last primary who were a bad influence.

class charts system is fab and parent pay to see what my ds has eaten . I need to stop being so paranoid I tend to check at breaks, lunches etc at work as I’m still always worrying that he might not be having a good day.

Even got an award for being year 7 community sports manager!

Gave him a box of biscuits to give head of year to give to all his teachers in staff room as I am honestly so impressed by all the positive reinforcement, points, sweets and things going on.

My sons nails are also growing back and he looks so happy completely different from primary school!

@Yoyo2021 fantastic, such a relief for you.

Honestly wouldn't worry about the lack of homework. I think schools like spending this half term really getting the students settled in and slowly introducing it all. DD hasn't had much besides decorate your folder/do this one worksheet every night and she goes to a Grammar.

My DD is settling better now and even has an invite to a new friend after school next week, which she is delighted by!

As for homework, it’s been daily here since the 2nd week and also a number of tests already (languages, drama and sciences so far) - apparently they teach a topic, then test to see that everyone understands and then provide support if not instead of waiting until end of term/ year tests. Works quite well and my DD is really good at just coming home, snack and straight to homework for an hour before chill (or the multiple activities which are a bit much on top of new school!).

so, getting into a good rhythm now 🤞

Friendship dramas here. New “bestie” is spending time with someone else and it’s not going down well. I’ve told her not to be so possessive over one friend but more tears. Also still exhausted. Feels like she will never be truly happy again to be honest. (Yes I’m I know I’m catastrophising). Just a different experience this time round after my eldest son settled immediately.

Does anyone have any good suggestions on any basic introduction to French language books my ds has only started to learn it🙂